Call for Committee Volunteers

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.  NASPO is seeking the contributions of all members, not just the CPOs, so please consider participating in a NASPO committee by completing the Call for 2018 NASPO Committees Survey.

Use the link below to learn more about the current committee opportunities. Let us know where you feel you could make the greatest contribution to NASPO. The deadline to submit your interest is December 8, 2017.

VOLUNTEER NOW!

Please note, NASPO's 2018 Research Committees are piloting a new agile approach to  more effectively  leverage member expertise by making the best use of member time. As such, there will be no Best Practices or Emerging Issues Committees, but rather a call for subject matter experts , which will be issued as each new work group is planned throughout the year. This new method will allow greater opportunities for committee participation, additional work group leadership and target subject matter experts, as well as create more meaningful work products. The first call for subject matter experts is anticipated in January 2018. Calls for subject matter experts will be distributed to the membership through the NASPO Bulletin, Network and other regular communication channels.

Please contact me with any questions. Thank you for your interest and your support of NASPO!

Rhonda Clark
Services Coordinator
rclark@naspo.org
Assistance Needed: Academic Partner Study

NASPO academic partner North Carolina State University is asking for your help in completing a survey for a research project on how individuals perceive suppliers differently, based on their own cognitive biases, individual personality traits, and perceptions based on their experience. Dr. Robert Handfield, professor of supply chain management at NC State University, and his team are  exploring the extent to which individuals perceive strategic suppliers in different ways.
 
In the survey, you will be asked to assess a sample portfolio of strategic/critical (value-adding, long-term relationship) suppliers from which your state procures goods or services. Participation in this exercise takes approximately 45 minutes of concentrated time. Your participation would be extremely appreciated! Dr. Handfield has agreed to provide you with a customized response of your perceptions of supplier relationships vis-a-vis the sample population of respondents.
 
If you are interested in participating, please send an email to Greg Johnson (with a cc to Dr. Robert Handfield). You will be sent a personalized survey link, and you can complete the survey at your convenience.

GovWin IQ Training Webinar

We are excited to invite you to the first member wide training for the GovWin IQ market research tool! The webinar will be held  Wednesday, November 29th at 1:00-2:30 EST. GovWin IQ was made available to all NASPO members early August 2017.  

If you have questions regarding this member benefit, please contact  Kevin Minor . 


To Buy or to Lease?

NASPO explores the topic of buying or leasing hardware and software 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 resources for further consideration and continued reading on this emerging topic. While there are many factors to consider when determining which model is best, NASPO's Tech Next: Leasing vs. Owning Hardware and Software publication can help guide you through the process. 

  Members In the Media

NASPO Life Member, Richard Pennington shares how traditional negotiations in competitive procurement make up "The Two Faces of Negotiation" in his recent article published by NCMA.
Read this article in its entirety here.

Route Fifity ran an Op-Ed by Alaska Chief Procurement Officer and NASPO Board Member, Jason Soza titled "Buying Into the Internet of Things."
Read the column in its entirety here.
Thank you for your Input

Recently, we asked you to participate in the 2017 Member Satisfaction Survey. We really appreciate all of the input you provided! If you would like to read find a high-level summary of the feedback that we received you can find it here in the NASPO Network. Please take a moment to read through the summary and let Amy Mitchell know if you have any questions.

Western Region Gathers in Colorado Springs
When procurement staff convened in Colorado Springs, CO for the 2017 Western Regional Conference, the story was all about connection and collaboration. From conversations about how to work together on effective cooperative contracting through NASPO ValuePoint to sharing solutions for common vendor relations challenges, the program brought together over 70 procurement professionals from 12 states to share solutions regarding their common, day-to-day procurement challenges.
 
Topics on the agenda focused on many issues from NASPO's Top Ten, including eProcurement, workforce development and staffing, contract management and cooperative purchasing. In addition, representatives from IBISWorld met with participants to highlight the market research tools available through the NASPO subscription. The conference wrapped up with the region's leaders and NASPO staff helping participants connect with the ongoing resources, engagement opportunities and tools NASPO provides to support effective procurement throughout the year.
 
