NIGP’s 66th Annual Forum and Products Exposition

Despite weather uncertainty in the wake of Hurricane Irene, procurement professionals from federal, provincial, state and local governmental agencies in the United States and Canada gathered for the 66th Annual Forum and Products Exposition hosted by NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement in National Harbor, Md., near Washington, D.C. Awards presented at NIGP Forum Aug. 25-29 recognized procurement professionals who “capitalize on excellence.”

2011 NIGP Chapter Awards

Category: Small Chapter – less than 80 members

Winner: Mid-Florida Chapter of NIGP

• Conducted internal and external audits to ensure financial solvency and acceptable accounting practices.
• Published standard operating procedures to encourage involvement in chapter leadership.
• Reestablished Sister Chapter Agreement with the Mid-Florida Chapter. The agreement solidifies commitment to work in partnership to accomplish common educational, charitable, and professional goal.
• 97 percent retention rate in membership along with a 25 percent increase in National Membership.

Category: Medium Chapter – 81 to 200 members

Winner: Tampa Bay Area Chapter of NIGP

• Created a scholarship program based on a point system for activity and involvement in the chapter. Scholarship points to attend seminars, FAPPO or NIGP Annual Forum were awarded to 31 members.
• Thanks to recruitment efforts to join both the chapter and national as well as giving discounts for national members, 82 percent of members belong to NIGP. Also, 76 percent of members volunteered in 2010.
• Contributed over $25,000 toward the cost of professional development for members. Forum fees for registration, travel and hotel were paid to 23 members.

Category: Large Chapter – 201 or more members

Winner: Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing Chapter of NIGP

• Developed a “Report Card” for the Board of Directors to use when reporting the Association’s progress to the membership. The Report Card is organized by the Association’s strategic initiatives and incorporates the Board’s responsibilities.
• Implemented Elluminate Live for Board Meetings which provides an environment that allows participants to review documents simultaneously, ask questions, make comments and vote. Participants can now choose to attend in-person or remotely for the three Board meetings.
• The Legislative Committee attended the Senate General Laws Committee meetings and provided direct input to the Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee about the effectiveness of cooperative procurements and the best practices that are being used. They were also instrumental on House Bills related to cooperative construction procurements.

NIGP Award Winners

Tina Borger (R), CPPO, Executive Director, NIGP Business Development, and President, VAGP, 1990, received the 2011 Anne Deatherage Meritorious Service Award, presented by Stephanie Creed (L), CPPO, CPPB. During a progressive 30 year tenure, Tina delivered professional service to her entity and volunteer service to her beloved chapter affiliate. Since retiring from Loudoun County, Va., Tina Borger joined the NIGP team in Herndon and once again develops innovative ways to address the research and resource programs of the Institute.

NIGP presented the Distinguished Service Award (DSA), its second highest individual award, to three outstanding professionals: (Top-Bottom) Mike Bevis, CPPO, CPSM, C.P.M., PMP, Chief Procurement Officer, City of Naperville, Ill.; Renea Haycraft, CPPO, CPPB, Director of Procurement, Mississippi Secretary of State; and Bill Hertwig, CPPO, CPPB, C.P.M., A.P.P., Retired, Assistant Director Procurement Metro-North Commuter Railroad.

Jennifer J. Luchard (L), CPPB, VCO, City of Charlottesville, Va. received the Professional Manager of the Year Award in recognition of significant contributions to purchasing, professional development, her entity, her chapter, and the Institute. Bobbi Matthews (R), CPPO, CPPB presented the award.

Cherie A. Odeski (L), CPPB, City of Tucson, Ariz., received this year’s Professional Buyer of the Year Award recognizing non-supervisory professionals who have made significant contributions to purchasing, professional development, her entity, her chapter, and the Institute. Ken Koester, CPPO, C.P.M., A.P.P., presented the award.

Jack Adger CPPO CPPB, Supervisor of Purchasing, Bossier Parish School Board, La. won the Spirit of Leadership Award; Joan Graham, CPPO, CPPB, Contract Oversight Officer, State of Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, won the Spirit of Service Award; and Judy Meisel, CPPO, CPPB, Purchasing Manager, City of Olathe, Kan., won the Spirit of Volunteerism Award.

Jean A. Clark (L), FNIGP, CPPO, CPPB, C.P.M., CPM, State Procurement Administrator, Arizona Department of Administration, received the 2011 Albert H. Hall Memorial Award, presented by Stephanie Creed, CPPO, CPP.

NIGP Program Five-Year Award Sponsors are (L-R) Paul Murphy, Canon Business Solutions; Steve Hinton, Caterpillar; Jeff Peskuski, Graybar; Sheila Schnellenberger, HD Supply; Stephanie Creed, CPPO, CPPB, NIGP President; Nancy Davis, Office Depot; Pete Whitacre, The Toro Company; Chris Mellis, U.S. Communities. Not shown is John Walters, Periscope Holdings

OA4 Accreditation Award Recipients

OA4 accreditation is awarded based on an agency self-evaluation that assesses performance in 12 key functional areas. Obtaining OA4 accreditation is a prerequisite to qualifying for the pinnacle agency accreditation in public procurement, the Pareto Award of Excellence.

• Arapahoe County, CO
• Baltimore County Public Schools, MD
• Broward Sheriff’s Office, FL
• City of Coral Gables, FL
• City of Plano, TX
• Culpeper County, VA
• Edmonton Public Schools, Alberta, CA
• Henrico County, VA
• Houston Independent School District, TX
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
• Mohave Educational Services Cooperative, AZ
• Montgomery County, VA
• Polk County Board of County Commissioners, FL
• Polk County Sheriff, FL
• Seminole County, FL
• State of Ohio Department of Administrative Services