Eva-Marie Winter
Senior Procurement & Sourcing Advisor

Eva-Marie Winter

Vibrant Blue

Senior-level procurement and sourcing advisor to utilities and infrastructure owners. 20+ years across transmission, construction labor, and regulated procurement, helping clients cut cost, risk, and secure best value.

Expertise
Core Services Offered by Eva-Marie Winter
Strategic Sourcing & RFP Leadership

What it is

End-to-end leadership of complex sourcing initiatives for construction labor, services, and infrastructure-related procurements in regulated and high-risk environments.

What I do

Design and lead competitive RFPs and RFQs, develop sourcing strategies aligned to market conditions, manage bidder engagement, evaluate proposals, and support best-value award decisions. Advise on reverse auctions, multi-round negotiations, and defensible outcomes.

Who it's for

Utilities, infrastructure owners, public-sector entities, and private organizations managing recurring or high-dollar construction and services spend.

Outcomes

  • Stronger competition and improved pricing discipline
  • Clear, defensible award decisions
  • Reduced procurement risk and cycle time
  • Sourcing strategies aligned with capital plans and delivery realities
Contract Strategy, Negotiation & Risk Mitigation

What it is

Advisory support focused on structuring, negotiating, and managing contracts to balance cost, risk, and constructability—particularly in complex labor and construction environments.

What I do

Support contract scoping, commercial term development, pricing structures, and negotiations. Identify and mitigate risk tied to scope gaps, labor assumptions, escalation, and market volatility, with particular expertise in union and mixed labor environments.

Who it's for

Organizations entering high-value construction or labor agreements that need experienced commercial support without adding permanent headcount.

Outcomes

  • Contracts that better reflect real-world execution risk
  • Improved cost certainty and fewer downstream disputes
  • Stronger negotiating position with contractors and suppliers
  • Commercial terms aligned with operational objectives
Pricing, Cost & Market Analysis

What it is

Independent, data-driven analysis to validate pricing, understand market conditions, and support fact-based decision-making.

What I do

Analyze labor and services pricing using public and industry benchmarks (e.g., BLS, CPI, EquipmentWatch), evaluate contractor estimates and build-ups, and identify cost drivers, escalation exposure, and pricing outliers. Translate market data into practical guidance for negotiations and leadership decisions.

Who it's for

Owners, procurement teams, and project leaders who need credible pricing insight but lack internal market intelligence or benchmarking resources.

Outcomes

  • Improved confidence in pricing decisions
  • Stronger, fact-based negotiations
  • Better understanding of cost drivers and market pressure
  • Reduced exposure to over-priced or poorly structured bids
Supplier Relationship & Performance Management

What it is

Structured approaches to managing critical suppliers beyond the initial contract award, with a focus on long-term value and performance.

What I do

Help design and implement strategic supplier programs, define performance metrics, support contractor evaluations, and establish governance models that align suppliers with cost, schedule, safety, and delivery expectations.

Who it's for

Organizations with recurring contractors or long-term supplier relationships where consistency, performance, and accountability matter.

Outcomes

  • Improved contractor performance and transparency
  • Stronger alignment between owners and key suppliers
  • Reduced surprises during execution
  • More predictable delivery across projects
Procurement Process & Tool Enablement

What it is

Practical advisory support for improving procurement processes and enabling tools without sacrificing governance or compliance.

What I do

Advise on procurement workflows, contract lifecycle management systems, and integration between sourcing, contracting, and asset management tools. Help organizations document processes, refine governance, and support adoption through training and change management.

Who it's for

Utilities and infrastructure organizations modernizing procurement systems or processes in regulated or audit-sensitive environments.

Outcomes

  • More efficient, transparent procurement processes
  • Better contract visibility and lifecycle management
  • Improved tool adoption and user confidence
  • Stronger linkage between procurement and operations
Executive, Team & Stakeholder Enablement

What it is

Knowledge transfer and advisory support to strengthen internal capability across procurement, project, and leadership teams.

What I do

Deliver training on sourcing, contracting, and pricing fundamentals; provide executive-level briefings on market conditions and risk; and support stakeholder communications, including vendor-facing strategy discussions and industry engagement.

Who it's for

Leadership teams, procurement organizations, and project teams that need clearer understanding of market dynamics and commercial risk.

Outcomes

  • More informed leadership and project decisions
  • Stronger internal alignment on sourcing and contracting strategy
  • Increased confidence navigating complex labor and construction markets
  • Reduced reliance on external advisors over time
Background
Career History & Education

Career History

2023 – 2025
Category Manager, Transmission Construction Labor & Services
American Electric Power (AEP)
Led strategic sourcing and contract management for large-scale transmission construction labor and services, overseeing a portfolio exceeding $1.5B annually. Directed complex RFPs, negotiated pricing and commercial terms, and served as a subject-matter expert on union labor markets, pricing build-ups, and risk mitigation. Partnered closely with engineering, construction, legal, and leadership teams to align sourcing strategy with capital plans and operational execution.
2012 – 2022
Transmission Contract Administrator
American Electric Power (AEP)
Managed bidding, award, and administration of major transmission and infrastructure contracts. Supported unit-price contract structures, contractor performance evaluations, and compliance with scope and KPIs. Played a key role in evolving procurement processes and tools, including early adoption of enterprise sourcing platforms, while supporting day-to-day contract governance for active construction programs.
2005 – 2011
Contracts Specialist
DLT Solutions, LLC
Negotiated and administered Federal, State, and commercial contracts for software licensing and professional services. Served as Small Business Liaison Officer, overseeing small business compliance, reporting requirements, and supplier outreach. Built a strong foundation in regulated contracting, documentation, and stakeholder coordination.

Education

BS Business Administration – Contracts & Acquisitions
Strayer University

Community Engagement

2024 – 2025
Chairperson, PRIDE Employee Resource Group
American Electric Power (AEP)
Represented national ERG chapter for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies. Coordinated regional engagement and internal events.
2025 – Present
Volunteer
Equitas Health SafePoint
Support local harm reduction clinic and outreach center for high-risk communities.

Get In Touch

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