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    April 2023 Certification Support Available If you are preparing for a certification exam, take advantage of NAPSO's self-study tools and UPPCC's NEW CPPB and CPPO practice tests. To access these resources, create an account with NASPO's Procurement U LMS. NASPO is also pleased to reimburse CPPB and CPPO application and examination fees to

    March 2023   NASPO Celebrates Procurement Month Happy Procurement Month to our members and procurement professionals everywhere! Your hard work helps our communities thrive, and we are truly grateful for your service. Click here to view the video we created to say "thank you!" Visit our social channels throughout the month for special

    February 2023 Our Cronin Webinar Series Continues All webinars are free. Register here and add to your calendar! February 1, 3 - 4 pm ET: Tennessee (Bronze Award) Supplier Diversity Data at Your Fingertips - Diversity in Tennessee (DIT-II) Dashboard February 22, 2 - 3 pm ET: Georgia Preparing for Success - Georgia's

    January 2023 Cronin Webinar Series Begins This Month All webinars will take place from 3 to 4 pm ET. Register here and add to your calendar! January 11 - (Silver Award): Help Me, Help You! Idaho's New Approach to RFIs January 18 - Michigan (Gold Award): Try It Before You Buy It -

    December 2022 We're Diving Into Supplier Diversity NASPO’s newest publication, Supplier Diversity Snapshot: 8 States in Review, offers an in-depth look at the supplier diversity initiatives impacting state public procurement.   Learn about current programs' unique features and common components, including authorizing statutes, business certifications, and spending goals. Recommended practices, practical examples, and links to

    November 2022 Students Explore Public Procurement in Case Study Competition Nine university teams competed October 21-22 at Iowa State University in a public procurement Case Study Competition. With NASPO members and staff serving as judges, each university team had 24 hours to complete a case study and present it for consideration. Congratulations to

    September 2022 NASPO Adds Three New Strategic Partners NASPO has added three new partners through 2025. The National Conference of State Fleet Administrators (NCSFA), StateRAMP, and the Canadian Public Procurement Council (CPPC) each bring a unique focus that strengthens NASPO's connections within the procurement and government community.  Read more...     Howard University

    August 2022 New Member Benefit for Market Research NASPO has finalized an agreement making D&B Hoovers access a formalized member service! We now have additional software licenses available to support market research. States can use their NASPO Funds to cover the cost ($2,550.08 for contract term 1). To reserve a license for your state,

    July 2022 NASPO and NCMA Develop Contract Management Organizational Capability (CMOC) Program Washington, D.C. Pilot Program Yields Success The National Contract Management Association (NCMA) and NASPO have created a unique, collaborative program designed to improve the competence and capabilities of state public procurement workforce. Read more...     GW Law Summer Series 2022:

May 2022 Exchange Conference Reimbursements Due Attendees, don't forget to submit your reimbursement for your travel expenses to Exchange 2022! The travel policy and reimbursement forms can be found on the Reimbursements page of the NASPO Network. Reach out to [email protected] with any questions.  Survey of State Practices Open Primary members should watch their email

April 2022 NASPO Travel Policy Reminder As travel picks up, please remember that the Travel Policy was updated in 2020. The policy and reimbursement forms can be found on the Reimbursements page on the NASPO Network. Cronin Procurement Excellence Awards Submissions Open Submit your state's work for recognition through the George Cronin Awards for Procurement

March 2022 NASPO Celebrates Procurement Month Thank you to all of our members and procurement professional friends! Stay turned on our social media channels for special celebrations throughout the month. Have a celebration from your state? Send it to [email protected]. Governors Issue Procurement Month Proclamations Thank you to the governors of Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire,

February 2022 Happy 75th, NASPO! On February 1, 2022, NASPO celebrated its 75th birthday! Stay tuned for online and in-person festivities throughout the year. What Is Your Favorite NASPO Memory? Letter from President, Delbert Singleton Hello friends, It is my profound pleasure to serve as your NASPO Board President. I look forward to seeing many

