Contracts Administrator & Bid Manager Location: Chatsworth, CA Department: Sales Reports To: Director of Sales Position Overview Hydraulics International, Inc. (HII) is seeking a highly qualified and experienced Contracts Administrator & Bid Manager with a strong background in U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contracting to manage government contracts and oversee bid and proposal activities. This position is responsible for the full lifecycle of U.S. Government and defense-related contracts, from solicitation review and proposal development through contract negotiations, administration, modifications, and closeout. Mandatory Requirement: Candidates must have direct, hands-on experience reviewing, negotiating, and administering contracts issued by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), or other U.S. Department of Defense agencies. Experience exclusively with commercial contracts or defense prime contractor subcontracts does not satisfy this requirement. The successful candidate must demonstrate a thorough understanding of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), U.S. Government procurement procedures, and defense contracting compliance requirements. Experience working with major defense prime contractors, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and BAE Systems, is highly desirable. This position works closely with Sales, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Supply Chain, and Executive Management to develop competitive proposals, assess contractual risks, negotiate favorable terms, ensure regulatory compliance, and support successful contract execution.
Key Responsibilities
Government & Defense Contract Administration
- Review, evaluate, negotiate, and administer U.S. Department of Defense contracts, including those issued by the USAF, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, DLA, and other DoD contracting agencies.
- Review and administer contracts, purchase orders, and subcontracts issued by major defense prime contractors, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and BAE Systems.
- Conduct comprehensive reviews of contract terms and conditions, including applicable FAR and DFARS clauses, flow-down requirements, delivery obligations, inspection and acceptance provisions, and government property requirements.
- Identify contractual risks, unfavorable terms, and potential compliance issues, and recommend appropriate revisions before contract acceptance.
- Negotiate contractual terms and conditions with government contracting officers, defense prime contractors, and commercial customers within delegated authority.
- Administer awarded contracts, including contract modifications, delivery orders, option exercises, change orders, and closeout activities.
- Monitor contractual milestones, funding limitations, delivery schedules, performance requirements, and customer obligations.
- Coordinate with Engineering, Operations, Finance, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure contractual requirements are properly communicated and implemented.
- Maintain accurate and complete contract files, correspondence, amendments, and compliance documentation.
- Serve as a primary contractual point of contact for government contracting officers, defense prime contractors, and internal stakeholders.
Bid & Proposal Management
- Manage and coordinate responses to government RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, Sources Sought Notices, and other procurement solicitations.
- Review U.S. Government and DoD solicitations to identify technical, commercial, contractual, regulatory, and submission requirements.
- Prepare Bid/No-Bid evaluations, proposal compliance matrices, solicitation summaries, and proposal schedules.
- Coordinate cross-functional proposal teams to ensure complete, compliant, competitive, and timely submissions.
- Collaborate with Sales, Engineering, Finance, and Supply Chain to develop pricing proposals, cost estimates, and supporting documentation.
- Review proposal packages for compliance with solicitation instructions, FAR/DFARS provisions, and customer-specific requirements.
- Support proposal negotiations, clarification requests, discussions, and post-award activities.
- Track solicitation deadlines, proposal status, customer communications, and outstanding actions.
- Maintain organized proposal records and support continuous improvement of the company's bidding and proposal processes.
Regulatory Compliance & Contract Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with applicable FAR, DFARS, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and other government contracting requirements.
- Review applicable FAR/DFARS clauses and evaluate their impact on HII's contractual and operational obligations.
- Support compliance with applicable government procurement requirements, including cybersecurity, domestic sourcing, subcontracting, government property, and recordkeeping obligations.
- Identify potential contractual disputes, delivery issues, and compliance concerns, and coordinate appropriate resolution with internal stakeholders and legal counsel.
- Support government and customer audits, contract reviews, and internal compliance assessments.
- Monitor changes in federal procurement regulations and defense contracting requirements and communicate relevant updates to management.
- Recommend improvements to contract administration procedures, proposal management processes, and compliance controls.
Required Qualifications Direct experience with U.S. Department of Defense contracts is mandatory.
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Contract Management, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.
- Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in government contract administration, defense contracting, or related government procurement functions.
- Demonstrated hands-on experience administering contracts directly awarded by U.S. DoD agencies, including the USAF, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, DLA, or other DoD contracting activities.
- Strong working knowledge of FAR, DFARS, and U.S. Government procurement regulations.
- Proven experience reviewing government solicitations, contracts, purchase orders, modifications, delivery orders, and contractual terms and conditions.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret FAR/DFARS clauses, identify contractual risks, and evaluate government contract compliance requirements.
- Experience managing government bids and proposals, including solicitation reviews, compliance matrices, pricing coordination, and proposal submissions.
- Experience negotiating contract terms and conditions and managing contractual changes throughout the contract lifecycle.
- Ability to communicate effectively with government contracting officers, defense industry customers, and internal management.
- Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and negotiation skills.
- Ability to manage multiple contracts and proposals simultaneously while meeting strict government deadlines.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Important: Applicants whose contracting experience is limited to commercial contracts or defense prime contractor subcontracts, without direct U.S. Government defense contract administration experience, do not meet the minimum qualifications for this position. Preferred Qualifications
- 10 or more years of experience in government contracts administration or defense contracting.
- Previous employment with a U.S. defense contractor, aerospace manufacturer, or government contracting organization.
- Experience administering contracts and purchase orders from major defense prime contractors such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and BAE Systems.
- Experience with Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP), Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ), and other U.S. Government contract types.
- Familiarity with government procurement and contract administration platforms, including SAM.gov, PIEE, WAWF, and DLA DIBBS.
- Experience with government contract pricing requirements, cost analysis, certified cost or pricing data, and related proposal documentation.
- Familiarity with Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) and Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) processes.
- Experience supporting international defense sales, Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programs.
- Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, export compliance, and international defense contracting requirements.
- Professional certification from the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), such as CPCM or CFCM, or certification from the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP).
Schedule: M-F 8am-5pm
We offer competitive compensation & benefits package:
- 401(k)
- Health insurance (Dental, Vision, & Life Insurance)
- PTO
Salary $110K-$120K
Organization Description:
HII headquartered in Chatsworth, California, U.S.A., is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, aviation and commercial industries, Government agencies and prime contractors worldwide. Focused on defense and commercial technology, the Company develops manufactures and supports a broad range of systems for over one hundred industries as well as mission critical and military sustainment requirements worldwide. We are extremely proud of the fact that our extensive design capabilities enable us to produce the most sophisticated units known to today's technology.
Our corporate, engineering and manufacturing facilities, located in Chatsworth, CA and Forsyth, GA, encompass over 625,000 sq. feet. Our manufacturing facility is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art equipment such as CNC lathes and mills, computerized tube bending, and automatic press brake and programmable punch press, laser topography scanners, and other quality verification devices.
HII has combined the greatest talent, skill, and equipment to best service our customers' demands.
HII is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and strictly prohibits discrimination and harassment against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibits discrimination and harassment against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or for inquiring about, discussing, or disclosing information about compensation. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability (including physical, emotional, and mental health), or status as a protected veteran. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact (818) 998-1231x2200 for assistance.
