Levent Firtin
Cedar Park,Turkiye
Summary
Experienced with procurement strategies, supplier management, and cost optimization. Utilizes strategic sourcing and supplier relationship management to enhance procurement efficiency—track record of driving process improvements and achieving cost savings in dynamic environments.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Procurement Supervisor
U.S. Department of State American Consulate General
02.2019 - 06.2025
- Company Overview: U.S. Department of State American Consulate General, Istanbul
- When I became supervisor, I took more managerial responsibilities for the entire work environment at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul. In this role, I supervised one senior purchasing agent and two procurement agents. I followed their daily procurement activities, approved their requests, and provided daily training following their annual offsite training sessions. I was responsible for all of their procurement activities.
- My day was divided between meetings and planning as well as coordinating with my colleagues to ensure the procurement section operated smoothly. Our section provided customer service to nearly 100 internal individuals and around 15 offices, including the DEA, FBI, FCS, RSO, Protocol office, Motor Pool Section, and Customs Section. Facility Section, Housing Section, Property Section, Health Unit, and Accounting Office, among others.
- I was responsible for the section's purchase card program. 4 of us had a US government credit card, each with a limit of 50k. Beginning by opening accounts, controlling monthly expenses and approvals, and reconciling with the accounting section.
- As a supervisor, I began to participate in high-level meetings, including GSO meetings, management meetings, consulate-wide meetings, as well as country-wide U.S. mission meetings. During these meetings, I followed up on recent policy and regulation changes and implemented and executed them into daily procurement activities.
- Additionally, I collaborated with the Protocol Section to organize the annual 4th of July receptions, which hosted over 1,000 guests. The procurement section and I played a key role in logistics and rentals for this significant event. Planning, programming, and executing this largest representational event required advanced preparation and could often be time-consuming and stressful.
- My office was also responsible for supporting logistics for high-level official visits, such as those of the President, Vice President, Secretary of State, and Senate and congressional delegations, which have been happening frequently lately. These visits again needed Hotel and venue rentals as well as airport transportation and a lot of vehicle rentals, close attention to every detail and requests, and Washington-level communications.
- As Istanbul we hosted conferences and fairs in this city. Over the last couple of years, FCS, FBI, DHS, and DOD have organized conferences, which our office has supported in terms of all logistics needs, including hotel venue rental, transportation contracts, and working with other State Department entities. This has allowed us to become familiar with their rules and policies. Our office has a good reputation for these visits and conferences, and we have support.
- During my supervisory period, I took responsibility for large volume contracts from the beginning of preparing RFQ-RFP awarding and executing contracts, exercising options for years, and closing the contract files. Annually, our office managed to spend government funds of 3-5 million USD. The volume of our contracts is between 1 and 1.5 million USD.
- Name and the subject of the contract that I have worked on are:
- Janitorial/Cleaning contract.
- BAS (Building Automation System) yearly maintenance contract.
- Elevator maintenance annually.
- Gardening maintenance contract annually.
- Generator maintenance contracts annually.
- Vehicle rent contract for the security office.
- Residential central alarm contract annually.
- Marines Detachment cooking services contract.
- Internet and Metro Ethernet services contracts.
- Official landline and cell phone services contracts.
- Hotel and Venue rentals.
- Tax-free fuel purchase contracts.
- All kinds of Construction and A&E contracts.
- Transportation of official goods within the country or internationally.
- Transportation of all kinds of rented individual vehicles or big buses with drivers.
- BPA for Motor pool vehicles around 40 official armored and non-armored vehicles.
- BPA for maintenance section daily electrical, plumbing, and carpentry materials and tools.
Purchasing Agent
U.S. Department of State American Consulate General
07.2003 - 09.2019
- Company Overview: U.S. Department of State American Consulate General, Istanbul/Turkiye
- After acquiring extensive knowledge and training in Department of State regulations, such as FAR, DOSAR, and other procurement regulations, I became a purchasing agent and assistant supervisor. In this position, I served as supervisor during the regular supervisor's absence, taking on additional responsibility and initiative. During this time, I began working on more complex procurements, such as BPA (Blanket Purchase Agreements), service contracts for cleaning, vehicle rentals, conference hotels, and venue rentals. I also handled construction contracts, architect and engineering (A&E) contracts, and vehicle purchases, encompassing both local and U.S.-made options. I was also entrusted with a government credit card, which allowed for single transactions up to $10,000 and a monthly reconciliation limit of $50,000 for official purchases.