January 2022 NASPO Celebrates 75 Years In 2022, NASPO will celebrate its 75th anniversary! Stay tuned for looks down memory lane, stories from members about their NASPO connections, and special celebrations at all of our events this year. Share Your NASPO Story Member Spotlight Tennessee Department of General Services' Central Procurement Office team members received

NEWS Michigan Procurement Leads University Course This fall, Michigan CPO Jared Ambrosier and his colleague, Sharon Walenga-Maynard, lead a one-credit-hour course, Procurement Contracting, at Michigan State University. Students learned about the basics of contracting, including needs analysis, terms and conditions, negotiations, and monitoring contract performance. Jared Ambrosier said, "The State of Michigan and Michigan State

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

NEWS NASPO Internship Program Success Massachusetts Hires Michigan State Intern The NASPO Internship Program proves to be a success, once again! We congratulate McKenna Petack from Michigan State University who has accepted a position with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a Deputy Strategic Sourcing Manager after completing her 2021 summer internship. CPO Gary Lambert spoke

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT In the first of a series, we will be highlighting the exceptional work of state procurement staff across the country. Primary members who wish to nominate someone on their staff may use this form.  Carmen Claudio, Florida Carmen serves as the certification coordinator for the Office of Supplier Diversity. In the past year,

MESSAGE FROM CEO LINDLE HATTON Dugan Petty & Voight Shealy Leaving NASPO It is with sadness that I announce the resignations of Dugan Petty and Voight Shealy. As members, volunteers, and most recently staff members, Dugan and Voight have served NASPO and the public procurement profession with unparalleled knowledge and passion for decades. Each has

NEWS NASPO Hosts Procurement Tabletop Exercise On May 18-19, NASPO and over 20 other organizations, including state, federal, association, and academic partners, joined together for a Procurement Tabletop Exercise (PTTX). This meeting used a COVID-19 scenario and supplemental discussion to identify areas that can better prepare all parties for future emergency response by identifying partnerships

Upcoming Programs for You State Member Benefits Webinar May 20 | 3:00 pm ET The Membership team will be hosting our State Member Benefits webinar on Thursday, May 20. This webinar is for state members only to review where to find your NASPO benefits and how best to use them. Register Now Engaging Small Business

NASPO Releases COVID-19 Study Download Assessing State PPE Procurement During COVID-19: A Research Report today. This report uses over 100 hours of interviews to tell the story of pandemic procurement and the lessons learned. “Our members are invaluable resources for their states, and their expertise can, and should, improve any emergency actions by the state.

We are pleased to spend this month honoring the work you do, focusing on specific aspects of procurement, and highlighting how you’re celebrating in your states. Stay tuned for emails this month, make sure to check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and be sure to share your celebrations with us. Template resources are

President’s Message Hello, 2021! As we start the new year, I want to thank you for the privilege of serving as your 2021 NASPO Board President. I and the other Board members take seriously our responsibility to nurture this organization. As part of that, I want to share two priorities I have for the coming

Reimbursement Requests Due January 8 The deadline for submitting reimbursement requests for 2020 is January 8, 2021. All funds policies and request forms can be found on the Reimbursements page of the NASPO Network. 2020 Professional Development Funds Rollover The NASPO Board of Directors has voted to allow States to rollover up to $21,200 in

Professional Development Funds Update The NASPO Board of Directors has voted to allow States to rollover up to $21,200 in unspent 2020 Professional Development Funds to 2021. These funds will be governed by the current Professional Development policy with the broader allowance for use due to COVID-19. These funds will expire on March 31, 2021.