The conference confirmed the value of bringing members together for peer-to-peer learning. With the opportunity to enhance that learning for a nationwide audience, get ready for the new, joint regional event in 2018, NASPO REACH, July 16-18, in New Orleans!
New Course: Introduction to Cooperative Procurement
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 current public procurement professionals better understand the role and use of cooperative procurements, including the benefits and characteristics of the different types of cooperative contracts. The use of statewide contracts, national cooperatives and the General Service Administration schedules are also discussed. Furthermore, learners will explore the due diligence process for selecting a cooperative contract.  
 
WHEN: Enroll today! Two Contact Hours are offered for the $70 Standard Rate, $40 Discounted Rate.
Procurement U on the Road
The last few weeks have been very busy for NASPO staff who have been traveling the country representing NASPO and Procurement U with our various stakeholders. Check out where they've been and what they have been doing.
Chief Learning Officer Dianne Lancaster travels to Virginia:
NASPO's Chief Learning Officer Dianne Lancaster recently traveled to Virginia Beach, Virginia to present at the 29th Annual Virginia Public Procurement Forum, November 13-15. The Forum is Virginia's largest event for public procurement professionals and supplier partners, with over 650 in attendance.

Lancaster's presentation entitled "Public Procurement as a Profession; Why Bother?" included an interactive discussion around what it means to be a public procurement professional. Attendees were also able to learn about the resources available through NASPO, including the Procurement U Online Courses.  
Additionally, several other NASPO members and Academic Partners lead educational sessions at the conference. Representatives from NASPO's partner universities included Dr. Thomas Kull of Arizona State University and Dr. Robert Handfield of North Carolina State University. The Procurement U team has been actively engaging both universities to facilitate collaboration with the NASPO membership. Dr. Kull and Dr. Handfield's participation in the Forum is an exciting result of these efforts. 

Deputy Director Krista Ferrell travels to Hawaii:

NASPO would like to extend a warm "mahalo" to Sarah Allen, Chief Procurement Officer, and the staff of the State Procurement Office for graciously welcoming NASPO to be a part of the 2017 State Purchasing Officer Conference (SPOCON) on October 20, 2017 in Honolulu, Hawaii. This second annual conference brought together state procurement officers across the islands of Hawaii for training, networking, and discussion of current and relevant procurement topics affecting Hawaii purchasing. 
Among the topics presented were buying local produce, IT procurement and disaster preparedness.  One of the key highlights included discussion of their new "Procurement Wizard", which offers official guidance to the procurement process for all Hawaii jurisdictions. This interactive tool allows procurement professionals to walk through the process and  more strategically   plan  procurements. To learn more visit:  http://spo.hawaii.gov/procurement-wizard/ . 

Senior Policy Analyst, Elena Moreland travels to Arizona:

On November 11,  Arizona State University Supply Chain Management Association hosted the 5th Annual National Undergraduate Supply Chain & Operations Case Competition. A total of 11 business schools participated in the event competing for the grand prize of $4,000.
NASPO participated in this event for the first time, as a bronze-level sponsor, joining the host sponsor Oracle and the others: Abbott, the Council of Supply Management Professionals and the National Restaurant Association. Gina DeCotiis, Procurement Supervisor for the Arizona State Procurement Office and Elena Moreland, Senior Policy Analyst for NASPO, served as judges.

Procurement U Learning Management System Transition
The Procurement U team is excited to announce that the new Procurement U Learning Management System (LMS) will launch on Monday, January 8, 2018. All new course registrations and new user accounts will take place in this new site starting on January 8.
If you have any courses in-progress, the deadline to finish those courses in the old LMS is Friday, January 26 in order to receive full credit for your work. Any courses not completed in the old LMS will be carried over as an "in progress" course in the new LMS. All course transcript information will transfer over to the new LMS, so you won't lose any course completion history.
The Procurement U team will host webinars on the following dates to provide members an overview of the new LMS:
  • January 8 at 1:00 pm EST
  • January 16 at 1:00 pm EST
Stay tuned to your email and NASPO community announcements for more information about this transition. If you have questions concerning this transition please contact procurementu@naspo.org. 

NASPO's mission is to help our members achieve success as public procurement leaders in their states through promotion of best practices, education, professional development, research, and innovative procurement strategies.