Naspo News

From thebrightonblade.com Piggyback computer deal gets council nod $1.9 millon deal will bring more Wi-Fi to city, secure networks Posted Sunday, July 30, 2023 10:14 am Scott Taylor Piggy-backing on a municipal government bid for CISCO computer will save the city as much as $400,000 while upgrading the city’s municipal computer network, councilors agreed. The City Council voted

From Route-fifty.com States put buying power to work for local governments When states drive cooperative procurements, local agencies can take advantage of volume discounts, experienced contracting officers and a streamlined process. As local governments look for ways to stretch their budgets, many are turning to cooperative purchasing, where they can take advantage of the volume

LEXINGTON, Ky. (October 9, 2019)—A proactive contract management program developed by the State of Michigan’s Central Procurement Services achieved the Gold Award, the highest honor in the George Cronin Awards for Procurement Excellence, presented annually by the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO). Designed to ensure greater compliance by state agencies and its vendors,

LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 20, 2019) – The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) Board of Directors has elected George Schutter of the District of Columbia as the 2019 NASPO President-Elect. Schutter is Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) for the District of Columbia, where he leads the DC Office of Contracting and Procurement, overseeing more than $5.2

The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) has released the “Membership Toolkit”, this toolkit is designed to help you design a formal mentorship program. DOWNLOAD

The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) has released the third edition of its flagship publication, “State and Local Government Procurement: A Practical Guide.” First published in 2008 and updated in 2015, this guide is an indispensable reference tool for both new and experienced government procurement professionals. “Whether you’re a career procurement professional, a student seeking

Millennials and the State Government Workforce “Millennials” are becoming one of the more recognizable generations thanks to the prevalence of media attention they have received. This has created a sense that we often understand the typical characteristics of this particular generation, but what hasn’t been explored in depth is how this generation interacts with the

Happy Procurement Month! Here at NASPO, we want to say thank you for not only the work you do in the month of March, but every month! We celebrate Procurement Month because this month gives us the opportunity to recognize your hard work, but also to help educate elected officials, vendors, and taxpayers about the

Lisa Eason, Timothy Peterson and Dugan Petty will be presenting at the 2019 State Healthcare IT Connect Summit in Baltimore.  The group will speak about modernizing Health IT Systems and the MMIS Module procurements that Montana has lead on behalf of NASPO Valuepoint.  Members interested in watching the live video stream can click here to register.

Blockchain: The Public Sector Big Picture NASPO’s Procurement U has created a complimentary, online introduction to blockchain. This overview provides procurement professionals with the basics of blockchain and smart contracts and explores the possible applications within procurement. Topics include an overview of blockchain, blockchain ledger security, block components, smart contracts, and federal and state use

The two lists Top 10 Priorities and Top 5 Horizon Issues for State Procurement reflect current nationwide priorities as well as forward-looking issues that are likely to impact state procurement. The 2019 priority list debuts three front-runners: Agency Relations and Customer Service, Continuous Improvement Methodologies and Contract Administration. Maximizing eProcurement solutions ranked fourth and measuring

Procurement U’s latest course, Contract Administration Strategies, is now available! 203 – Contract Administration Strategies Course Description: This Procurement U course is designed to explore key concepts and strategies related to post-award contract administration in the public sector. Topics include the value and importance of contract administration after award of the contract, as well as quality assurance strategies,

Start the New Year right! Check out this newly-released Procurement Pulse article to zero in on the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track your performance. This quick NASPO KPI primer can put you on the fast track! Click HERE to read the full article and get more insight into how to develop meaningful KPIs that are

Starting the afternoon Friday, Dec. 14th, through Saturday morning we will doing some website maintenance work that may cause the site to be unavailable for short periods of time.  If this occurs to you please clear your browser cache and re-try to access the website later.

The newly elected officers and board members of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) assume their new leadership roles with NASPO on January 1, 2019. Officers and board members were elected during NASPO’s 2018 Annual Conference, September 23-16, in Long Beach, California.  Click here for more details.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – (October 15, 2018) – A statewide procurement continuous improvement effort undertaken by the State of Alaska has received the Gold Award, the highest honor in the George Cronin Awards for Procurement Excellence, presented annually by the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO). The Cronin Awards recognize outstanding innovative and exemplary state procurement

LEXINGTON, Ky. (October 11, 2018)—The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) is proud to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at the 11th annual Make-A-Wish Day, October 11, at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. Since 2007, the thoroughbred industry and Keeneland have joined forces to grant the wishes of critically ill children in

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

Join fellow NASPO members September 23-26, in Long Beach, CA for the 2018 NASPO Annual Conference, Transformational Government. To help you leverage the transformative power of procurement to advance state government, the conference experience is also getting a reboot. Prepare for collaboration, idea-sharing, problem-solving and a whole new way of looking at the challenges state procurement leaders