Upcoming Programs Data Analytics Demystified November 10 | 2 pm ET How do you define data analytics? Looking for current examples of data analytics program development? Grab a seat and get the answers to these questions and discover the benefits of data analytics for the central procurement office. This webinar will be eligible for 1.5

COVID Lessons Learned Research Project Launched The COVID Lessons Learned Research Project aims to collect data about the organization of procurement and sourcing strategies during the disaster response and what characteristics of state procurement organizations can guarantee an effect response during emergency situations. The research project is in partnership with the National Governor’s Association (NGA)

 NEW State Member Quarterly Webinar Make NASPO Work for You October 14 | 3 pm ET  Register for the first of this new series where we discuss how to make the most of your NASPO benefits. This webinar is great for new Central Procurement staff, as well as anyone who wants a refresher on where

Review the 2021 NASPO Leadership candidates now! The nominee slate for the NASPO Board of Directors is now available via the NASPO Network. Please review the slate to learn more about the four President-Elect candidates as well as the candidates for the four open Director-at-Large positions. You can also listen to each of the President-Elect candidates through a special NASPO Pulse Podcast series available here.

National Council of State Legislatures Provides Fiscal Outlook Presentation to NASPO Members On June 29, as part of the weekly COVID-19 response calls for CPOs and their staff, we were pleased to host a fiscal briefing from our strategic partner, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Erica MacKellar, Program Principal for NCSL’s Fiscal Affairs

New Features, Same Great Learning! Procurement U is upgrading to an award-winning learning management system on June 1st. New features will include: Improved engagement and accessibility Design optimized for mobile learning Collaborative learning with peers With the upgrade, all Procurement U self-paced courses will be reduced to $20 per contact hour for all users, member

A Message from NASPO President, George Schutter Student memberships NASPO now offers a Student Membership, available for $25/year. Membership includes a free Procurement 101 course, a free copy of the Practical Guide textbook, and networking opportunities. Interested students can apply online. Don't Get Lost in Space: Virtual Learning Best Practices May 6 & May 13 |

COVID-19 Update Visit naspo.org/covid-19-resources to learn more about how NASPO is meeting member needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Resources from NASPO as well as external partners are available, including state emergency declarations, CDC recommendations, NASPO ValuePoint contract updates, and emergency preparedness information. NASPO members can also access additional resources by logging in to the NASPO

New year, new benefits! Don’t forget to take advantage of your NASPO member benefits this year! From professional development funds to Procurement U courses, there are resources available for everyone in your central procurement office. Check out our updated Member Benefits Guide, housed on the member-only NASPO Network. Questions? Reach out to Olivia Hook Frey, Director

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.

This year truly has been another eventful one in the history of NASPO.
Since 2018, NASPO has gradually assumed ownership of the program development and execution of conferences and events, while continuing to support the professional development needs of our members.

The 2019 NASPO Incoming President is charged with appointing members to fill vacancies on the Board of Directors, assign NASPO Board members to serve in designated champion roles and select committee leadership to serve for the calendar year 2020.

Registration is now open for Procurement U’s CPPB and CPPO Spring 2020 Exam Prep Courses! These courses are designed to assist any public procurement professional preparing to take the UPPCC CPPB or CPPO certification exams.

Annual Conference is the crown jewel of the NASPO conference season. The 2019 event in Grand Rapids, Michigan was no exception. This year’s conference featured quality speakers offering content-rich sessions, fun networking receptions and a keynote speaker who was truly a gem.

Procurement U’s CPPB and CPPO Fall 2019 Exam Prep Courses reached the highest enrollment ever, with 47 candidates signing up for these courses designed to assist any public procurement professional preparing to take the UPPCC certification exams.

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.

Registration is now open 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.

The third annual NASPO Academic Forum was hosted May 14-16, 2019, at Oregon State University. We were thrilled to take the forum to the West Coast with our partners at OSU! Although it was a bit of a trek for many of our attendees, the event was a success! This year, 70 attendees represented 25 states, 8 academic institutions, a strategic partner and even a handful of students.

NASPO hosted more than 500 state procurement professionals, suppliers and other guests, April 9-11, in Denver, Colorado, during the 2019 NASPO Exchange. The number of attendees included representatives from 42 states, as well as 166 companies that are supportive business partners to state government agencies.

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.

