Procurement Office Development Procurement Office Development Procurement Office Development 
Contract Administration & Management The Care and Keeping of Contracts
For public procurement professionals whose job duties include contract administration, it can be tempting to leave contracts alone unless – or more accurately: until – there is an issue. Increasingly, however, procurement offices are recognizing the value of utilizing contract administration best practices to improve their relationships with suppliers and increase the value of their contracts.
Pulse Podcast 
Professional Development Can’t We Just Blame Bureaucracy?
The COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on how both bureaucracy and supply chains react to black swan events.
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Procurement Office Development Plan for Success with Project Management
You are already thinking like a project manager, you just don’t know it.
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Technology & IT Procurement Improving Cybersecurity in State Procurement
Technology is increasingly connected through cloud infrastructure making it more efficient and accessible, however more risk is taken on.[1] States are migrating to Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions. Read more “Improving Cybersecurity in State Procurement”
Technology & IT Procurement Cybersecurity is YOUR Responsibility
Just like you used to lock the file cabinets and the office door, procurement officials need to take responsibility for safeguarding their own digital systems as well as vetting the products and services being contracted from suppliers for state agencies.
Market Research 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 assisting them in competing for government contracts.
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Professional Development Relations Matter!
Agency relations and customer service is NASPO’s top priority for 2019. What an exciting topic to tackle as it is the first time it appears on NASPO’s Top 10 in the last two years! Current NASPO President Lisa Eason is a big supporter of highlighting agency relations initiatives across the country.
Improving relationships with state agencies not only increases the efficiency of procurements in the state but also makes the process and experience for both agency staff and procurement staff less tedious. However, many states have yet to implement extensive programs and initiatives due to the different puzzle pieces that need to come together to make the change effective. Improving agency relations and customer service is a complex task that requires both employees and management to change mindsets and behaviors. At times, it requires organizations to restructure their operations to function in a customer-centric mindset rather than working in traditional silos.
Contract Administration & Management Proactive Contract Management for the Modern Procurement Professional
This article is a proponent of NASPO Best Practices: Ethics and Accountability white paper and aims to augment research in proactive ethical practices through accountability, transparency, and conflict of interest. NASPO strives to emit leadership, excellence and, integrity while elevating the profession of public procurement through best practices. As stewards of taxpayers’ money, it is imperative that procurement staff not only choose the right path when dealing with an ethical dilemma but the ‘best’ path, in order to remain beyond reproach in the public eye.
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