The webinar recording from the first installment of the Continuous Improvement Webinar Series is now available on the NASPO web site, in the Best Practices YouTube channel. The speakers, Jason Soza (CPO, Alaska) and Richard Pennington (Life Member) issued a “Find the Gap” challenge. We encourage everyone to complete the challenge and email Rebecca Montano-Smith at [email protected] if you would

NASPO is excited to announce that we are now accepting nominations for the 2018 Cronin Awards from our member states!  With criteria focusing on innovation, transferability, service improvement, and cost reduction, the Cronin Awards recognize outstanding state procurement initiatives and provide well-deserved appreciation to the state and its procurement personnel who have accomplished projects that

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. Attendees discussed topics such as partnering with higher education institutions, the Supply Chain Management student perspective of the

On March 18-20, 2018, 627 state procurement professionals, suppliers, small business leaders and government stakeholders convened in New York City to participate in the 2018 NASPO Exchange. This year’s Exchange outpaced last year’s record-breaking attendance by more than 11 percent, demonstrating the continued value of this unique opportunity for engagement between state procurement professionals and

Procurement U is excited to announce a new course offering: Procurement 101: Foundations of Public Procurement WHO: The target audience includes, but is not limited to, any public sector professional new to procurement or seeking to gain a basic understanding of the procurement process. WHAT: This course is a web-based training that is self-paced. Given the length,

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

The newly elected officers and board members of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) officially assumed their new leadership roles with NASPO this month. Officers and board members were elected during NASPO’s national conference last fall in Atlanta. Read more in our Press Release regarding the transition below. Download

Based on a ranking from state CPOs, the Top Ten Priorities for State Procurement reflect core procurement issues important nationwide. For the first time this year, the Top Three Horizon Issues was added, as a list of top emerging issues, based on CPO input due to their potential impact on state procurement in 2018. NASPO develops programs, conference sessions,

The Webinar recording for NASPO’s Best Practices Webinar: Calculating the Value of Buying Green is now available. This webinar showcased three examples of benefits calculation tools: Waste Reduction Model (EPA); Cool Climate Calculator (University of California, Berkeley); and Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator (EPA).

Betsy Hayes and Matt Massman were featured in Governing Magazine for their efforts to diagnose and solve disparities in state purchasing in the State of Minnesota. This new effort has led to purchasing agents embracing equitable purchasing practices as it expands competition, opens the door to innovative solutions to agency needs, and enhances the public confidence

NASPO Chief Administrative Officer Jen Salts recaps 2017 highlights on state purchasing and shares advice on how to win government contracts in The Big Bid Theory’s latest podcast. Check out the full podcast, “Purchasing Expert Looks Back, Ahead and Shares Tips to Win” online here.

Procurement U is excited to announce a new course offering: Introduction to Cooperative Procurement. WHO: The target audience includes, but is not limited to, procurement assistants and buyers. WHAT: A highly interactive, web-based, self-paced course designed to provide procurement officers with a greater understanding of the fundamental concepts of cooperative procurements. WHY: This course is designed to help

The 2018 NASPO Exchange will be held March 18-20 in New York City. Register now for this unique event where partnering, networking and learning come together to develop business relationships that support public procurements that are effective, efficient, transparent and fair. #NASPOExchange REGISTER NOW!

To Buy or to Lease? That is the question NASPO is exploring in our newest edition of the Tech Next series! In this publication, we explore the options available when it comes to leasing or buying hardware and software, discuss the benefits and challenges that come with both methods of IT procurement, and provide additional

The Two Faces of Negotiation NASPO Life Member, Richard Pennington shares how traditional negotiations and negotiations in competitive procurement make up “The Two Faces of Negotiation” in his recent article published by NCMA. This article will be included in NCMA’s November issue; however, you can also read it in its entirety by selecting the “Download”

Yesterday, Route Fifty ran an Op-Ed by Alaska Chief Procurement Officer and NASPO Board Member, Jason Soza titled “Buying Into the Internet of Things”. “States need to be smart and strategic when purchasing connected devices, according to Alaska’s chief procurement officer.” You can read the Op-Ed in its entirety online here. 

Procurement U is excited to announce a new course offering: Introduction to Service Contracts. Who: The target audience includes, but is not limited to, procurement assistants and buyers. What: A highly interactive web based, self-paced course designed to define sole source procurement and examine its use within state procurement. Why: This course is designed to

Utah’s cloud-based procurement solutions honored as best in state procurement 2017 Cronin Awards presented at the NASPO Annual Conference ATLANTA, GA. (October 8, 2017) – A cloud-based procurement system developed by the state of Utah has received the Gold Award, the highest honor in the George Cronin Awards for Procurement Excellence, presented annually by the National

Yesterday, Route Fifty ran an Op-Ed co-authored by Senior Policy Analyst, Megan Smyth titled “What’s Procurement Got to Do With IT? Through the efforts of their national associations, state CIOs and procurement officers are learning how to read from the same sheet music. You can read the Op-Ed in its entirety online here.