The 2019 NASPO Exchange is less than six 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, but time is running short.

Happy New Year, NASPO members! It is fitting that I begin my tenure as NASPO President as we turn the page on the calendar and welcome 2019. This certainly is the start of an exciting new year in my life and I am honored and humbled for the opportunity to serve as your NASPO President.

Warmest holiday greetings fellow NASPO members, As the 2018 calendar fades into 2019 and my Presidential tenure draws to a close, this is truly a time of reflection on all that has transpired over the past year. To say it has been a historic year in the life of NASPO does not adequately capture all that has occurred over the last 12 months.

The 2018 Professional Development Fund and Travel Reimbursement submissions are due to NASPO by Friday, December 7th. Submissions can be conveniently submitted via email to [email protected]. Please submit expenses as soon as possible to ensure they are paid. If you have any questions about qualifying purchases, please review the Professional Development Fund Policy or email NASPO with any questions!

Through conferences, research, informative publications, and various member benefit programs, NASPO is dedicated to providing educational and information sharing opportunities to the state government procurement community. Curious to learn more about what NASPO membership can do for you? Don’t take our word for it – check out this new video which features some of our members discussing the benefits of their NASPO memberships!

The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) is proud to provide state members with hundreds of valuable market research reports on products and services. These reports include price benchmarks, market trends, vendor statistics, forecasting, negotiation questions, buying decision scorecards and more!

We look forward to hosting 48 states at REACH for an engaging and resourceful program. For those of you making the trip to New Orleans, remember to review the agenda to select which breakout sessions will be most beneficial to attend and prepare for the diverse networking opportunities in store.

It is hard to believe the pace at which the first half of 2018 has passed. Already we have traveled to the Big Apple in March to host another successful Exchange conference and visited our academic partners at Michigan State University to hold the second annual Academic Forum in April. Now, as we officially enter summer, I look forward in eager anticipation to our next major event; the first-ever REACH conference, July 16-18, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The 2018 Academic Forum, hosted April 10-12 by Michigan State University (MSU), was a great success! More than 27 states were represented, with 12 academic partners and four students representing both Arizona State University and MSU participating.

NASPO is excited to announce that nominations for the 2018 Cronin Awards are now being accepted!
With a criterion focusin g on innovation, transferability, service improvement, and cost reduction, the Cronin Awards recognize outstanding state procurement initiatives, providing well-deserved appreciation to state and its procurement personnel who have undertaken, and accomplished projects that result in distinct benefits to the state.

NASPO’s Research & Innovation Team has launched Procurement Pulse – a blog that monitors state issues in procurement. Procurement Pulse wants to be your go-to source for news, best practices and emerging issues in state procurement. Bookmark the blog and be sure check back regularly for more articles on the issues that matter to NASPO members.

It’s hard to believe the pace at which the first six weeks of 2018 have passed. Now with our feet firmly planted in February, we begin the countdown to our first major event of the year; the 2018 Exchange in New York City, March 18-20.

As we begin a new year, NASPO welcomes our 2018 officers and board members, who officially assumed their new leadership roles on January 1 st. NASPO’s 2018 President Michael Jones of Alabama is joined by our new President-Elect Christine Warnock of Washington, Secretary-Treasurer Carol Wilson of Connecticut and Immediate Past President Larry Maxwell of New Mexico.

As my presidential tenure draws to a close, I am filled with great excitement and anticipation of what the future holds for our organization. While concluding this chapter in my professional life is bittersweet, I have confidence that I am leaving our association in the very capable hands of your incoming President Michael Jones, who is an excellent leader. In addition, he will be ably assisted by a fabulous Board of Directors.

NASPO is currently recruiting for 2018 committee volunteers who are eager to share their experiences and expertise, connect with fellow members and collaborate on programs and initiatives aimed at advancing the profession, as well as benefiting you both personally and professionally.

This month, NASPO CEO Lindle Hatton announced two new additions to the NASPO Staff. We are excited to welcome Jennifer Salts, who has accepted the position of Chief Administrative Officer, and Susan Gonzalez, who has accepted the position of Director of Business Operations.

