Government Sales Representative / Bidder

Job Summary: The Government Sales Representative is responsible for identifying, executing, and servicing sales requests from our customer agencies. This begins with understanding our vendors’ product lines, and identifying those products on RFQs (requests for quotation/pricing) that arrive from our customers via email, online portals, phone, and sealed (mailed) bid formats. For each bid opportunity, the representative will research relevant product costs and arrive at an optimal bid price that accounts for all ancillary costs, required profit margin, and the competitive environment.

We are seeking a career-motivated, resourceful individual who will approach these tasks with creativity and enthusiasm. This position will include one-on-one training and is an opportunity to learn a well-established and lucrative career field: government sales. There is also definite potential for growth if you're a great fit.

VMP, Inc. is a family business that has been in operation for 35 years. Primarily, we sell aftermarket automotive/bus repair parts to the federal, state, and local governments all across the USA. We also serve many difference niches within the transportation parts procurement landscape.

Wages listed are a range, compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience/qualifications.

Ideal candidates possess the following skills:

• Analytical thinking : able to consider multiple factors and constraints in a cost/pricing decision, and choose the optimal option.
• Resourceful : able to quickly learn and navigate multiple spreadsheets, web databases, and phone hotlines, knowing which to consult for the correct information in a given scenario.
• Creative, enthusiastic approach : must be willing to seek out answers, and should be excited by problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking
• Highly organized: able to prioritize and execute quotation and follow-up requests under strict deadlines.
• Attention to detail : must be extremely attentive to contract/bid terms and conditions, ensuring compliance.
• Technical ability : must be proficient in Excel (formula/table knowledge strongly preferred), and able to learn the in-house enterprise resource planning (ERP) software
• Quantitative skills (math ability) : must comprehend basic business math concepts, i.e. markup, margin, ‘% off’ calculations. Simple math is applied every day.
• Sales experience : Must be sales-minded, willing to go above and beyond what is expected for customers. Should approach the position with an eye toward growing the business at every opportunity.

Education: Four-year degree preferred.HSD/equivalent required.

Key job functions and responsibilities:

• Request and receive customer RFQs (requests for quotation) via email/online/phone/sealed bid, and identify line items that correspond to products VMP can supply.
• Prioritize and schedule each quotation request based on a HARD deadline, the size and complexity of the bid request, and the time required to gather pricing information.
• Become familiar with VMP’s product lines, product categories, and their respective vendors.
• Learn key product descriptors for VMP’s most popular product lines, and use vendor cross-reference websites to identify viable products that match bid items on the customer’s request.
• Use and navigate spreadsheets, online databases, and vendor phone hotlines to obtain vendor pricing information, shipping policies, stock availability, and other information relevant to the sale.
• Compare vendor pricing, weighing customer requirements, freight/shipping policies, case quantities, and select the ideal option to supply.
• Request special vendor pricing when appropriate, providing compelling bid data or contextual evidence to support the request.
• Calculate bid/sell price based on existing contractual agreements, historical bid results, and effective profit margin.
• Read, interpret, and adhere to customer’s bidding policies, including delivery lead time requirements, brand equals, pricing term, and response deadlines. Complete accompanying bid paperwork.
• Enter purchase orders into using company database software, and dispatch them to vendors.
• Service customer order requests, including ETA/status updates, tracking information, and resolve any complications.
• Actively gather bid results and bid history data and log them in our database.
• Cultivate and maintain positive relationships with customers through attentive customer service, responsive order fulfillment, and helpful communication.
• Actively increase sales opportunities among existing customers, and create new sales opportunities by contacting prospective or past customers and requesting to receive their bid requests.
• Propose alternate brand equals to customers, furnishing technical and engineering paperwork where necessary.
• Assist with various general office tasks as business needs require.

Job Type: Full-time

Experience:

• Bidding/Government Sales: 2 years (Required)

Work Location: In person