Procurement Office Development Pulse Fiscal Year Round-Up!
It is that time of the year again.
Procurement Office Development Procurement Office Development 
Pulse Podcast Pulse Podcast Season 2, Episode 7
Click HERE to download the episode!
Pulse Podcast Pulse Podcast Season 2, Episode 5
Click HERE to download the episode!
Agency Relations & Customer Service Customer Service to Agency Stakeholders
A successful procurement relies on quality customer service from the procurement specialist. An important component of customer service is early collaboration between agencies. The initial interaction provides the procurement specialist the opportunity to establish trust and start a relationship through personal engagement with agency stakeholders. This is the best time for the specialist to set clear expectations, listen and respond to concerns, and build a partnership.
Professional Development Reflecting on the Pandemic: Networking
You, like many people, may feel dread in hearing the word “networking.” You are not alone, according to one study from Harvard Business School, people feel gross about networking being pushed by their superiors because of the feeling of how transactional it can be. That same study showed, however, that people do feel good about organic (or self-initiated) networking. Networking can be good for not just you as an individual but also good for your department and organization. Read more “Reflecting on the Pandemic: Networking”
Contract Administration & Management Get the Full Picture with SRM!
Public procurement knows cost is just what you pay, value is what you receive and SRM (Supplier Relationship Management) brings value to procurement.
Professional Development Everything is NOT Awesome – Difficult Customer Situations
Imagine this – a state agency has come to you with frustrations about a lack of communication from the central procurement office. They have not heard back from the office in over three days, and they are frustrated that they do not know what is going on with their solicitation. This is just one example of a frustrated customer situation you might run into in your operations. When these unhappy customers arise, there are steps you can take in order to recover from a bad customer service experience. Read more “Everything is NOT Awesome – Difficult Customer Situations”
Solicitation Methods Black Swans: Anticipate Your Supply Chain Reactions
In a report released in late April , IBM’s Institute for Business Value weighs in on how organizations can reduce vulnerabilities through smarter supply chains. As supply chains start to react to the pandemic and deploy permanent changes in their processes, how can procurement officials brace for the change?
In this post we explore what changes supply chains are anticipated to make, and what those changes mean for public procurement officials. Read more “Black Swans: Anticipate Your Supply Chain Reactions”
Market Research Back to the Value
Thirty-Five years ago, when the Value Chain Model was first introduced, procurement was viewed narrowly as cut and dry cost savings. But as suppliers become more citizen-centric, central procurement officers (CPOs) need to become more value-aware of procurement’s unique position. Public procurement should no longer be viewed narrowly for cut and dry cost savings, but for the additional value the procurement process can add as a strategic partner. 
Read more “Back to the Value”
Protests To Protest a Bid, or not to Protest?
While not a Shakespearean existential inquiry, a vendor who did not win a competitive bid for a public contract may be faced with a critical question: “Should I file a bid protest to challenge this award decision, or not?”
Bidders who have standing want to exercise their right to protest to correct alleged improprieties. Sometimes vendors file what some would call “frivolous,” or “sore loser” protests, after the fact, when some of the questions could have been addressed before a decision was made to award the contract. Read more “To Protest a Bid, or not to Protest?”