Thank you, members, for your recent participation in the 2018 Board of Directors Elections. We are pleased to announce that Christine Warnock of Washington has been elected the 2018 President-Elect and that the following members have been elected as Directors at Large: Lisa Eason, Georgia; Cindy Lombardi, Colorado; Kelly Sanders, Ohio and Jason Soza, Alaska.

We need your vote! In honor of the 40th Anniversary of the George Cronin Awards for Procurement Excellence, the Cronin Awards Committee is asking every NASPO member to vote for a special recognition award to be presented this year. This award is being called the Cronin Heritage Award, and it will be a fun way to recognize Cronin Award winners and the legacy they have had throughout NASPO’s history of excellence.

Directors and NASPO members, it’s my pleasure to announce the hiring of Lindle Hatton , Ph.D., as our association’s first Chief Executive Officer. The position will become effective July 31.

NASPO wants to give your state the national recognition it deserves through the George Cronin Awards for Procurement Excellence. The deadline is fast approaching. Don’t miss the chance to submit your nomination.

In just a few short days, NASPO will embark on a new chapter as our friend and former colleague, Dianne Lancaster of Oregon, assumes her new role as NASPO’s first Chief Learning Officer (CLO). As the new CLO, Dianne will be the first NASPO employee to report directly to the Board of Directors.

Procurement U is excited to announce the launch of Introduction to Sole Source Procurement. This course is designed to define sole source procurement and examine its use within state procurement. The course provides fundamental information about this method, including when it is appropriate to be used.

More than 550 state procurement pro fessionals, suppliers, small business leaders and government stakeholders convened in St. Louis, Missouri, March 12-14 for the 2017 NASPO Exchange. Participants took full advantage of the revitalized and enhanced opportunities to learn about effective state procurement practices, network and develop partnership opportunities for state initiatives.

Delivering on-point professional development for procurement staff and developing meaningful collegiate educational opportunities for the future procurement workforce are important priorities for the NASPO Board of Directors, and a focus for me as President of NASPO.

State CPOs recognized the strategic role of state central procurement as their number one priority for 2017. This includes centralized procurement authority, elevated role of the central procurement office in the hierarchy of the executive branch and active participation in creating an enterprise vision for the state.

The 2017 NASPO Exchange will be held March 12-14 in St. Louis, Missouri. Register now for the event where partnering, networking and learning come together to develop business relationships which support public procurements that are effective, efficient, transparent and fair.

Over 150 procurement professionals, representing 48 states and the District of Columbia joined with strategic partners and Life and Honorary members for NASPO’s 2016 Annual Conference, September 25-28, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Members focused on the conference goals, taking every advantage to “Explore the Possibilities” of the future of state procurement.

More and more states are being afforded the statutory authority to add Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) as a tool to their procurement toolbox. A public-private partnership is defined as “a long-term agreement between a government and the private sector to share the risks and rewards of delivering an essential public service.”

Nominations for the George Cronin Award for Procurement Excellence are due this month!
Share new or improved initiatives for the opportunity to be nationally recognized and be a part of improving the public procurement function nationwide. Hurry before it’s too late.

We are in the midst of another year of busy conference planning. Mark your calendar to save the date for some of our upcoming scheduled member events.

Join the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) on March 12-14 in St. Louis, Missouri to learn, partner and network at the 2017 NASPO Exchange. Formerly known as the How to Market to State Governments meeting, the familiar opportunities to build relationships among the community of state procurement professionals remain, but with a renewed focus on the core values of the conference.

We are currently seeking state members willing to lead the association’s strategies, policies and fiscal direction through service on the Board of Directors. There are four at-large director positions available, as well as the President-Elect position, with terms beginning January 2017. Elections will take place during the 2016 Annual Conference in September.