NASPO and NASCIO are proud to release a joint roadmap for state information technology (IT) procurement reform and process transformation! This publication includes 18 joint recommendations for IT procurement in the following categories: relationship building, procurement processes, centralization, and legislation & policy. The paper also includes key takeaways from the survey of CPOs and CIOs

We are thrilled to announce that registration for NASPO’s rescheduled Annual Conference is now open. Please note the abbreviated timeline – all registrations must be completed by close of business on Friday, September 22. We encourage you to register and make your travel plans as soon as possible. Remember, NASPO fully funds two representatives from each state,

NASPO’s Board of Directors has voted to reschedule the 2017 NASPO Annual Conference for October 8-9 in Atlanta, Georgia, in advance of the already-scheduled NASCA-NASPO Roundtable. While we know that this is late notice, we hope that this will provide a valuable opportunity for members to celebrate NASPO’s Legacy of Excellence and look forward to

Due to the anticipated impact of the unprecedented storm system Hurricane Irma, NASPO’s Board of Directors has cancelled the 2017 Annual Conference scheduled for September 10-13 in Tampa, Florida. Member safety is NASPO’s number one priority and while we are all certainly disappointed not to hold the event, ensuring the safety and security of all

NASPO member George Schutter, Chief Procurement Officer of the District of Columbia was interviewed by NCMA Magazine. Check out the full article to read more on his views of transparency in contracting, procurement reform, workforce training, and what’s in store for the District of Columbia’s Office of Contracting and Procurement in the near future. Download

Governing recently published, The Drones Are Coming. Is Your Government Ready?, an op-ed by NASPO Executive Director DeLaine Bender.This article features the findings of NASPO’s first Tech-Next memo on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS). This memo was procured to serve as a guide for state procurement professionals as they begin to navigate these new and growing procurements involving

NASPO is excited to announce two new hires, Lindle Hatton, Ph.D., and Dianne Lancaster. Lindle Hatton has been named NASPO’s first ever Chief Executive Officer.  The position will become effective July 31. Lindle is a familiar face within NASPO, having served as a consultant and advisor to the NASPO Board of Directors and NASPO ValuePoint Management

NASPO would like to extend our congratulations to those in state procurement that have successfully completed the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council’s (UPPCC) certification exams and have recently been granted the designations of Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) and Certified Public Procurement Buyer (CPPB).   Newly granted CPPB’s Mr. Scott Kinsell, CPPB State of Illinois‐Executive

NASPO would like to extend our congratulations to those in state procurement that have successfully completed the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council’s (UPPCC) certification exams and have recently been granted the designations of Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) and Certified Public Procurement Buyer (CPPB).   Newly granted CPPB’s Mr. Scott Kinsell, CPPB State of Illinois‐Executive

July’s Contract Management magazine features’ an article titled “Five Pillars of Procurement Excellence,” by Richard Pennington (NASPO Life Member) and Jason Soza (NASPO member from Alaska). “Major procurement associations represent pillars of excellence, each relying on different routes. In 2013, Richard Pennington wrote the article, “Seeing Excellence: Learning from Great Procurement Teams.” Curiously, no one

Procurement U Fall 2017 CPPO Prep Course Delivery Method: Web-based, Instructor Led Duration: August 7 – October 8, 2017 Contact Hours: 12 (hours are considered non-accredited under UPPCC guidelines) Registration Closes: July 26 Price: $300 discounted (Available to NASPO members and all other state government employees, including employees of public, nonprofit universities.) $480 standard (Applies to all other learners, including federal, county,

Procurement U Fall 2017 CPPB Prep Course Delivery Method: Web-based, Instructor Led Duration: August 7 – October 8, 2017 Contact Hours: 12 (hours are considered non-accredited under UPPCC guidelines) Registration Closes: July 26 Price: $300 discounted (Available to NASPO members and all other state government employees, including employees of public, nonprofit universities.) $480 standard (Applies to all other learners, including federal, county,

Two NASPO members will join their NASCA counterparts on June 22, 2017 for the first in a three-part webinar series focused on contract administration. NASPO Board member Christine Warnock of Washington and Michigan CPO Jim Colangleo will discuss contract administration from the perspective of state procurement officials on this NASCA-sponsored webinar. Warnock and Colangleo will

UAVs, or “drones”, are so much more than just last year’s hot Christmas toy! Find out how UAVs can improve public services, and what state procurement officials need to know when procuring UAVs in this first installment of “Tech-Next,” NASPO’s new series on procuring emerging technologies. In this work product developed by the Emerging Issues

