Click here for more information on the UPPCC reimbursement program!

January 2020

NASPO President's Message
George Schutter
Happy New Year, NASPO friends and colleagues! I am so pleased to begin the new year as the president of this professional association. I am honored to follow in the footsteps of some incredible leaders, and I look forward to my tenure to continue on with support and innovation in our public procurement profession.

Throughout the year, I hope you will take advantage of the many opportunities to attend NASPO conferences, receive online trainings through Procurement U, participate in regional council calls and much more. I encourage you to take advantage of the benefits your NASPO membership has to offer. There are ample ways to get involved in this great association, and I hope that you consider participating in a new way in 2020. We need your support! The unique perspectives each of you brings to our association benefits us all.

This year, I am especially looking forward to seeing many of you at the educational and networking events NASPO has planned. If you have not already done so, I hope you will register soon for our first major event of 2020; the NASPO Exchange in Nashville, Tennessee, March 24-26. The NASPO Exchange provides a truly unique environment for public procurement professionals and suppliers to develop relationships that support efficient, transparent and fair procurements. To learn more about the 2020 NASPO Exchange, or to register, click here. You can mark your calendars for NASPO’s future scheduled events by visiting this page.

I am again honored and humbled for the opportunity to serve as your NASPO President 2020. It’s going to be a great year!

2020 Top 10 Priorities are now available
Each year, NASPO releases Top 10 Priorities based on a ranking from state CPOs. The 2020 Top Ten Priorities for State Procurement reflect current nationwide priorities. This list debuts three front-runners: Leading Procurement Strategy Statewide, Maximizing Statewide eProcurement Utilization and Functionality, and Responsive Services to Agency Stakeholders. NASPO develops programs, conference sessions, research, and publications based on CPO feedback and input.
Updated NASPO Member Benefits
and Services Reference Guide
The updated NASPO Member Benefits and Services Reference Guide is available on the NASPO Network. To download, click here. You will need to log into the NASPO Network to review this document. This updated guide lists a multitude of member benefits and how to use them, including Professional Development Funds, Cooperative Education Funds, Procurement U and more.

If you would like a printed copy for your office, please contact Olivia Hook Frey, Director of Membership Engagement and Strategic Partnerships [email protected] 
Register Now for the 2020 Exchange!
The 2020 NASPO Exchange is less than eight weeks away. Are you registered? Don't miss out on this unique venue to learn, network, and partner with procurement professionals from across the nation and meet with members of the supplier community offering states a variety of goods and services. It's not too late to register. Deadline to register: February 21
CPPB and CPPO Spring 2020
Exam Prep Courses
Taking the CPPO or CPPB exam in 2020? Sign up for Procurement U’sâ„¢ CPPB and CPPO Spring 2020 Exam Prep Courses! These courses are designed to assist any public procurement professional preparing to take UPPCC’s CPPB, or CPPO certification exams. Registration will remain open through February 17, 2020 for the Spring 2020 courses. 

Procurement U’sâ„¢ Spring prep courses run March 1 to May 3, 2020. These are convenient, web-based, instructor-led courses and are worth 12 contact hours. NASPO members and all other state government employees enjoy a discounted rate of $300 over the standard price of $480.
 
Register here for the CPPB course. Register here for the CPPO course.
UPPCC will be accepting applications until February 3 for the May 2020 testing window.
Procurement U releases Introduction
to Ethical Procurement Course
Procurement U recently launched its highly anticipated new course, Introduction to Ethical Procurement. In just two weeks since launch, this course is leading the way as the most popular course of 2020. Whether you are new to procurement, transitioning from the private sector, or just need a stronger understanding of ethics in public procurement, this course is an affordable way to learn the core elements of ethical government procurement.

Visit the NASPO website to learn more about what is covered and get registered today! 

The cost is just $20 for NASPO members and all state government employees and $35 for all other learners.

Reminder: You can utilize your state’s Professional Development Funds to cover the cost of your registration.

