November 2021

NEWS

Procurement U Gives Back Program Extended

NASPO has extended the Procurement U Gives Back program through at least December 2022. A huge success in 2021, Procurement U Gives Back provided over 40,000 free contact hours to procurement staff across the country at every level with over $700,000 in fees saved by users.

Extending the program will allow new and existing users to access the free foundational procurement courses on their own schedule and earn educational credits to support their careers.

Visit the Procurement U Gives Back webpage for more information.

Call for Regional Chairs and Vice-Chairs

Nominations for the 2022 NASPO Regional Council Chairs and Vice Chairs are open! You may nominate yourself or a colleague in your region for Chair, Vice Chair, or both. The Chair is the main contact for region-related issues, and the Vice Chair serves as their backup.

Please consider submitting your name or the names of individuals you wish to nominate for these positions. Send all nominee names to Maya Griffin at [email protected] no later than Friday, November 5, 2021.

NASPO Wins Communications Awards

Last week NASPO was awarded two Association Trends ^TM Trendy Awards which honor the best marketing pieces in the association and non-profit community.

Honored projects include the REACH Virtual Conference Activity Pack, which earned a Gold Award in the Promotional Item category, and the Pandemic Procurement Excellence (PPE) Tribute Video, which was awarded Bronze in the Commemoration/Tribute category.

NASPO Testifies Before PA Senate Subcommittee

On October 26th, Matthew Oyer had the opportunity to testify in front of a subcommittee for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on general procurement practices. During their questions, multiple committee members stated that they had recently listened to a few episodes of the Pulse Podcast.

The podcast has gotten the attention of legislators and has helped educate them on state procurement. Ken Hess, Deputy Secretary of DGS, was grateful for our support and the resources that their legislators were able to view.

Similar requests for assistance from other states can be directed to Kelly McKown-King at [email protected].

FINANCE

Don't forget that all NASPO funds for this year will expire on December 31, 2021.

But you don't have to wait until the end of the year to be reimbursed! If you have any requests for the use of Professional Development, Technology Asset Improvement, or ValuePoint In-State Cooperative Outreach Funds, feel free to submit those at any time.

The fund policies and request forms can be found in the Reimbursement Portal of the NASPO Network. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

EVENTS

In-Person Events

November 15-17, 2021 | Tempe, Arizona

The 2021 Law Institute for Public Procurement is open for registration! This event is geared toward attorneys in the procurement office or who support procurement in the state. View the conference website for more information on registration and CLE credit available.

State Training Coordinators Conference (STCC)

November 15-17, 2021 | Tempe, Arizona

The 2021 State Training Coordinators Conference (STCC) addresses professional challenges and discusses topic issues relevant to state central procurement training coordinators. This conference will equip them with the tools and resources they need to support procurement work. View the conference website for registration and contact hours available.

Upcoming Webinars

Cronin Silver Award Winner

Louisiana’s Installment Purchase Market for 3rd Party Financing

November 3 | 3 pm ET

Discover Louisiana’s innovative approach to financing which allows the state to make purchases as the need arises and accrue $2.04 million in savings over five years. Using a team of experts across industries, the state has created a distinct program.

Cronin Gold Award Winner

Interagency, Data-Driven Collaboration: Wisconsin's Innovative Approach to Specification Development

November 10 | 3 pm ET

Explore the 2021 Cronin Gold Award Submission in this webinar presented by the state of Wisconsin. Learn how Wisconsin drove better pricing through a collaborative approach to specification development.