Congratulations to New York and California for being recognized in this year’s Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Awards. The State of New York received the Leadership Award for Overall Sustainable Program while California received the Leadership Award for a Special Sustainable Purchasing Initiative. To learn more about these programs, check out the full press release from SPLC here. Congratulations

Yesterday, Route Fifty published an Op-Ed by NASPO Executive Director DeLaine Bender titled “A New Way of Procuring Radios? Roger That.” This article features Tennessee’s contracting improvements to their procuring of radios and related contracts. Tennessee received the Gold Award in the 2016 George Cronin Awards for Procurement Excellence for their innovative thinking and shared

This month, procurement staff from states in the Eastern and Midwestern regions gathered for education, networking and sharing of resources at their respective Regional Conferences. Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and the State of Maryland played host to the Eastern Region April 30-May 2, while the Midwestern Region convened in downtown Indianapolis May 7-9. The conference agendas

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO). In celebration of this historic event, NASPO has developed a timeline to document some key moments significant to NASPO’s distinguished history. From George Cronin’s vision of a professional organization of state purchasing officials focused on effectively addressing the issues of public procurement

The NASPO Higher Education team traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina last week to meet with leadership in the Poole College of Management at North Carolina State University. NC State is one of a handful of Supply Chain Management programs NASPO has targeted over the last year and a half to partner with in its higher education

Today Procurement U is excited to announce the launching on another course, Introduction to Sole Source Procurement. For complete details on this course, access to course materials and registration can be found here. This is just one of the many courses that NASPO has developed to help public procurement professionals further their education and knowledge of

Government Technology Magazine has named Utah’s Christopher Hughes one of its Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers for 2017. Please reference page 36 to read more on what Christopher did to earn this honor. Download .

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 31, 2017) – The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) Board of Directors has named Michael A. Jones of Alabama its new President-Elect. Jones is the State Purchasing Director for the state of Alabama and currently serves on the NASPO Board. A long-time NASPO member, Jones has chaired multiple NASPO committees,

Join NASPO in celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the George Cronin Awards. This national achievement is the perfect opportunity to earn some well-deserved recognition for your state. Don’t miss out on the chance to be a part of this exciting anniversary! Visit our awards page to learn more about how to get involved and submit a

Check out the full summary of how the NASPO Exchange put Learning, Networking and Partnership in action! Download

Join us as we continue to celebrate Procurement Month by honoring the hard work of state government procurement professionals. #celebrateprocurement

National Contract Management Magazine interviews Sarah Allen, Administrator of the State of Hawaii Procurement Office and Chief Procurement Officer for the Executive Branch. Learn about the four focus areas of the Hawaii Procurement Workforce Strategic Initiative as well as tools developed to assist in acquisitions. The article is set to be distributed in NCMA’s February issue

State CPOs, please join NASPO and our partners in higher education March 19-21 in Tempe, Arizona, for the inaugural NASPO Academic Forum. Hosted by Arizona State University’s Department of Supply Chain Management, this meeting will bring together academics and state procurement leaders to discuss challenges in the attraction and retention of qualified talent in state procurement. All

The newly elected officers and board members of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) officially assumed their new leadership roles with NASPO this month. Officers and board members were elected during NASPO’s national conference last fall in Minneapolis. Read more in our Press Release regarding the transition below. Download

Get a quick overview of the great information included in NASPO’s recent publication, “Cyber Liability Insurance 101” in the Memo! Be sure to also check out the full version of the paper. Full Paper  The Memo

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. Procurement workforce professionalization and integrated eProcurement/ERP solutions increased

Check out our new publication “Cyber Liability Insurance 101” to read more “It is important for NASPO members who may be safeguarding sensitive government data to have the knowledge and skills to identify and prevent risks of cyber breach in their procurement contracts; to know what to do if a breach occurs; and to proactively

Procurement U is excited to announce the launch of the Introduction to Negotiations course. This web-based, self-paced course will define negotiations and explore its use within state procurement. Logon to the Procurement U Online Learning Management System (OLMS) to register and access the course.  If you don’t already have an OLMS account, next to “Don’t

Our Executive Director, DeLaine Bender shares NASPO’s origin story, mission, vision and values.

