Registration is closing soon for Procurement U’s CPPB and CPPO Fall 2019 Exam Prep Courses! These courses are designed to assist any public procurement professional preparing to take the UPPCC CPPB or CPPO certification exams. UPPCC recently announced broader eligibility requirements for certification. You can learn more about UPPCC’s updated eligibility requirements here.

Procurement U’s Fall Prep Courses run August 12-October 13, 2019. These convenient, web-based, instructor-led courses 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.

Sign up today! Registration for the Fall Prep Courses closes August 1.

Copies of the third edition of NASPO’s flagship publication “State and Local Government Procurement: A Practical Guide” are now available for purchase.

Keeping pace with changes in procurement trends, the third edition of the Practical Guide has several new features, including IT procurement, sustainable purchasing and the use of eProcurement systems. The latest guide also includes expanded narratives on procurement planning, source selection methods, evaluation of bids and proposals, quality assurance and contract management.

Updates and revisions to the new Practical Guide were executed by NASPO staff with the leadership and guidance of a steering committee comprised of current and former state procurement professionals.

Copies of the Practical Guide are available for purchase here for $65. A discount of 10 percent will be applied to orders of 10 copies or more. In support of NASPO’s ongoing efforts to elevate the profession of public procurement through partnerships with institutions of higher learning, there is a special discounted rate of $45 for students. Order your copy today!

Register soon for the 2019 NASPO Annual Conference

The deadline to register for the 2019 NASPO Annual Conference is August 9! Don’t miss out on the chance join fellow NASPO members September 8-11, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Sign up today!

To help you leverage the leadership, excellence and integrity that empowers procurement officials to advance state government, the 2019 NASPO Annual Conference promises a variety of opportunities for collaboration, idea exchange and solution sharing for the common challenges state procurement leaders face. Register now!

Procurement U: The Annual Conference kicks off with Procurement U’s optional training titled “A Seat at the Table: Central Procurement as a Strategic Leader,” a top priority for state procurement in 2019.

This training will explore strategies and practical examples to position the central procurement office as an invaluable piece of the state's strategic planning, and help each CPO become a strategic leader for their state. The focus will be on helping CPOs build relationships with other cabinet-level leadership and develop innovative approaches to highlight the value of central procurement early and often in the state’s overall mission.

Register here. 

Sign up for weekly updates from Procurement Pulse to read the latest on topics of interest and emerging issues in state procurement. Some of the most recent posts highlight UPPCC’s recent decision to broaden eligibility requirements; the personal and professional benefits of CPPO and CPPB certification; a peek into A Day in the Life of NASPO Board member and District of Columbia CPO George Schutter; and a look into major procurement trends and challenges and how to move your office forward.

Visit https://pulse.naspo.org/ to read all the blog posts and subscribe to receive weekly updates from The Pulse!

17 NASPO members complete

Chemeketa procurement course

Congratulations to the 17 state procurement staff members who successfully completed the Chemeketa Community College online public procurement course this term!

Successful completion of this course provides four community college credit hours that can be transferred to a four-year accredited university and is recognized by UPPCC as qualifying hours toward CPPB and CPPO certifications. Upon completion of the second round of this course offering, NASPO is pleased to announce a total of 34 of state staff have now taken this course thanks to a combination of NASPO scholarship funds and Chemeketa's partnership.

Hats off to: Rocky Advani, Arizona; Laurie Andre, Maine; Stephanie Beshears, Oklahoma; Chris Downing, Missouri; Justin Franzose, Maine; Justin Hansen, California; Abby Medina Silas; Arizona; Yanneth Montes, Arizona; Sabina Moore, Arizona; Heather Pedersen, Alaska; Jason Perez, California; Mandy Rambo, Montana; Marisol Rivera, Connecticut; Christine Smiles, Louisiana; Keith Smith, Florida; Brian Sonensen; Alaska; and Gwen Sunken, Oregon.

NASPO celebrates your accomplishments and appreciates your support of our higher education initiatives. We hope to continue to offer this opportunity in the future. 

Upcoming webinar on NASPO’s Summer

Internship Program: Learn about the process!

Are you interested in learning more about the NASPO internship program? Have you considered hosting an intern in your state office, but don’t know where to begin?

Join us for an introductory webinar on Tuesday, August 20 at 1pm ET. This informational webinar will prepare first-time states to participate in the NASPO internship program. We will discuss the process step-by-step and answer any questions you or your team may have. This webinar will be recorded and available to those who are unable to attend.

NASPO members featured in Governing

In case you missed it, several NASPO members recently were interviewed for an article highlighting steps state procurement offices are taking to modernize the purchasing process. “Buying Better” was featured in in the July issue of Governing Magazine. Check it out!

To streamline communications, you can now enjoy ValuePoint news and updates previously disseminated through the Compass as a regular feature in the Bulletin!

Current Project Updates

Procurement Acquisition Support Services: The State of Hawaii has finalized master agreements with four contractors, including ASI Government Inc., Center for Applied Innovation, Civic Initiatives LLC, and Sine Cera Consulting LLC. These master agreements are now available on the NASPO ValuePoint website. Once all master agreements are fully executed, there will be a total of 16 contractors from which to choose.

Copiers and Managed Print Services: The State of Colorado is in the process of negotiating the new master agreements for copiers and managed print services. The new contracts should be posted on the NASPO ValuePoint website this fall.

Drone Services: The State of Virginia is beginning the process of awarding 16 new master agreements for drone services. Look for new awards to be posted on the NASPO ValuePoint website soon.

Equipment Rental Services: The lead state of Vermont and the sourcing team have concluded evaluations and have recommended awards. The award recommendations remain confidential until final approvals are obtained. More information will be available in August.

Discount Air Fare: The current contract between the State of Oregon and Southwest Airlines has been amended (Amendment Number 6) to clarify that the agreement expires on September 27, 2019. In order to obtain the current discounts, tickets must be purchased by September 27, 2019 and all travel must occur by December 27, 2019. The State of Oregon and the sourcing team have determined that no awards could be made from the recent RFP for this portfolio, as no responsive proposals were received. This portfolio will not be resolicited.

Fire Apparatus: The State of Mississippi is currently working on renewals of the master agreements for this portfolio. 

Audio Visual Equipment: The RFP being led by the State of Alaska closed on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, and the sourcing team will soon meet to conduct evaluations.

Commercial Card Services: The NASPO ValuePoint RFP for Commercial Card Services led the State of Washington is scheduled to close on Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

MMIS Claims Management: The lead state of Montana has an RFP release target of August-September 2019.

Data Breach and Credit Monitoring Services: The State of Idaho and the sourcing team are nearing completion of the RFP, which will hopefully be released in August.

Computer Equipment: The State of Minnesota and the sourcing team are nearing completion on the RFP, which is expected to be released in August.

RFP closing dates

Confidential RFP Drafts

IT Advisory & Research: A confidential draft of the IT Advisory Services RFP, led by the State of Minnesota, has been released to the states for comments and submission of Intent to Participate (ITP) notices. The official deadline for submission of ITPs was July 22, 2019; however, states may still submit an ITP while the RFP is published. The RFP will be released soon.