Susanne Cummings
Lady Lake
Summary
High-energy, results-oriented leader with over 14 years of experience in consulting, Government contracting, vendor management, strategic sourcing, and supply chain management. Proven track record in driving quality service, enhancing compliance, and achieving cost efficiencies. Adept at developing and implementing risk management programs, managing high-level partnerships, and leading continuous improvement initiatives. Recognized for exceptional analytical skills and innovative problem-solving abilities.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Lead Consultant - Federal Acquisitions Subject Matter Expert
Washington Business Dynamics
04.2021 - Current
- Company Overview: Washington Business Dynamics (WBD) is a veteran owned management consulting firm specializing in acquisition, finance, and strategy. We work with our clients as partners to achieve institutional change, enhance operational performance, and build sustainable processes that deliver exceptional results. From our headquarters in Washington D.C. to cities around the world, our experienced team delivers strategic insights by understanding where our clients want to go, and the best way to get there. Our mission is simple: help our clients make better decisions.
- Prepares complex ($10M - $400M) IT labor and hardware/software acquisition documents (requirements, cost estimates, etc.) with Federal clients.
- Provides support to Government clients in guiding, developing, sourcing, and administering acquisition, contracting, and budgetary activities.
- Works with legal, organization leadership, acquisition staff, and commercial parties to develop procurement packages, business analysis reports, and budgetary tracking.
- Manages various contract actions through pre-award, requirements gathering, release and award, as well as post-award contract administration and management.
- Provides organization and process improvement recommendations to increase efficiencies and reduce costs.
- Conducts price/cost analysis on federal procurements pre-award.
- Conducts market research, including recommendations for procurement strategy.
- Mentors consulting firm and governmental staff members.
- Washington Business Dynamics (WBD) is a veteran owned management consulting firm specializing in acquisition, finance, and strategy. We work with our clients as partners to achieve institutional change, enhance operational performance, and build sustainable processes that deliver exceptional results. From our headquarters in Washington D.C. to cities around the world, our experienced team delivers strategic insights by understanding where our clients want to go, and the best way to get there. Our mission is simple: help our clients make better decisions.
Independent Acquisitions Consultant
08.2011 - Current
- As an experienced independent consultant specializing in federal government acquisitions, I am dedicated to helping government agencies and contractors navigate the complexities of the procurement landscape.
- With a deep understanding of federal regulations and the unique challenges faced in the Government sector, I provide strategic guidance and tailored solutions to optimize your acquisition processes throughout the entire contract lifecycle, supported by the latest Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) technologies.
- Services Offered:
- Acquisition Strategy Development - Crafting effective acquisition strategies that align with agency goals and compliance requirements to ensure successful procurement outcomes.
- Market Research and Analysis - Conducting thorough assessments to identify the best solutions, vendors, and technologies that meet federal needs.
- Proposal Development Support - Assisting contractors in creating competitive, compliant proposals that enhance their chances of winning federal contracts.
- Solicitation Package Development - Designing comprehensive solicitation packages that clearly outline requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission guidelines to ensure clarity and attract qualified vendors.
- Regulatory Compliance Guidance - Ensuring adherence to federal regulations, including FAR and agency-specific guidelines, to mitigate risk and streamline the acquisition process.
- Vendor Management - Facilitating relationships between government agencies and vendors to foster collaboration and ensure successful project outcomes.
- Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) Technologies - Implementing and leveraging advanced CLCM tools, such as Deltek Costpoint, Salesforce, Docusign, and others to automate, track, and manage contracts from award through performance, modifications, and closeout.
- Training - Offering tailored training sessions on federal acquisition processes and technology platforms to empower staff at government agencies and contractors.
Contracting Consultant
Robert Half
Remote
06.2020 - 03.2021
- Responsible for drafting, negotiating, and redlining contracts per Part 521, HIPAA, 42 CFR part 2 and other applicable healthcare regulations.
- Assisted with database migrations.
- Worked alongside legal to ensure compliance.
- Created contract workflow(s) in Salesforce.
Mergers and Acquisitions Solution Analyst
Deloitte
Lake Mary
07.2019 - 06.2020
- Developed AI tools for contract analysis, reducing processing time and improving accuracy.
- Worked directly with the software design team to create specifications for solutions to expedite workflow and reduce processing time.
- Reviewed contracts in proprietary online software platform for capture and analysis of relevant contract details per client requirements.
- Extracted complex structured metadata from unstructured contracts, statements of work, and invoices for domestic and international clients in preparation for mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and other complex business and legal processes.
- Summarized key values and clauses per client requirement.
- Leveraged business intelligence tools along with historical data to improve procedures and reduce costs in the contract review process.
- Reviewed deliverables such as metadata extracts from team members for quality and accuracy.
- Created reports for clients summarizing key metrics and other information, such as analysis of key contract clauses, per the client's request.
Contract Manager
Special Counsel
Lake Mary
05.2019 - 07.2019
- Reviewed RFPs/RFIs for business, commercial, and legal terms, and worked alongside Proposals and other internal stakeholders in drafting responses.
