March 2019

March is Celebrate Procurement Month!

NASPO applauds the work of procurement professionals every day, but particularly during March. In celebration of this month dedicated to recognizing procurement officials, NASPO has created this video in your honor.

ValuePoint appoints Chief Operations Officer 

After a nationwide search, Sarah Hilderbrand, the former Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) from the State of Idaho, has been named the first Chief Operations Officer (COO) for NASPO ValuePoint. 

Sarah has over 20 years of experience in public procurement, serving as a purchasing officer, state contracts manager, state purchasing manager and most recently as Idaho’s CPO. Sarah is an attorney and earned her certification as a Certified Public Purchasing Officer in 2007. Sarah has served in various capacities for both NASPO and NASPO ValuePoint, including a member of the NASPO Board of Directors, member of the WSCA Management Board, vice chair of the NASPO Western Region, chair of the NASPO Law Institute Planning Committee, as well as Contract Lead for WSCA/NASPO ValuePoint Contracts.

As COO, Sarah will oversee and direct day-to-day operations of ValuePoint and report to the CEO. In addition, she will lead the ValuePoint team in providing leadership, guidance, and support to state CPOs, central procurement staff and political subdivision, as well as the procurement staff at educational institutions, suppliers, and all others seeking to understand and utilize ValuePoint contracts. Further, she will assist the ValuePoint team in streamlining processes while positioning the organization for emerging opportunities.

Sarah’s first day in her new role was March 18^th. We are excited to have Sarah join the NASPO ValuePoint team.

It’s hard to believe that the NASPO Exchange is less than two weeks away. NASPO hopes you are among the nearly 500 state procurement professionals and supplier partners who have registered to attend this year’s conference.

We look forward to seeing you April 9-11, in Denver, Colorado.  

Blockchain: The Public Sector Big Picture

Registration open for

Midwestern Regional Conference

Join us in Minneapolis, May 21-23, at the Radisson Blue Minneapolis Downtown for the 2019 Midwestern Regional Conference.

NASPO regional conferences provide a great opportunity to learn new approaches to your top procurement priorities, share best practices and connect with fellow members in the Midwestern Region. With education and networking opportunities targeted to state procurement staff, this is an excellent professional development opportunity for up to six individuals from your state. Remember, NASPO provides full registration and travel funding for your allotted participants, so don’t let this important member benefit go to waste.

Questions? Contact NASPO Staff for more information about the conference. Register by April 22, 2019 to reserve your spot!

Are you checking your Pulse regularly?

NASPO’s Procurement Pulse wants to be your go-to site for the most up-to-date information and research on best practices and emerging issues in state procurement. Some of the most recent topics covered on Procurement Pulse include 3 ways to simultaneously improve employee and customer satisfaction, 5 things you should know about reverse auctions and blockchain: the public sector big picture.

You don’t want to miss all the Pulse has to offer, including the “Day in the Life” series, which allows a behind the scenes peek into the busy life of a CPO. This month, Procurement Pulse talks to NASPO President Lisa Eason of Georgia. You can also subscribe to receive weekly updates from the Procurement Pulse.