Registration is now open for the NASPO Exchange (formerly known as the How to Market to State Governments Meeting). Please join us this March 12-14 in St. Louis, Missouri for three days of learning, networking and partnering among state procurement professionals and suppliers of goods and services for state government. For more details on this

National Contract Management Magazine does a State and Local Contracting Profile on Larry Maxwell, Director of State Purchasing for the State of New Mexico, to discuss procurement within a major state purchasing agency, as well as the importance of engaging stakeholders to help accomplish their goals and developing training to better educate procurement staff on

American City and County’s October/November Government Procurement magazine features “Procurement 20/20,” which covers trends that will shape public procurement. The article includes insights from NASPO Executive Director DeLaine Bender on staffing trends and growth in the use of e-procurement systems. … [In NASPOS] “2016 Survey of State Procurement Practices,” 74 percent of respondents indicated the procurement responsibilities of the central procurement

SEVERAL STATES HONORED FOR PROCUREMENT EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION LEXINGTON, KY – October 11, 2016 – The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) presented its annual George Cronin Awards at its national conference last month in Minneapolis. The awards recognize innovation and efficiency in state procurement. The state of Tennessee’s Department of General Services received

NASPO would like to extend our congratulations to those in state procurement that have successfully completed the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council’s (UPPCC) certification exams and have recently been granted the designations of Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) and Certified Public Procurement Buyer (CPPB). Newly granted CPPB’s Ms. Joyce J. Auld, CPPB GA Dept. of

This program year produced great momentum and unparalleled achievement in accomplishing NASPO’s mission to help members achieve success as public procurement leaders in their states.  The 2015-2016 Member Report serves as an update on the state of NASPO, and spotlights the progress made on the strategic plan, which is set forth by the NASPO Board of Directors.  Several

>Hear how Massachusetts used NASPO Green Technical Assistance funds to green their Maintenance, Repair and Operations contracts. In addition, Massachusetts will review recommendations on incorporating environmentally preferable language into bids, and show how they used the Participating Agreement to incorporate additional sustainability language and environmentally preferable products into the NASPO ValuePoint contract.  Register Here

A joint report from NASPO, NASFA, NASCA and Governing Institute Considerations for Public-Private Partnerships (P3s)  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

New name, same great conference for learning, partnering and networking The How to Market to State Governments Meeting has a new name: NASPO Exchange. After careful consideration, the NASPO Board of Directors selected the new name to better reflect the core values and purpose of the conferences. The 2017 NASPO Exchange is designed to build

This resource highlights recent state procurement reform efforts and attempts to create a framework for defining some of the key concepts and drivers for change. Access Guide

Statewide centralization and enhancing the strategic role of state central procurement have been front and center for many states. NASPO recognized statewide centralization as one of its top priorities for 2016. This infographic report is a quick overview of the main drivers for change towards centralization, reported successes, challenges and risk factors, based on information

“In this ever-changing world, procurement offices across the globe are continually being asked to rethink the way goods and services are bought. It’s no different for state procurement officials. State government spending is one of the largest economic drivers in the United States as well as one of the areas of highest impact for addressing

The paper includes seven case studies highlighting key issues of eProcurement/ERP implementations such as efficiencies gained, increased transparency of spend and procurement processes as well as success stories and challenges. NASPO recognize the prevalence and clear return on investment from implementing eProcurement/ERP Solutions and identified this as one of its top five priorities in 2016.

Several NASPO members were featured in presentations, speaking engagements, or received awards during the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) 2016 Annual Summit in Washington DC, from May 24-26. The sustainable purchasing programs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (MA) and the District of Columbia (DC)  were given special recognition during the SPLC Awards ceremony, when DC

Earlier this week, Route Fifty published another Op-Ed by NASPO Executive Director, DeLaine Bender titled “Tennessee’s Procurement for Marketing and Advertising Sets a New Standard.” NASPO first learned about Tennessee’s four-tiered procurement method that helped bring in an estimated $1 billion in increased tourism spending, through their submission to the 2015 George Cronin Award for

The purpose of this course is to define Request for Proposals and explain the complete process for using them in public procurement. Review and download the printable syllabus here Delivery Method: Web Based Training,  Self Paced Contact Hours: 3 Registration: $60 for members; $105 for non-members

The purpose of this course is to analyze market research by exploring an acquisition plan, a market research cycle, spend analysis, and total cost of ownership. Review and download the printable syllabus here. Delivery Method: Web Based, Self Paced Contact Hours: 2 Registration: $40 for members, $70 for non-members

The leaders of Georgia’s purchasing office on saving money, realizing the importance of data analysts and being underappreciated. Governing columnists, Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene, interview Lisa Eason, the current deputy commissioner of Georgia’s purchasing office, and her predecessor, Leslie Lowe, who retired in 2015. They get the inside scoop on how Georgia earned the #1

A new op-ed by NASPO Executive Director DeLaine Bender was published in Route Fifty (formerly Gov Exec) late last week. It was titled “Efforts to Streamline State Purchasing Systems Should be Encouraged” and includes NASPO’s seven principles of state purchasing, which are outlined in our new publication, “Procurement Perspectives: Authority and Centralization Best Practices Matrix“.

