Leslea Newlon
Midlothian
Summary
Contract Specialist with extensive experience at Defense Logistics Agency, specializing in cradle-to-grave procurement and contract negotiation. Demonstrated expertise in cost analysis and team leadership, mentoring new hires to ensure compliance with FAR regulations. Proficient in eProcurement systems, enhancing operational efficiency and delivering exceptional service.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
Work History
Contract Specialist, GS-12
Defense Logistics Agency
Richmond
09.2021 - Current
- As a Contracting Officer, manage cradle-to-grave procurement actions, developing solicitations, evaluating proposals, and awarding contracts up to the Simplified Acquisition Threshold ($350,000).
- Conduct pre-award/award procedures, reviewing purchase request trailers in accordance with the FAR, DFARS, DLAD, and DAAP for commercial items, first article tests, foreign military sales, export controls, and critical safety items.
- Prepare Requests for Quotations (RFQs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to solicit bids and determine the appropriate method of procurement.
- Determine if requirements are unrestricted, sole source, or small business set-aside. Prepare Small Business Coordination Records (2579) and memoranda for legal review as needed to dissolve small business set-asides.
- Evaluate quotes and proposals using various cost and price analysis techniques, including Producer Price Index (PPI), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, previously proposed prices, contract prices for similar items, and Independent Government Estimates (IGEs) to determine Fair and Reasonableness of proposed prices.
- Conduct negotiations to obtain the best possible price and delivery terms for the government.
- Evaluate past performance when selecting a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract.
- Provide technical contracting guidance to vendors, ensuring best practices in accordance with the FAR, DFARS, DLAD, and DAAWG.
- Collaborate with Product Specialists to address technical quality issues related to materials and drawings.
- Assist Supervisor with various workflows and highly visible procurements, contributing to efficient work planning and assignment.
- Provide technical contracting guidance to employees, new hires, and others, addressing training questions about contract items, system inquiries, and other relevant topics.
- Demonstrate proficiency in eProcurement systems, Integrated Data Sheet (IDS), I H S Haystack Gold, Inventory Locator Service (ILS), and DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS).
- Utilize knowledge of Federal Supply Codes (FSCs) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes; System for Award Management (SAM).
- Key Accomplishment: Mentored 3 new contract specialist hires, guiding them on FAR regulations, procurement processes and best practices.
Billing Specialist (Part-time)
BetterMed Urgent Care
Midlothian
11.2020 - 07.2021
- Managed medical billing by accurately coding, entering charges, and promptly submitting client claims.
- Followed up on account receivables for client claims.
- Collected insurance information from patients by phone to bill claims promptly.
- Organized and maintained client invoices.
- Reviewed account receivables aging monthly, utilizing Excel to create VLOOKUPs and pivot tables to sort and analyze data.
- Assisted in answering patient and registration questions as needed.
Payment Analysis Manager
UHS, INC.
Richmond
04.2016 - 11.2020
- Supported Upper Management and Corporate with Revenue Cycle reporting, reviewing AR inventory and denial management for ten acute care facilities.
- Collaborated with Billing, Collections, Pre-Services, Vendor Management, and Customer Services departments to resolve payor processing and patient issues.
- Updated workflow and developed new process flows in conjunction with upper management to maximize productivity of the Cerner Millennium system.
- Served as a Subject Matter Expert in the department, participating in beta testing events for new facilities onboarding into the Cerner Millennium system.
- Reviewed high-dollar claims, verifying the accuracy of expected reimbursement.
- Reviewed claims involving overpayments by payers or patients and authorized signoffs, ensuring timely completion of reviews.
- Mentored and coached staff by providing ongoing training to assure communication of common issues and concerns.
- Guided individuals internally and externally to desired outcomes.
- Developed strong working relationships with major payers to ensure timely resolution of claims processing issues.
- Understood the complexity of start-up operations and project management to assure proper allocation of resources.
- Communicated clearly and concisely verbally and written.
- Customer-oriented, consistently delivering exceptional service for both internal and external clients.
- Prioritized the needs of the department and effectively managed resources appropriately.
- Managed all expected managerial tasks, including payroll, approving time off, disciplinary action, training, and interviewing.
Variance Analyst Team Lead
UHS, INC.
Midlothian
01.2008 - 01.2016
- Resolved over/underpayment discrepancies on paid accounts.
- Assisted in maintenance of the PRM, participated in contract reviews during negotiations, and provided initial and ongoing training to staff.
- Proactive and assertive knowledge of payers claim philosophies.
- Developed strong working relationships with major payers to ensure timely resolution of claims processing issues.
- Customer focused, providing service consistently exceeding expectations for both internal and external customers.
- Ability to prioritize needs and to manage resources.
- Delivered comprehensive initial and continuous training to staff to ensure adherence to established policies and procedures.
- Assisted with staff communication, providing updates, resolving issues, setting goals, and maintaining standards.
- Assisted in accurately researching and processing overpayments.
- Answered questions and assisted staff with day-to-day issues.
- Assisted Payment Analysis Manager with development and implementation of project and department action plans.
- Helped resolve issues identified for process improvement as identified by the refund or variance staff.
- Reviewed and/or created daily, weekly, and monthly reports assigned.
- Pulled weekly reports for review by the analysts.
Staffing Technician
Chesterfield County Fire & EMS
Chesterfield
02.2015 - 07.2015
- Ensured the daily staffing of emergency apparatus, maintaining minimum staffing levels at all locations.
