March is Purchasing Month - Celebrate!

In anticipation of the March 2005 Purchasing Month activities, all purchasing professionals are encouraged to initiate contact with their local or state/provincial officials to obtain an official proclamation for Purchasing Month.  If available, the proclamation should provide quantitative as well as qualitative information regarding the value and savings of public purchasing to the governmental entity and its citizens.  And where appropriate, the proclamation should also identify the local or regional NIGP chapter that supports professional development and networking opportunities. 

NIGP offers helpful suggestions and guides for the proclamation process at http://www.nigp.org/events/PurchMonth05/    Proclamations issued on behalf of Purchasing Month should be submitted to chapters@nigp.org for recognition of your accomplishments.

In addition to obtaining a proclamation, all public buyers and managers are strongly encouraged to take this opportunity to plan and implement Purchasing Month activities in their respective area - involving their departments, agencies and communities to the fullest extent possible. To support member and Chapter efforts, the Institute has provided a special events section within the NIGP Web site where Purchasing Month information and promotional resource information can be obtained. Please visit this site at http://www.nigp.org/events/PurchMonth/default.htm

NIGP is offering the Purchasing Month pennant and computer clip to assist with local promotional events.   Both items may be purchased online from the secure eNIGP Store  All NIGP merchandise is discounted by 15% for the month of March to add to the festivities and celebration of Purchasing Month!   Members and Chapters are encouraged to share their activities with NIGP by contacting chapters@nigp.org   

Did You Know? Member Benefits-at-a-Glance!

by Keith K. Glatz, CPPO, Purchasing and Contracts Manager, City of Tamarac, Florida and Chairman, NIGP Marketing and Communications Committee

Did you know that your NIGP membership entitles you to obtain free copies of many NIGP research reports?  Did you know that you can receive a 10% discount on Custom Performance Audits and Consulting Services?  Did you know that as a member, you have free access to a Public Agency Satisfaction Survey and a Supplier Satisfaction Survey that can assist you in benchmarking your operations against other purchasing operations just like yours?  All of these benefits, plus so much more, are available from NIGP. 

As a convenience to you, NIGP and the Marketing and Communications Committee are pleased to bring you the newest National Membership Benefits-at-a-Glance matrix.  Please take a few minutes to PRINT and REVIEW the matrix at: http://www.nigp.org/member/BenefitsMatrix.pdf   Keep a copy close by - familiarize yourself with all the great benefits you receive with NIGP membership, some of which I bet you didn't even know about!

I would also encourage you to keep a copy of the matrix nearby so that you show your own entity’s administration just how much value an NIGP membership provides to your organization as a whole.  And, of course, don’t forget to share this matrix with your professional colleagues who aren’t yet members.  After all, NIGP membership provides the Public Purchasing Official with a lot of great benefits at a very reasonable price.   [ return to top ]

Warehousing Webinar

 Registration Deadline:  Friday, February 4^th

Register now for Warehousing Concepts and Trends Webinar presented by Darin Matthews, CPPO, C.P.M. on Thursday, February 10, 2005.  In this 90-minute session, Mr. Matthews will provide:

• Overview of warehousing in the public sector
• Key terminology used in warehousing and inventory control
• Supply management and current industry trends
• Costs associated with carrying inventory
• Approaches to forecasting usage
• Role of warehousing within an agency

Ask questions and interact with Mr. Matthews and the other participants from across the country. 

For more information or to register, visit http://www.nigp.org/educate/WebWarehseConcept.htm

NIGP in conjunction with iLinc, our vendor, have improved the system.  With the new system the firewall issue has disappeared.

To test your system click here:

http://nigp.ilinc.com/cgi-bin/ilinc/lms/vc_launch.pl?activity_id=61131

Attend Webinars from anywhere -- all you need is a telephone and a computer with Internet access.  The audio is over the phone and the visual is over the Internet.  By using a speakerphone, you can add guests (see rates for guests) and train multiple individuals.

For general information regarding Webinars visit: http://www.nigp.org/professional_development/Webinars.htm

Check the Web site for complete registration details and options.
For additional information, email distancelearning@nigp.org or call 800-FOR-NIGPx233.    [ return to top ]

Do You Have Questions Regarding Certification?

Are you planning a Regional Purchasing Conference this year?   With an invitation and a minimal stipend the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council  will gladly attend your conference
 
It is the best way to have all your questions answered regarding CPPB and CPPO certification and recertification.
 
If you would like the UPPCC to participate at your regional trade show, please provide the dates and location of your conference to Carol Hodes at certification@uppcc.org
[ return to top ]

SourceConnect™ Sets the “Standard” for Supplier Management Services

Offered in partnership with Achilles Information, Inc., SourceConnect™ provides a centralized, online solution that allows subscribing members to develop a structured approach for identifying and selecting suppliers and contractors, reduce costs and effort involved in pre-qualification activities and objectively measure supplier performance.  This unique service also enables procurement professionals to improve relationships with suppliers.

As an NIGP member, your agency is entitled to receive a one-year subscription to SourceConnect™ at no cost by completing an ‘Early Subscriber’ Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and returning it to Achilles Information, Inc. on or before June 30, 2005.  To obtain this form, please call Steve Gordon at Achilles: 615-833-7365.

To learn more about the service, visit the NIGP Web site at www.nigp.org or visit the SourceConnect™ site directly at www.sourceconnect.com .  If you have any specific questions about the services’ features and benefits or to inquire about subscription details, contact Steve Gordon at Stephen.gordon@achilles.com.
[ return to top ]

NECCC to Study Cross Functional Integration of Procurement Data to Financial Systems

Persons interested in joining this work group should contact Evie Barry, NECCC program manager, at ebarry@nasact.org or 859-276-1147.

