Position: Contract & Vendor Advisory Specialist
Client: Vermont Agency of Digital Services (ADS), supporting the Department for Children and Families (DCF)
Program: Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS)
Duration: Up to 1 year, with option to extend
Anticipated Start: November 1, 2026
Position Summary:
The State of Vermont is seeking a Contract & Vendor Advisory Specialist to provide targeted advisory support for the CCWIS modernization initiative. The specialist will work with the Vendor Relationship Management Unit (VRMU) to support contract development, vendor negotiations, procurement strategies, contract management, vendor performance, and risk mitigation.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop and refine State contract drafts for the selected CCWIS vendor.
Review contract terms, scope, roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations.
Lead/support contract negotiations and finalize the vendor contract and SLA.
Define SLAs, KPIs, performance measures, and vendor monitoring frameworks.
Develop contract plans, schedules, milestones, communication plans, and approval processes.
Identify, document, and mitigate contract, vendor, compliance, and performance risks.
Coordinate with program, procurement, project, legal, and State agency stakeholders.
Establish standardized vendor management and contract management frameworks.
Develop vendor performance reports and recommendations for issue resolution and resource allocation.
Customize Corrective and Preventative Action Plan (CAPAP) templates and advisory guidance.
Develop vendor onboarding and offboarding guidance.
Support ongoing vendor performance monitoring and contract amendments/renewals.
Prepare monthly status reports and executive-level summaries/recommendations.
Required Tools/Technology:
Microsoft 365 Suite
SharePoint
Microsoft Teams
Azure DevOps
DocuSign
Key Deliverables:
Final CCWIS vendor contract and SLA.
Executed contract and SLA following negotiations.
Contract Plan and Schedule.
Executive Review/Summary with recommendations.
SLA, KPI, and performance monitoring framework.
Vendor performance reports and risk mitigation recommendations.
Customized CAPAP templates and advisory notes.
Monthly Status Reports.
Ideal Experience Areas:
Government contract development and administration
Vendor management and relationship management
Contract negotiation
SLA/KPI development and performance management
Procurement and contractual strategy
Risk identification and mitigation
Public-sector technology programs
Cross-functional stakeholder coordination
Child welfare/CCWIS experience would be relevant to the assignment.
