News
Pulse Will See You in 2020!
“….You better not pout; you better not cry, I’m telling you why……”
Pulse will return for the new year! Read more “Pulse Will See You in 2020!”
News
News
Cybersecurity
The State of Cybersecurity: 3 Bold Plays for Change
In March 2018, the city of Atlanta suffered a ransomware attack that compromised the data of their employees and anyone who conducted business with the state and ended costing $2.6 million in emergency contract efforts[1]. When Louisiana was attacked in November of 2019, 10% of the state’s servers were infiltrated and some 1,500 computers were damaged. These examples demonstrate cybersecurity should be a top priority for procurement officers to protect the sensitive information of both vendors and staff. Understanding the issues and goals of your state Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) can pave the road toward a more productive working relationship and allow procurement officers to address increasing cybersecurity threats as partners.
Read more “The State of Cybersecurity: 3 Bold Plays for Change”
Cronin Awards
NASPO Offers Free Webinar Series
Beginning in December 2019, NASPO will host a series of five webinars featuring each of the 2019 George Cronin Awards for Procurement Excellence finalists. These webinars are free and open to the public and are worth one contact hour each.
Below is a summation of each webinar’s award-winning topic. All webinars are held at 3 pm EST. Make sure to click the link to register to attend!
Transparency
Create Your Road Map to Transparency!
Imagine having to justify every decision you’ve ever made, to anyone who asks. Transparency is the cornerstone of the entire procurement process and is necessary throughout the contracting lifecycle, from the definition of need to the expiration of the contract. Recently, the OECD, an international nonprofit, created a “Transparency Checklist” to assist public procurement professionals in reaching their transparency goals. Procurement Pulse breaks down the three founding principles listed in the checklist and highlights what to include in your office’s transparency checklist.
Day in the Life
A Day in the Life: Louise Terry
This week, NASPO’s own ProcurementU is providing another professional development opportunity by hosting the State Training Training Coordinators Conference (STCC) in Madison, Wisconsin! The goal of STCC is to facilitate the sharing of materials and best practices between state trainers. During the three day conference, ProcurementU has an agenda full of opportunities to learn how to best leverage the training and education provided at the conference to advance state government in participants’ home states. Networking sessions, interactive general sessions, a keynote speaker, an emphasis on collaborative learning efforts and the sharing of resources are just a few things participants will engage in! To highlight the great work state training coordinators across the country do this week Pulse is highlighting the state training coordinator from Oklahoma and an active NASPO member, Louise Terry.
NASPO Strategic Partnerships
NASPO’s Strategic Partnerships Shape a Strategic Future
What do you picture when someone says, “Oh! Here is a resource for you!”? Traditionally, most people imagine a tangible, physical item. But resources can take many forms, and often the most helpful resource isn’t books or paper, but people. Read more “NASPO’s Strategic Partnerships Shape a Strategic Future”
Annual Conference
NASPO 2019 Annual: A Twenty-Four Karat Conference
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. Read more “NASPO 2019 Annual: A Twenty-Four Karat Conference”
Cronin Awards
The George Cronin Awards: Highlighting Public Procurement Excellence
Public procurement professionals across the nation are tasked with looking for new and innovative ways to modernize and streamline their processes, ensure transparency and provide best value; all while being mindful of cost reduction. Procurement professionals support every branch of government down to the smallest twig. At NASPO, we believe in recognizing outstanding state procurement initiatives across the country with the George Cronin Awards for Procurement Excellence.
Read more “The George Cronin Awards: Highlighting Public Procurement Excellence”
Public Procurement
Another Resource for your Procurement Toolbox: PTAC
Like most problem-solvers, procurement professionals have a metaphorical toolbox that they reach into from time to time to assist in acquiring best value. In this article, we discuss one of the tools in the public procurement toolbox, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). In case you haven’t utilized this tool before, let’s get you familiar with it! A guiding principle of public procurement is the maximization of competition. PTACs help to increase bid participation by working one-on-one with small businesses and assist them in competing for government contracts.
Read more “Another Resource for your Procurement Toolbox: PTAC”
Conference Recap