Emmit Williams: Director of Contracts and Procurement Voted Vice President of CSU Procurement Support Services Officers Association

Emmit Williams, director and contracts administrator of Procurement, Contracts, Logistical, Facilities Leasing, and Support Services at California State University, Dominguez Hills, was elected vice president of the CSU-systemwide Procurement Support Services Officers Association (PSSOA). The yearlong term will lead to his service as PSSOA president next year.

Williams says that in the face of current budgetary challenges on campus and throughout the California State University system, he strives to negotiate the best pricing and terms in contracts and agreements with vendors and to safeguard the university in a variety of situations, including student internships with Kaiser Permanente and the library expansion being done on campus by SJ Amoroso Construction.

“My contract specialists [on campus] are formally bidding more products and services, negotiating better deals and sometimes walking away from the vendor who won't give us a deal,” he says. “I don't like to say we cut corners, because to say that means we settle for less. I like to think of it as trying to get more bang for our buck. With the economic downturn we all think about how to buy more goods with less. We’re also concerned with cost avoidance, i.e. shipping costs; negotiation of risk elements and insurance; and writing, negotiating and interpreting contracts.”

As vice president of PSSOA, Williams is responsible for chairing committees for systemwide professional buyer education, emergency operations, and business continuity for systemwide procurement operations between campuses. He has also made it a goal to continue professional development for his counterparts at all campuses in order to set a CSU standard in how their procedures are conducted. He will also chair a systemwide committee on Emergency Mutual Aid between campuses.

PSSOA represents all 23 campuses of the CSU and the Office of the Chancellor, providing leadership and support for the contracts, agreements, procurement; legislative requirements; processes; innovative and cost-effective programs and initiatives for campus customers; and implementation of procurement and support services functions including construction, e-business mail operation, asset management, and contractual risk management.

- Joanie Harmon