Supply Chain Supply Chain Supply Chain 
News NASPO Celebrates Procurement Month!
Join NASPO in celebrating Procurement Month in the month of March. We recognize the work being done by state procurement offices to educate, empower, and provide for the elected officials, vendors, and taxpayers. State procurement officials, through their professionalism, set the standard for best value in their states and act as stewards of the public trust. As leaders in their field, procurement staff create efficient government and strive for excellence.
Value Chain 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”
Bid Protest 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?”
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!”
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”
Customer Service 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 mind-sets and behaviors. At times, it requires organizations to restructure their operations to function in a customer-centric mindset rather than working in the traditional silos.
Day in the Life A Day in the Life: Lisa Eason
This week we caught up with Lisa Eason, Deputy Commissioner for the State of Georgia, and 2019 NASPO President.
Lisa has served as Georgia’s Deputy Commissioner of the State Purchasing Division since August of 2015. She is responsible for the administration of the State’s purchasing card program, the sourcing division which includes the agency sourcing, strategic sourcing, contract management, and data analytics units. She also manages the policy and training division which administers the state’s purchasing training program and the development and oversight of Georgia’s procurement policies and procedures. The Audit and Compliance Division, which is responsible for audits related to P-Cards and the purchasing process, also falls under her purview.
Customer Service 3 Ways to Simultaneously Improve Employee and Customer Satisfaction
In the world of modern procurement, your office is constantly doing business with citizens, vendors, and government agencies. Leaving a lasting positive impression on your customers is a key component of your central procurement office’s ability to conduct its mission. Happier employees will help you accomplish those customer service goals. Customer service and agency relations is number one on the 2019 NASPO Top 10 Priorities, cementing that customer satisfaction is important to CPOs across the country. When the ultimate end user in every procurement transaction is the taxpayer, each step in the procurement process is important, including customer service. In 2003, two Canadian policy analysts conducted a study concerning public employee’s job satisfaction and customer satisfaction with government goods and services. They discovered the relationship between employee and customer satisfaction is reciprocal in nature. By investing in employee satisfaction, you will simultaneously see improvement in your customer satisfaction and agency relations. That’s two improvements with one action – two satisfactions with one procurement stone. Read more “3 Ways to Simultaneously Improve Employee and Customer Satisfaction”
Presidential Message NASPO President’s Message
Happy New Year, NASPO members! It is fitting that I begin my tenure as NASPO President as we turn the page on the calendar and welcome 2019. This certainly is the start of an exciting new year in my life and I am honored and humbled for the opportunity to serve as your NASPO President.
At its core, NASPO is a member services organization, and everything it does is geared toward the ultimate goal of elevating the profession of public procurement by empowering members to achieve success and nurturing the leadership potential that each of you possess.
Read more “NASPO President’s Message”