Contract Administrator

Luster National•Washington, DC

24d•$80,000 - $180,000

About The Position

Luster is building a talent pool of Contract Administrators for future roles supporting large, complex heavy-civil infrastructure programs, including highways, roads, bridges, transit, aviation, and water/wastewater projects. Programs may use traditional or alternative delivery methods and include transit and transportation capital work. The roles support contracts and task orders through the full life cycle, from solicitation and proposal through award, administration, modification, and closeout. This posting is for future hiring needs rather than a currently available specific opportunity. Selected candidates may have their profiles activated in the talent pool and be notified first when a project need arises. The Contract Administrator develops and reviews procurement packages, supports solicitation and evaluation activities, coordinates contract execution, administers awarded contracts and task orders, and supports changes, claims, and closeout. The role coordinates with project managers and legal, finance, risk, and compliance staff, and maintains complete, audit-ready contract records. Work must align with applicable federal and agency procurement requirements, including relevant FTA rules, Buy America provisions, and DBE participation goals. Luster describes itself as committed to an inclusive work environment and considers qualified applicants without regard to the protected characteristics listed in the posting. Positions may be subject to a background check and drug test after a conditional offer, in accordance with applicable regulations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, construction management, public administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 5 years of transit and transportation contract administration or procurement experience for large (greater than $500 million), complex heavy-civil infrastructure projects.
Experience developing and administering requests for proposals, invitations for bid, requests for quotes, scopes of work, and specifications.
Working knowledge of contract and agreement types such as firm fixed price, cost reimbursable, time and materials, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, task order, and intergovernmental agreements, and the solicitation methods used to award them.
Experience administering task orders from proposal through closeout on multiple task order contracts.
Experience with industry-standard contract management, procurement, or ERP systems, such as Unifier, PeopleSoft, SAP Ariba, or e-Builder.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite/Office 365, including tools such as Outlook, Teams, Word, and PowerPoint.
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
Excellent multitasking and organizational skills.
Collaborative mindset that fosters teamwork, trust, and positive relationships.
Curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to continuous improvement.
Sound judgment and discretion when handling confidential procurement and negotiation information.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in business administration, engineering, construction management, or public administration.
Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM) or Certified Federal Contract Manager (CFCM) certification from the National Contract Management Association, or Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) certification from the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council.
Experience administering construction, professional services, and task order contracts on a transit or transportation capital program exceeding $1 billion in total value.
Experience evaluating and negotiating change orders, requests for equitable adjustment, and claims on construction contracts exceeding $100 million in value.
Working knowledge of federal procurement requirements for federally funded transit and transportation programs, including FTA Circular 4220.1F, Buy America, Brooks Act qualifications-based selection, and DBE program requirements.
Experience in a public agency procurement environment, including agency procurement manuals, board approval thresholds, protest procedures, and public records requirements.
Experience supporting an owner’s representative, program management, or construction management team on a public infrastructure program.
Proficiency with Microsoft Power BI, Oracle Cloud Analytics, or other dashboard KPI reporting software.

Responsibilities

Support assigned contracts and task orders through solicitation, proposal, award, administration, modification, and closeout on transit and transportation capital programs.
Develop and review solicitation packages, including requests for proposals, invitations for bid, requests for quotes, scopes of work, specifications, and evaluation criteria, for completeness and compliance with program and agency procurement requirements.
Coordinate pre-proposal and pre-bid meetings, respond to bidder and proposer questions, and prepare addenda and amendments before proposals are due.
Support proposal and bid evaluations by coordinating selection committees, documenting evaluation results, and preparing award recommendations and approval packages for executive concurrence.
Coordinate collection and verification of bonds, insurance certificates, and other documents required to execute contracts and task orders and issue notice to proceed.
Administer contracts and task orders after award, tracking deliverables, funding, periods of performance, option exercises, and compliance with contract terms.
Evaluate change proposals, requests for equitable adjustment, and claims for merit; coordinate independent cost estimates and schedule analysis; and support negotiations and contract modification packages.
Verify solicitations and contract actions against federal and agency procurement requirements, including FTA procurement rules, Buy America provisions, and DBE participation goals.
Maintain contract files, correspondence, logs, and records in the program’s contract management system so actions are documented and audit-ready.
Coordinate with project managers, legal, finance, risk, and compliance staff to resolve contract issues and keep procurement schedules on track.
Support contract and task order closeout, including final acceptance, release of claims, final payment, and records retention.