Public Private Partnerships (P3s) are getting a lot of attention at all levels of state government as an alternative method of revitalizing infrastructure and financing public improvement projects.  Historically used for infrastructure needs around transportation, P3s are evolving to meet needs in vertical building construction, economic development, and broadband infrastructure.  With this evolution of acquisition

NCMA Executive Director Michael Fischetti recently interviewed John Adler to discuss the challenges faced by state and local government contracting professionals in today’s environment, as well as what it takes to succeed in the profession. Check out full article here

Join NASPO in celebrating March as Procurement Month, honoring the hard work of state government central procurement offices. Here are some ideas to celebrate Procurement Month: Follow NASPO on Twitter and watch the NASPO Network and website for Procurement Month ideas, recognition and special posts. Use #celebrateprocurement on LinkedIn and Twitter to share pictures, ideas and celebrations

NASPO, NASCIO Align on Five Recommendations As information technology (IT) purchases are among the largest and fastest-growing budget items for many states, the National Association of State Procurement Officials today called for a collaborative effort to focus on reforming IT procurement. Procurement reform is identified by NASPO members as being the top priority for 2016, and

Governing Magazine features a special report on state procurement in the February issue, highlighting the growing importance of procurement in helping state governments function better. The magazine unveiled a ranking of the states with the strongest procurement programs by using the results of an in-depth survey conducted by Governing Institute. The survey  assessed state purchasing processes

On January 25, 2016, seven state government partner associations came together at AMR Management Services Headquarters to discuss each partner organizations’ top policy priority issues, and also raise awareness and identify common issues among the represented associations. The event was co-hosted by NASPO and NASCA. Participating organizations included: • National Association of State Chief Information

Starting this year, all public users can gain access to the 2015 Survey of State Procurement Practices to promote transparency regarding state procurement practices nationwide for no charge. NASPO members will continue to access complete survey results at no cost using their NASPO login. All NASPO members can  log in at http://survey.naspo.org/surveytool/  using your regular user name

NASPO would like to extend our congratulations to those in state procurement that have successfully completed the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council’s (UPPCC) certification exams and have recently been granted the designations of Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) and Certified Public Procurement Buyer (CPPB). Newly granted CPPB’s Ms. Shelly K. Alioa, CPPB Delaware Dept of

Based on a ranking from State Central Procurement Officials nationally, the Top Ten Priorities For State Procurement sets the agenda for thought leadership and programming for the profession. For the second year, state CPO’s collectively ranked process reform and reengineering as the number one priority for state procurement in 2016. This includes encouraging streamlined procurement processes, modernize procurement law,

Procurement U released the State Certification Toolkit, a comprehensive resource for state procurement professionals who are developing a certification program or seeking to build upon their current program. Go here to access the Toolkit.  The Toolkit, which is available at no cost, provides NASPO members: General guidelines on state certification; Questions to consider when evaluating

California Chief Procurement Officer and NASPO Board Member Jim Butler and Washington State Procurement Manager Cheral Manke are featured in the January edition of Governing Magazine in the article, “Cheaper Isn’t Necessarily Better for Government Purchasing.” This article which highlights state procurement practices related to how states monitor and evaluate past performance of contractors, in

NASPO Board Member Christine Warnock was recently featured by Route Fifty in a new article, Green Purchasing: What is New and Does ItReally Make a Difference? Green purchasing, like many things “green” may seem hard to define, and even harder to measure. And, like all things green, it may also appear to be a dated

Krista S. Ferrell, CPPO, CPPB P3’s: Trick or Treat? Krista S. Ferrell, CPPO, CPPB NASPO Director of Strategic Programs While watching television the other night, I ran across a political ad talking about P3 legislation.  Instantly, my ears perked up.  While I refrain from political judgements based on negative campaigns ads, I did make a

Fact sheet NASPO fact sheets are created by staff and are a compilation of information previously developed by NASPO via research briefs, white papers, surveys, the Practical Guide and other publications, simply honed down into one-page documents for your convenience.  You might utilize them for a variety of purposes, including as a quick reference tool

NASPO Board Member Larry Maxwell presented on a partner’s panel discussion on convergence NASPO Board Member Larry Maxwell (far left) represented NASPO on a partner’s panel discussion on convergence on October 8 in Denver, Colorado at the National Association of State Chief Administrators Institute on Management and Leadership.  Maxwell was joined by representatives from NASCA,

Fact sheet NASPO is pleased to announce the release of the fact sheet Procurement Ethical Practices and Principles, addressing one of NASPO’s top 10 priorities for 2015. (See Attached) NASPO fact sheets are created by staff and are a compilation of information previously developed by NASPO via research briefs, white papers, surveys, the Practical Guide and other

NASPO is excited to release a new fact sheet on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing. FACT SHEET NASPO fact sheets are created by staff and are a compilation of information previously developed by NASPO via research briefs, white papers, surveys, the Practical Guide and other publications, simply honed down into one-page documents for your convenience.  You might