The 2016 How to Market to State Governments Meeting enjoyed record attendance this year, with more than 510 government officials and suppliers participating. This is the only NASPO function open to private sector suppliers, who had the opportunity to learn about doing business with state governments directly from state procurement officials during the popular one-on-one sessions, roundtables and networking functions.

Some states are celebrating Procurement Month with a Proclamation from their Governor; West Virginia, Utah, Colorado, Washington, Ohio to name a few. Other states are hosting Seminars and sales events. Let us know what your state is up to this month to #celebrateprocurement so that we can share your great idea with the greater membership.

As I recovered from my health scare in 2015, it was a blessing to have so much support from my NASPO family and State of Utah family. Thank you! I returned to work on a full-time basis and assumed the reins as NASPO President. I am grateful to have the support of my fellow Board members and NASPO members.

State Central Procurement Officials from across the nation ranked the Top Ten Priorities for State Procurement for 2016. The Top Ten Priorities sets the agenda for thought leadership and programming for the profession.

As I mentioned in my email yesterday, serving as NASPO’s President has been an unforgettable experience that I will cherish always. It has been as a professional development and learning opportunity second to none.

Preparing for the future workforce is paramount to continued success for state procurement offices nationwide. Based on information gathered through focus group discussions, one-on-one interviews, and other research, this new publication outlines the Millennial generation as the emerging workforce of the future, and provides recommendations from Millennials already working in state procurement for addressing recruitment and retention challenges that continue to burden state government.

NASPO was excited to welcome over 70 procurement professionals from the western region states to Long Beach, California and the 2015 Western Regional Conference, November 1-3. From the kick-off, the event was a dynamic and thought-provoking experience with members sharing their insight and experience on procurement issues most important to western states.

Over 150 procurement professionals, representing 47 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, braved the coastal, stormy weather to join together in Norfolk, Virginia, for NASPO’s 2015 Annual Conference.

Based on the positive response from the inaugural 2014 State and Local Procurement Law Institute, NASPO doubled the capacity of the program and welcomed over 100 attorneys to the 2015 program in Fort Worth, Texas, August 16-18.

The Governing Institute is launching a project to assess state procurement organizations and their practices, on the principle that highlighting best practices and attributes of successful state organizations creates visibility on what works as well and can be a catalyst for broad improvement.

The National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) and the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) jointly released a report featuring two case studies developed by Leadership for a Networked World on state government shared services and e-procurement.

NASPO conference season is in full swing! The How to Market to State Governments Meeting kicked things off at the end of March and we’ve had one successful conference after another since then.

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) invited NASPO Board Member and Idaho Chief Procurement Officer Bill Burns to present on a panel on cloud technology in late April. The panel, Today’s Forecast: Case Study in Cloud Procurement, prominently featured California’s Cloud Infrastructure initiative.

Last month, nearly 500 participants from the public, private and nonprofit sectors all convened in Philadelphia for NASPO’s 2015 How to Market to State Governments Meeting, a unique opportunity for state procurement officials to engage in open dialogue with various members of the supplier community. Perhaps the best way to reflect on the success of the 2015 event is to embrace the 2015 conference theme: Purpose. Partnerships. Procurement.

Happy Procurement Month! As I’m sure you know by now, March is indeed Procurement Month and NASPO has been celebrating with special Network posts and tweets. I hope you’ve had a chance to celebrate with your staff and if not, there are still a few weeks remaining.

What is the best model for successfully awarding a contract that meets the needs of a procurement office’s stakeholders? This is a question that faced the California Procurement Division’s Multiple Awards Program Section (MAPS) in August of 2013.
Their response was to completely re-imagine their awards process and the contract itself. These efforts earned the state the 2014 Silver Cronin Award for their nomination titled “Modeling the Path to Award.”

New from NASPO! Check out the Bills and Regs Tracker on the NASPO Network to review procurement related state and federal legislation and regulation. This new member service provides you real-time access to bills and regulation that matter most to your procurement office, such as public-private partnerships, social impact programs, sustainability, contracts, bids, procurement reform, IT procurement and much more.