NASPO Events & Education NASPO Events & Education NASPO Events & Education 
During the Annual Conference we announce that year’s recipient of the Mazzone Award. The prestigious Mazzone Award recognizes the exemplary service of procurement officials to the public purchasing profession. Today we are catching up with Norma Hall, the 2019 Mazzone Award winner who discusses her career accomplishments and the importance of certification and giving back to the public procurement community. Her passion for public procurement was palpable throughout our interview and incredibly inspiring.
NASPO Events & Education To Growth and Beyond: NASBO Fiscal Survey of States
It’s important to stay up-to-date on the nationwide trends for revenue and state spending. These trends affect the resources available for you to do your work and the long-term financial health of your state. 2019 marks the ninth consecutive year of moderate growth in both state spending and revenue growth according to currently enacted budgets. General fund spending for 2019 grew by 5.8 percent when compared to general fund spending in 2018. This increased general fund spending is followed by a projected 4 percent growth in general fund revenues for 2020 with a 3.7 percent increase in projected general fund spending based on proposed governor budgets. Let’s examine the current and projected financial situation of states further.
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NASPO Events & Education A Day in the Life: Gary Lambert
This week we caught up with Gary Lambert, the Assistant Secretary for Operational Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Gary Lambert was appointed assistant secretary for Operational Services on March 21, 2011. Prior to this appointment, Gary held a number of leadership positions over his 30-plus years in the public and private sector. During his tenure at the Operational Services Division (OSD), Gary and his leadership team have executed a number of programmatic and organizational changes focused on outcomes that benefit OSD’s customers through the use of The 4 Disciplines of Execution. Gary served as an advisor to the TechAmerica Foundation’s State & Local Government Cloud Commission, and he is a member and past president of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO).
Mr. Lambert is a graduate of Suffolk University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a recipient of NASPO’s Giulio Mazzone Distinguished Service Award in 1998.
Professional Development Major Procurement Trends: Helping Your Office Move Forward
In the past twelve months, what significant challenges has your procurement office faced? Have you had internal conversation about the struggle to replace a retirement-age workforce? Did you have to adjust in order to overcome a supply chain disruption caused by a major weather event? Chances are that you have- and you are not alone. For every qualified individual, there are six vacancies in the procurement sector, and we all have watched the news as natural and man-made disasters like devastating wildfires have affected millions of people. So, what should you and your fellow procurement officials do in the face of all of this uncertainty?
Read more “Major Procurement Trends: Helping Your Office Move Forward”
Data Analytics Keeping up with the Economy: Local Economic Multipliers
Approximately 30 states have adopted preferences for small or local businesses and 37 states also have “reciprocal laws” which add a percentage increase to out of state bidder’s proposal when compared to in-state bids. These local preferences can have a significant impact to a state’s economy. Purchasing in-state will not only increase a state’s revenue through sales and other taxes, but also have a broader impact on the local economy through the multiplier effect. Read more “Keeping up with the Economy: Local Economic Multipliers”
Technology & IT Procurement