NASPO Board Member Christine Warnock (WA) Pens Green Purchasing Update The green-purchasing movement in government is now in a mature stage, and at the state level procurement officials are finding new ways to make their states’ operations more environmentally friendly and also influencing the ways that individual departments can become both more sustainable and more

LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 30, 2015) – The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) honored three innovative state procurement programs with the George Cronin Award for Procurement Excellence at its Annual Conference during the Cronin Club Luncheon held September 29th in Norfolk, Virginia. Nominations were scored based on the criteria of innovation and initiative, transferability, service

Thirty-nine NASPO members representing 27 states completed Procurement U 201: Market Research Strategies on September 22nd.  This web-based, self-paced course was NASPO’s inaugural online Procurement U course and helped serve as a beta test for the Procurement U Online Learning Management System. The course, which will be offered again in 2016, reviewed the definition of

Guidance for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing Recording On September 2nd Sam Hummel, Director of Outreach & Operations, (Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council) presented a webinar on “Guidance for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing.” This presentation provided an introduction to the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council and its Guidance for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing v1.0. The guidance document is intended

NASPO Annual Report 2014-2015

Procurement U Course 201: Market Research Strategies Web-based, self-paced Register here Registration is now open for Procurement U Course 201: Market Research Strategies. Participants must complete all work by September 22 to receive a credit for contact hours. This web-based, self-paced course will define market research and how it influences decision making in public procurement. Market research provides

In January 2015, NASPO launched a members-only Bills and Regs Tracker on the NASPO Network to track procurement related state and federal legislation and regulation.  Today, NASPO released the 2015Summer Legislative Report and  Infographic. For real-time bill statuses and summaries, NASPO members can access the NASPO Bills and Regs Tracker through the NASPO Network. Spring 2015 Legislative

StateScoop featured DeLaine Bender in a recent an interview and article about IT and Procurement Collaboration. See below for exerpt.  Go here for the full article and video. Information technology projects have a reputation for being expensive and inefficient. But the executive director of the National Association of State Procurement Officials thinks collaboration within the c-suite could change that perception.

Are you or one of your colleagues planning to take the CPPO or the CPPB exam in October 2015? NASPO is launching a new study group opportunity designed to help you prepare for your exam. In August, NASPO will provide access to an online, facilitated study group for UPPCC exam takers. This study group is

Registration available in mid-August; course will begin August 26 The NASPO Procurement University is a multi-faceted professional development platform designed to assist state procurement officials and staff in building their skills, knowledge, and professional practice.  This is the first web-based course offered exclusively for NASPO members. Please save the date: online registration will open by August 17.  Participants will

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. Pathways to Value: Shared Services and E-Procurement was created after the associations co-hosted the NASCA and NASPO Topical

NASPO would like to extend our congratulations to those in state procurement that have successfully completed the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council’s (UPPCC) certification exams and have recently been granted the designations of Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) and Certified Public Procurement Buyer (CPPB). Newly granted CPPB’sMelissa A. Mudry, CPPB, State of  Arizona, Department of

UPPCC Certification Fact Sheet NASPO is excited to release a new fact sheet on UPPCC Certification. Fact Sheets NASPO fact sheets are created by staff and are a compilation of information previously developed by NASPO via research briefs, white papers, surveys, the Practical Guide and other publications, simply honed down into one-page documents for your

As part of the NASPO Green Purchasing Committee’s (GPC) mission to identify and share best practices in environmentally preferable (green) purchasing the committee has recently developed the State Green Purchasing Profiles. The comprehensive profiles highlight the activities for each state that practices green purchasing. The profiles were developed from the results of a survey sent

New infographic highlights procurement related state and federal legislation, regulation In January 2015, NASPO launched a members-only Bills and Regs Tracker on the NASPO Network to track procurement related state and federal legislation and regulation. The Spring 2015 Legislative Report In January 2015, NASPO launched a members-only Bills and Regs Tracker on the NASPO Network to track

NASPO Director of Strategic Programs Krista Ferrell was once again featured in Voices of the Governing Institute on May 8. How Strategic Sourcing Can Save a Bundle explores some common myths regarding strategic sourcing. Access the full article here.