- Reviewed, drafted, and negotiated sales contracts (including SaaS and Software License Agreements), maintenance and support agreements, vendor agreements, non-disclosure agreements, SOWs, amendments, change orders, and other commercial agreements.
- Developed processes, policies, and standards to derive efficiencies and mitigate risk within the commercial contracting lifecycle.
- Assisted in the maintenance and obtainment of certificates of insurances and performance bonds, where necessary.
- Worked alongside other Legal, Contracts, and Compliance team members in developing and leading process and risk mitigation improvements within the contract’s lifecycle.
- Escalated non-standard, complex matters to appropriate internal resource.
- Participated in the periodic template review process, ensuring industry, legal, and business trends are appropriately codified.
- Worked alongside diverse business units and internal stakeholders to ensure appropriate legal and contractual considerations are vetted and included in Company agreements.
- Worked alongside Corporate Counsel in the review, management, and resolution of customer issues.
Government Contracts Administrator
Gichner Shelter Systems
York
05.2018 - 03.2019
- Administered contracts with customers and executed compliance with all stated contractual and regulatory requirements.
- Responsible for contract negotiations of new awards, and associated change orders.
- Responsible for the management of complex contract/subcontracts from award through closing.
- Reviewed RFPs/RFIs for business, commercial, and legal terms, and work alongside Proposals and other internal stakeholders in drafting responses.
- Acted as facilitator in internal and external meetings.
- Assisted the Director of Contracts with investigations.
- Drafted and updated company policy and procedures.
- Provided contract direction to internal functional areas.
- Responsible for correspondence with internal & external customers regarding all contractual issues and resolved open issues.
- Assisted the Director of Contracts, in the development and revisions of policies, procedures, or work instructions that support the Compliance and Ethics Program.
- Responsible for submittal and tracking of contract reports and data items.
- Directed invoicing of contract data items and milestone billings.
- Responsible for award acceptance, contract kick-off, contract execution, and contract close-out.
- Worked alongside legal to ensure compliance.
- Initiated warranties and claims investigation.
- Maintained Contract Files/Database.
Contracts & Export Compliance Manager
Extant Aerospace
Melbourne
01.2017 - 04.2018
- Maintained direct contact with customers, dealers, authorized service stations, and OEMs. In addition, responded to customers’ needs and recorded details of customer contacts and actions taken.
- Managed Company’s Export Compliance Program as Corporate Official.
- Drafted and submitted Company’s Cost Accounting Standards Board Disclosure Statement (CASB DS-1) compliant with 48 CFR § 9903.101 – Cost Accounting Standards, Public Law 100-679 (41 U.S.C. 422).
- Served as Department lead in support of government, commercial, and international contracts, acquisitions & mergers and held uncapped signature authority.
- Responsible for cradle to grave contracts administration for hundreds of contracts (11 different product lines).
- Responsible for negotiating, structuring, and/or administrating contractual documents that establish business relationships with vendors, customers, and/or partners.
- Lead team to conduct analysis of client business processes and functional requirements.
- Oversaw preparation of appropriate documentation to communicate and validate the findings.
- Lead the team to conduct the analysis of existing infrastructure, and recommend efficient, cost-effective solutions which support client business processes and functional requirements.
- Provided leadership and direction to team members to ensure that the business requirements are appropriately defined and that an enhancement or project is warranted.
- Coordinated and leads cross-functional task forces to identify and document functional requirements, workflow, information sources and distribution paths, and system specifications.
- Reviewed the development of business cases (acquisitions/mergers) to ensure the cost, service, and benefit dimensions of proposed large, complex projects are appropriately reflected.
- Analyzed the strategic profile of the organization and its environment, advising senior management on suitable policies, and the effects of policy decisions.
Program Analyst
Extant Aerospace
Melbourne
10.2016 - 01.2017
- Improved effectiveness by studying program efficiency and evaluating the usefulness of the organization's structure and functions by collecting data via systems exploration, observations, and interviews of key players in management and workers.
- Performed statistical analyses on data collection to determine weak areas for Senior Leadership Team review, and suggested improvements made effective/implemented January 2017.
Contracts Administrator
Comprehensive Health Services, Inc. (CHSi)
Cape Canaveral
01.2014 - 10.2016
- Responsible for the cradle to grave administration of government awards and commercial sales contracts valued at $300 million.
- Responsible for interpretation, coordination, and dissemination of regulatory compliance requirements through the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Department of State Regulations (DOSAR), Defense Acquisition Regulations (DFAR), Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), Arms Regulations (ITAR) and & Export Administration Regulations (EAR), Federal, State, and Local Laws.
- Facilitated effective implementation of contract responsibilities with program objectives and logistical requirements.
- Negotiated complex contract requirements in accordance with Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, policy and procedures.
- Identified and mitigated risk during all stages of award.
- Worked alongside legal to support legal proceedings.