NECCC is an alliance of national, state and local government organizations dedicated to the advancement of electronic commerce in the states. NECCC conducts an annual conference to study innovations in technology and review successful electronic commerce projects, and maintains a Web site for promoting and distributing association materials. NIGP is an Executive Committee Signatory of NECCC. 

The 2005 NECCC president is Jean Clark, CPPO, CPPB, C.P.M., CPM, NIGP’s 2003-04 National President and current chief operating officer for the Arizona Department of Administration.  Other NIGP representatives on the NECCC Board of Directors are Bill Brewer, CPPO, C.P.M., Glendale, Arizona, and Kirk Buffington, MBA, C.P.M., Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.   [ return to top ]

Demonstrate Excellence through the AEP Award

In 2004, based on a historic opportunity to bridge two nationally focused associations that mutually support the public procurement profession, the NIGP Board of Directors unanimously agreed to sponsor the Achievement in Excellence in Procurement (AEP) award that is issued by the National Purchasing Institute (NPI).

The award was founded by NPI in 1995 to measure innovation, professionalism, productivity, e-procurement, and leadership attributes within the public and non-profit procurement organization. The award, therefore, encourages the development of excellence, provides benchmarks for continued excellence, increases awareness of public and non-profit procurement as a profession, and identifies core criteria of excellence.

NPI has recently launched the 10th Annual AEP Award and applications are now available for review and download at www.nationalpurchasinginstitute.com   The application deadline for this 10th Annual Award is June 30, 2005. Questions or suggestions may be directed to Wayne A. Casper, C.P.M., Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Committee Chair, and Director of Procurement for the City of Tucson, at 520-791-4347 or email: wayne.casper@tucson,az.gov.

The AEP annual award contrasts with NIGP’s Outstanding Agency Accreditation Achievement Award (OA4) and the Pareto Award in many respects.  The AEP is an annual award while the OA4 accredits a public entity for three years and requires re-accreditation. And while NPI’s program measures enhancements that are valuable to leading edge institutions (innovation, leadership, productivity, and professionalism), NIGP’s program establishes the minimum baseline thresholds for excellence through a comprehensive list of mandatory and optional activities that serve as benchmarks for accreditation. In essence, the two programs complement each other as unique tools for recognizing excellence within the public procurement profession.

So please join NIGP, NASPO, NPI, CAPPO, FAPPO, ISM, and a number of key associate sponsors in challenging our member agencies to strive for program excellence by achieving recognition through the AEP Program.  NIGP members who receive the 10th Annual Award will be recognized during the Institute’s 60th Anniversary Forum and Products Exposition this August in Anaheim where we’ll Celebrate the Magic!
[ return to top ]

UPPCC - Certification for December 2004

Congratulations to the following individuals for successfully completing the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council (UPPCC) certification requirements!

New CPPOs

Colorado

Traci Burtnett, CPPO, CPPB

Materials and Procurement Director

Thompson School District R2-J, Loveland

New CPPBs

Arizona

Robert Carrier, CPPB

Phyllis Mack, CPPB

Cheryl Smith, CPPB

Mary Varney, CPPB

Florida

Diane Page, CPPB

Linda Page, CPPB

Ivette Rosario, CPPB

Georgia

Michael Barr, CPPB

J.D. Dixon, CPPB

Quintin Gibbs, CPPB

Roy Head, CPPB

Toyia Hunter, CPPB

Myra Kibler, CPPB

Tonya Mercer-McMillan, CPPB

Gayle Porster, CPPB

Edward Scott, CPPB

Uladia Taylor, CPPB

Tiffiney Ward, CPPB

Maryland

Walter Johnson, CPPB

Michigan

Deborah Ashford, CPPB

New Brunswick

Robyn Brown, CPPB

New York

Elliot Borack, CPPB

South Carolina

Anna Brackett, CPPB

Lou Anna Garcia, CPPB

Cindy Maiorka, CPPB

Virginia

Kimberly Eaton, CPPB
Vincent Greenan, CPPB
[ return to top ]

New Members - December 2004

City of Fernandina Beach
Representative; John Miller
Fernandina Beach, FL
 
City of Jersey City
Representative; Peter Folgado
Jersey City, NJ

City of Palm Beach Gardens
Representative; Angela Wong
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
 
City of Peachtree City
Representative; Charlotte Burns
Peachtree City, GA
 
College of Lake County
Representative; Melanie Scherer, CPPO, CPPB
Grayslake, IL
 
Eastern Suffolk BOCES
Representative; Lorraine Hein
Patchogue, NY

Kansas Geological Survey
Representative; Kathleen Sheldon, CPPO
Lawrence, KS

King George County
Representative; Kenneth McCullough
King George, VA
 
Madison Area Technical College
Representative: Janyce West
Madison, WI

Ohio Department of Health
Representative: Robin Wilson
Columbus, OH

Oregon Military Department
Representative: Shirley Smith
Salem, OR
 
Saint Matthews Episcopal Church
Representative: Judy Rosa
Maple Glen, PA

St. Louis Public Schools
Representative: Milton Lewis, C.P.M.
St Louis, MO

University of Texas El Paso
Representative: Daniel Avitia, CTPM
El Paso, TX

Washington State Department of Health
Representative: Brenda Henrikson
Olympia, WA
 
Western State Hospital
Representative: Martha Colley, CPPB
Hopkinsville, KY

Individual Members
Sharon Isleib, CPPB, VCO
Roanoke, VA

Jeffrey L Mountjoy
Reno, NV

John Francis Cavener
Fayetteville, NC

Kurban  Amlani
Edmonton,  AB, Canada

Lisa B. Stringer
Shreveport,  LA
[ return to top ]