New Instructor-led Customer Service in Government Procurement Online Course
Procurement U is excited to announce the launch of our first online, instructor-led course: Customer Service in Government Procurement. This course is designed to introduce skills, strategies, best practices and techniques to make quality customer service a reality in government procurement offices.

Since this is our first time offering an online course led by an instructor, we have discounted the price to just $100 and are opening registration to NASPO members first because space is limited. There are only 30 spots available for this course. Registration is first come, first serve. 

Who: Procurement professionals who are looking for a better understanding of the importance of customer service in the government procurement sector. This course is a mix of entry-level and intermediate-level content designed to cover fundamental concepts along with enhanced knowledge and skills-based application.

What: Eight (8) contact hours of instruction through online modules, book readings, community engagement with participants, and live instruction through online webinars led by the instructor.

When: February 23 â€“ March 23, 2020

Where: Online modules and activities through the Procurement U LMS and two mandatory online webinars through the Zoom platform.

How much: $100 (discounted inaugural price)

Click here to download the syllabus for detailed information on the course expectations, webinar dates/attendance and completion requirements.
The Cronin Awards Finalist webinar series is underway, and there are several upcoming webinar dates scheduled that you don’t want to miss! These webinars highlight our 2019 finalist submissions, and you can register by clicking the links below:

  • February 6, Minnesota
  • February 20, Massachusetts
  • February 27, New York

If you missed out on Silver Award winner Florida’s presentation on December 10 or the presentation by Gold Award winner Michigan on January 16, you can watch both presentations here.

The Cronin Awards Finalist webinars are free and each one offers one contact hour.

Register here.
 
Archived webinars of previous Cronin Awards winners are also available here.
Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council 2020 Summit + Connect Registration is Live
Every year the SPLC’s Summit + Connect brings together visionary purchasing and sustainability professionals, suppliers of sustainable solutions, researchers, students and NGO experts to share, learn, confer and create new relationships to drive change throughout global markets. 

Ready to surround yourself with peers who understand the unique sustainable procurement challenges you face? Ready to network with sustainable purchasing experts—purchasers, suppliers, certifiers, NGOs, and researchers—collaborating to produce positive, triple-bottom-line impacts?

Registration is now LIVE for the 2020 Summit + Connect, May 18-20, 2020, in Atlanta. Join us at the industry’s premier sustainable procurement conference. 

Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned pro, SPLC’s 2020 Summit + Connect offers a compelling schedule of best practice training, inspiring keynotes, engaging exhibits and abundant networking opportunities to help you advance your sustainable procurement program, or meet customer needs for sustainable solutions.
 
NASPO members will receive a 10% discount on non-Member Summit registration rates â€“ contact Kevin Minor at [email protected] to request the registration code. 

Keep in mind that organizations that join SPLC and register at the same time can receive a 10% discount on SPLC membership as well as the member registration discounts. Learn more on the Summit registration page today!
What's Your Pulse Rate?
The Procurement Pulse team works hard to bring to you information about the programs, services, trends and information important to public procurement professionals. You can sign up to receive weekly updates from Procurement Pulse and have the latest on emerging issues and hot topics in state procurement delivered straight to your inbox.

Some of the most recent Pulse posts include “Eliminate these Four Productivity Killers in 2020”; the release of “NASPO’s Top 10 Priorities for 2020”; a piece on bid protests and what states across the nation are doing to address them; and simple steps that your office can take to make sustainable purchasing a priority in 2020.

Visit https://pulse.naspo.org/ to read all the blog posts and subscribe to receive
weekly updates from The Pulse!
We use cookies to improve user experience, help personalize content, and analyze website traffic. Some of these cookies may transmit information to third parties to analyze website traffic. By using this site, you agree to the use of cookies to collect information on naspo.org. Read our Privacy Policy to learn more. To manage your Cookie Preferences, please access these through your Browser settings.
Search
Generic filters
Exact matches only