- Participated in contract review advisory board, policy and procedure drafts, bidding decisions, reviewed solicitation & drafted responses, assisted with price configurations, and proposal red team/final reviews.
- Facilitated effective implementation of contract responsibilities with program objectives and logistical requirements.
- Provided FAR, DFARS, UCC, DOSAR, ITAR, SCA Wage Determination, Federal Wage System, JFTR, SSC, SBA, and OPM Subject Matter Expertise (SME) to upper management.
- Responded to internal and external inquiries in a timely manner to ensure the utmost quality of services are provided and billed in accordance with contract terms and conditions.
- Drafted and executed Small Business Plans, Mentor Protégé Agreements, Teaming Agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements, contract modifications, and proposal documentation (Technical and Cost).
- Assisted with contract audits, incurred cost submission, and cost justifications as requested by Senior Management.
Supplier Diversity Manager and Small Business Liaison Officer
Comprehensive Health Services
Cape Canaveral
10.2012 - 10.2016
- Managed CHSi's Small Business & Supplier Diversity Program with oversight of company’s Subcontracting Program.
- Developed and implemented companywide Small Business/Supplier Diversity Program fully compliant with Federal Acquisition and Small Business Administration Regulations and Commercial Practices.
- Gathered and processed all information related to subcontracted spend, such as make or buy decisions, bid package configurations, evaluations (pre-award through post), vendor relations, and related policies/projects.
- Oversaw and managed processes that generate compliance data to ensure compliance data meets all requirements for applicable transparency laws and regulations governing the industry, and accurately represented CHSi payments to subcontractors and other reportable entities.
- Developed and maintained all relevant documentation.
- Attended networking events.
- Developed compliance training for employees, sales agents and representatives, surgeon customers, or third parties on compliance related matters.
- Conducted relevant training for employees, vendors, sales agents and representatives on topics and processes related to submission of reportable transparency data.
- Achievements:
- Small Business Subcontracting Plans - 100% Proposal Win Rate with cumulative total contract values exceeding $1 billion.
- Without increasing costs, increased small business spend value fivefold across all categories: Since 2012, annual subcontracting spend-values for SDB increased by 402%, WOSB increased by 231%, HUBZone increased by1353%, VOSB increased by 236%, and increased by SDVOSB by 472%.
- Obtained record setting 10-day Mentor Protégé Agreement approval from DHS OSDBU and assisted the small business with their subsequent growth; All key MPA metrics were exceeded by the mid-term 18-month reporting period.
- 2016 U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence in the services category.
Contracts Coordinator
Comprehensive Health Services (CHSi)
Cape Canaveral
08.2011 - 10.2012
- Reviewed, drafted, and negotiate sales contracts, maintenance and support agreements, vendor agreements, non-disclosure agreements, statement of works, amendments, change orders, and other commercial agreements.
- Responsible for contract data base and maintenance of supporting files.
- Developed processes, policies, and standards to derive efficiencies and mitigate risk within the commercial contracting lifecycle.
- Assisted in the maintenance and obtainment of certificates of insurances and performance bonds, where necessary.
- Work alongside other Legal, Contracts, and Compliance team members in developing and leading process and risk mitigation improvements within the contracts’ lifecycle.
- Escalated non-standard, complex matters to appropriate internal resource.
- Participated in the periodic template review process, ensuring industry, legal, and business trends are appropriately codified.
- Worked alongside with business units and internal stakeholders to ensure appropriate legal and contractual considerations are vetted and included in Company agreements.
- Worked alongside with Management the review, management, and resolution of customer issues.
Education
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Central Florida
Skills
- Contract negotiation
- Regulatory compliance
- Price analysis
- Market research
- Vendor management
- Acquisition strategy
- Contract administration
- Risk mitigation
- Business analysis
- Effective communication
- Problem solving
- Team leadership
- Process improvement
- Issue resolution
- Enterprise network hardware / software
- Organizational development
- Client service and rapport
- Team leadership & development
- Product life cycle management
- Requirements gathering
Clearance Level
Public Trust
Timeline
Lead Consultant - Federal Acquisitions Subject Matter Expert
Washington Business Dynamics
04.2021 - Current
Contracting Consultant
Robert Half
06.2020 - 03.2021
Mergers and Acquisitions Solution Analyst
Deloitte
07.2019 - 06.2020
Contract Manager
Special Counsel
05.2019 - 07.2019
Government Contracts Administrator
Gichner Shelter Systems
05.2018 - 03.2019
Contracts & Export Compliance Manager
Extant Aerospace
01.2017 - 04.2018
Program Analyst
Extant Aerospace
10.2016 - 01.2017
Contracts Administrator
Comprehensive Health Services, Inc. (CHSi)
01.2014 - 10.2016
Supplier Diversity Manager and Small Business Liaison Officer
Comprehensive Health Services
10.2012 - 10.2016
Independent Acquisitions Consultant
08.2011 - Current
Contracts Coordinator
Comprehensive Health Services (CHSi)
08.2011 - 10.2012
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Communication Sciences and Disorders
University of Central Florida
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