As part of Procurement University NASPO members recently developed two PowerPoints on UPPCC Certification and Recertification. These informational documents can be utilized to inform interested procurement professionals on the process for achieving and maintaining certification.  Find other helpful resources related to certification here. Certification Webpage

How to Market to State Governments Meeting A Success Again This Year The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) convened once again for its’ annual How to Market to State Governments Meeting.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the site for this year’s conference which took place March 29-31. Attendees heard motivating messages from Coach Ken Carter

Case Study Highlights California Cloud Computing Technology In July of last year, the state of California launched a service that marked a dramatic shift in the way that state governments procure and provide cloud services to their consumers. This offering is the subject of a new case study published jointly today by the National Association

MASSbuys EXPO Coming April 30, 2015 Massachusetts’ Operational Services Division is holding the Annual MASSbuys EXPO in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Thursday, April 30, 2015. The conference theme is “Meet me at the Market Center” and will feature over 375 exhibitors, professional development sessions, government resources and more! This is the premier event for Procurement and Purchasing professionals

NASPO Director of Krista Ferrell provides insights on eVa, Virginia’s eProcurement system On March 16, Voices of the Governing Institute featured, The Right Way to Do eProcurement, an article written by NASPO Director of Strategic Programs Krista Ferrell that spotlights the success of Viriginia’s eProcurement System.  Please see below for an excerpt of the article. The

Tennessee Makes History with Innovation in Procurement By Rebecca Montano-Smith, NASPO Senior Policy Analyst Tennessee is well known for Graceland, beautiful Smoky Mountains and country music. Among other wonderful cultural and historical landmarks, Tennessee’s Music City also has great people. Nashville is home to the Department of General Services, Central Procurement Office whose professionals are

NASPO would like to extend our congratulations to those in state procurement that have successfully completed the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council’s (UPPCC) certification exams and have recently been granted the designations of Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) and Certified Public Procurement Buyer (CPPB). Newly Granted CPPB’s Andrew Evans,  CPPB-State of Idaho, Division of Purchasing         Steve

Over the last few months NASPO has released several new publications and tools for members to use. The document below provides a summary of these new resources and includes a preview of projects that are currently being developed. New Resources Flyer

As part of Procurement University NASPO has recently developed a Certification webpage on the NASPO website to promote and support professional certification. Certification Webpage This includes information on the UPPCC certification and test preparation materials to help navigate the process. These preparation materials were developed by NASPO members and staff through Procurement U.  Promotion of the UPPCC

State of California: Modeling the Path to Award 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 reimagine their awards process

 NASPO Executive Director DeLaine Bender and Alabama State Purchasing Director and NASPO Board Member Michael Jones were invited to attend the Governing Institute 2015 Outlook session, held February 3 and 4 in Washington, D.C. Leadership from top government associations spoke about state and local issues that are driving the nation’s policy agenda.  David Adkins, Executive

After months of hard work the NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Purchasing Organization is pleased announce the release of their brand new website www.naspovaluepoint.org. The NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Purchasing Organization is a nonprofit, wholly owned subsidiary of NASPO.  NASPO ValuePoint is a unified, nationally focused cooperative alliance aggregating the demand of all 50 states, the District of Columbia and

by Rebecca Montano-Smith RFPs & Competition – A Home Run for All Involved By Rebecca Montano-Smith, NASPO Senior Policy Analyst Every purchaser, supplier, and average Joe has heard of the term RFP. RFP stands for Request for Proposals. Some jurisdictions use a different term such as Request for Responses to define the same type of

Data and Government: Making the Information Matter What is data? Data is facts or information used usually to calculate, analyze, or plan something. So how can something as simple as data be used to improve government? That was the question addressed at the December 11 NGA Expert Roundtable Discussions on “Using Data and Evidence to

West Virginia Implements New Law Requiring Procurement Training for State Executives and Directors West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has made it clear that he wants to ensure that every dollar of state money is spent with the proper oversight to achieve the best value. After touting the importance of solid procurement practices in his

Monday, January 26, 2015 NASPO Webinar:  Optimizing Value- XaaS in the Public Cloud Date: Monday, January 26, 2015 Time: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST Register here Please join NASPO and industry experts for a lively discussion on how states can optimize value in contracts for Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service

Partnering for the Future UPPCC and NASPO: Partnering for the Future As a state procurement professional you are probably aware of the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council’s (UPPCC) role as the primary certifying entity for public procurement employees. What you may not be aware of is that for more than thirty five years NASPO has

eVA Mobile Apps Bring Procurement Access to Anyone, at Any Time, from Anywhere Cronin Spotlight: eVA Mobile Apps Bring Procurement Access to Anyone, at Any Time, from Anywhere Imagine if both vendors and state procurement officials could access everything related to the procurement process at any time, from anywhere, using any smart device or tablet. 

NASPO and NASCA Partner on Paper LEXINGTON, Ky. (November 17, 2014) — The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) and the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) recently partnered to educate and promote a deeper understanding of procurement and administrative functions in state government with the release of “Working Together: Procurement as a

NASPO has developed the Green Purchasing Guide for its members and others to use in navigating the sea of information surrounding the adoption of a green purchasing program.  The guide is intended to be a straightforward, easy-to-use document that provides purchasers with a basic understanding of the concept and benefits of green purchasing.  Recommended steps