- Some of the details of my duties are highlighted below:
- Assisted in preparing and evaluating bids and proposals (RFQs and RFPs) to support purchasing decisions for lower-level procurement and internal customers. I monitored supplier performance and facilitated communication between vendors and internal departments to ensure continuity in the supply chain. Additionally, I helped prepare and administer procurement contracts, ensuring compliance with Department of State policies.
- Collaborated with the finance department to reconcile purchase orders and credit card transactions, effectively managing vendor payments.
- Coordinated with logistics and transportation teams to optimize shipping schedules and reduce operational costs.
- Evaluated and selected vendors based on quality, price, and delivery performance to ensure efficiency in the supply chain.
- Maintained accurate procurement documentation and records to facilitate audits and reporting requirements.
- Conducted market research and analyzed supplier proposals to inform purchasing decisions, resulting in enhanced cost savings and efficiency.
- Managed purchasing activities by sourcing suppliers, negotiating prices, and ensuring the timely delivery of materials to meet production schedules.
- Implemented procurement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and company guidelines.
- Monitored inventory levels and coordinated with warehouse teams to optimize stock control and minimize excess inventory.
- Proactively resolved supplier issues and discrepancies to maintain strong vendor relationships and reduce disruptions in the supply chain.
- Negotiated and finalized contracts with suppliers to secure favorable terms while ensuring compliance with company procurement policies.
- Monitored and analyzed supply chain performance metrics to identify opportunities for cost reduction and process improvements while maintaining quality standards.
Procurement Clerk
U.S. Department of State American Consulate General
03.1996 - 06.2003
- Company Overview: U.S. Department of State American Consulate General Istanbul Turkiye
- I was typing purchase orders, which were given by the senior purchasing agent and supervisor, and sending orders to vendors. I followed deliveries, checked receipts, and controlled vendor invoices. If there were no disputes, I coordinated with the accounting department to send vendor payments. In this position, I worked on projects with budgets of up to 10K under the supervision of a section supervisor. During these 7 years, I received extensive training and gained a significant amount of knowledge about the US government procurement system, rules, regulations, and laws. This knowledge and experience have taken me to the next position, which is the purchasing agent.
Education
Bachelor's Degree - Business Administration
Anadolu University Faculty of Business Administration
07.2004
Junior College Business Administration - Business Administration
Inonu University Junior College
06.1989
Skills
- Procurement
- Vendor Relations
- Contract Negotiation
- Supply Chain Management
- Transportation Planning
- Inventory Management
- Logistics Coordination
- Budget planning
Certification
- Supervisory Skills May 2013
- It is a three-day Supervisory Skills course by the State Department in Frankfurt
- PA255P Special Contracts Workshop Jun 2015
- It is a 5-day, 40-hour special contracting course by the State Department in Washington, DC.
- ILMS Contracting Aug 2018
- It is a 5-day, 40-hour ILMS Contracting course by the State Department in Arlington, Virginia.
- PA 297 Purchase Card Cardholder Feb 2022
- It is a 40-hour refresher course for using a government credit card from the State Department's FSI.
- PA 229 Simplified Acquisition Procedures Apr 2022
- It is a 40-hour refresher course to use a government credit card from the State Department FSI.
- Contract Administratin Training Apr 2024
- It is a 40-hour Contracting refreshment course by the State Department in Abu Dhabi
Languages
Turkish
English
Hobbies and Interests
I am interested in gastronomy. I enjoy both cooking and learning about the kitchens of different cultures., I also enjoy biking whenever I get the chance., I enjoy leather crafting wallets and key holders.
Qualities
- Time Management
- Problem Solving
- Teamwork
- Attention to Detail
- Supervising
- Leadership
- Negotiation
- Decision Making
- Critical Thinking
- Customer Service
- Adaptability
Timeline
Procurement Supervisor
U.S. Department of State American Consulate General
02.2019 - 06.2025
Purchasing Agent
U.S. Department of State American Consulate General
07.2003 - 09.2019
Procurement Clerk
U.S. Department of State American Consulate General
03.1996 - 06.2003
Junior College Business Administration - Business Administration
Inonu University Junior College
Bachelor's Degree - Business Administration
Anadolu University Faculty of Business Administration
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