- Managed overtime assignments within budget constraints.
- Managed the staffing calendar, organized training courses, and addressed emergencies to ensure adequate staffing of County Fire & EMS services.
- Coordinated with Volunteer Rescue units on staffing availability.
- Trained new employees on the Telestaff system and coordinated in-service events on Telestaff.
- Served as a Telestaff Administrator backup.
- Responsible for keeping the overtime budget under 2 million dollars a year and explaining any amount exceeding that limit.
Variance Analyst
UHS, INC.
Midlothian
11.2004 - 12.2007
- Worked variance reports to determine types of variances and corrections for non-payment and payment-related variances.
- Followed up on underpayment amounts with insurance companies and researched to resolve any credit balances.
- Noted collection system clearly and concisely worked on special projects as required to clean up any variances that remained from facilities that have been recently sold.
- Reviewed expected reimbursement reports daily for East facilities to ensure the facilities are accounting for the correct expected reimbursement, verified and corrected PRM and/or CM.
- Responsible for reviewing end-of-month reports for facilities on accounts with low contractual and Interim bills.
Discrepancy Analyst
HCA – HealthCare
Richmond
01.2002 - 10.2004
- Worked on the Discrepancy Report or Web Tool to determine discrepancies and assign appropriate reason codes.
- Made all corrections for non-payment and payment-related discrepancies.
- Forwarded all other discrepancies to the Overpayment and Underpayment Analysts for follow-up.
- Researched and resolved credit balances.
- Worked mail inquiries in a timely fashion.
- Documented the Collection System clearly and concisely.
- Prepared zero payment lines with discrepancies in the common fields, as well as working Medicare Secondary report to verify if the primary insurance paid correctly to bill Medicare.
Medical Records Specialist
Western Wake Medical Center
Cary
01.1997 - 01.2001
- Assembled Medical Records of discharged patients according to established chart format.
- Analyzed inpatient medical records for complete documentation and assign physician deficiencies.
- Prioritized daily work according to established departmental standards.
- Knowledge of Medical Terminology, Anatomy, and Physiology.
Fingerprint File Clerk
FBI/CJIS Division
Clarksburg
01.1997 - 12.1997
- Due to the nature of the agency, I am unable to give any specific information on this position.
Medical Clerk
VA Medical Center
Clarksburg
01.1996 - 01.1997
- Responsible for the daily processing of outpatient visits, including checking patients in and out of the clinic, scheduling follow-up appointments to include laboratory testing, radiological testing, answering, and screening incoming phone calls and routing to the appropriate personnel.
Medical Clerk
US ARMY 67TH CSH
Wurzburg
01.1995 - 12.1995
- Responsible for the daily processing of outpatient visits to the Orthopedic Clinic, including checking patients in and out of the clinic, scheduling follow-up appointments, laboratory testing, radiological testing, scheduling of surgery, answering, and screening incoming phone calls and routing to the appropriate personnel.
- Organized and maintained monthly physician schedules in the clinic as well as month-end reports.
Medical Clerk
Cape Fear Valley Medical Center
Fayetteville
01.1992 - 01.1994
- Daily processing of inpatient visits included pulling patient information and updating information on the MPI card, filing, and pulling of records request.
- Processed dictated reports and filed on the patient chart for physician review.
Education
DAWIA Contracting Professional Certification -
01.2024
Bachelor of Science Degree -
University of Richmond
Richmond, VA01.2020
Associate of Science Degree -
John Tyler Community College
Midlothian, VA01.2012
Skills
- Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS)
- Simplified Acquisition Procedures
- Cost and price analysis
- Negotiation
- Solicitation Development
- Proposal evaluation
- Contract award
- Contract Administration
- E-procurement systems (IDS, IHS Haystack Gold, ILS, DIBBS)
- Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables)
- Cerner Millennium
- Telestaff
- Revenue Cycle Management
- Medical billing
- Medical coding
- AR inventory management
- Denial management
- Healthcare Laws and Regulations
- Claim resolution
- Leadership
- Team management
- Training
- Communication (written and verbal)
- Problem solving
- Customer service
- Data analysis
Personal Information
Citizenship: U.S. Citizen
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Security Clearance
None
Veterans Preference
Not Applicable
Timeline
Contract Specialist, GS-12
Defense Logistics Agency
09.2021 - Current
Billing Specialist (Part-time)
BetterMed Urgent Care
11.2020 - 07.2021
Payment Analysis Manager
UHS, INC.
04.2016 - 11.2020
Staffing Technician
Chesterfield County Fire & EMS
02.2015 - 07.2015
Variance Analyst Team Lead
UHS, INC.
01.2008 - 01.2016
Variance Analyst
UHS, INC.
11.2004 - 12.2007
Discrepancy Analyst
HCA – HealthCare
01.2002 - 10.2004
Medical Records Specialist
Western Wake Medical Center
01.1997 - 01.2001
Fingerprint File Clerk
FBI/CJIS Division
01.1997 - 12.1997
Medical Clerk
VA Medical Center
01.1996 - 01.1997
Medical Clerk
US ARMY 67TH CSH
01.1995 - 12.1995
Medical Clerk
Cape Fear Valley Medical Center
01.1992 - 01.1994
DAWIA Contracting Professional Certification -
Bachelor of Science Degree -
University of Richmond
Associate of Science Degree -
John Tyler Community College