Sessions

• July 29, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  In today’s rapidly evolving IT hardware and software landscapes, understanding the complexities of tariffs, procurement constraints, and shifting policy environments is more important than ever. Join Southern Computer Warehouse (SCW) for an insightful discussion that unlocks the often-overlooked challenges in IT procurement. We’ll explore how tariffs, regulatory changes, and contract structures impact purchasing decisions and vendor relationships. You'll gain practical insights into navigating procurement roadblocks, managing lead times, ensuring compliance, and adapting to evolving policies — all while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness to stay ahead in a constantly shifting market.
• July 27, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Public Procurement Professional and Umpire, two professions that couldn't seem further apart from one another. However, it was the training received as a fastpitch softball umpire that helped with the transition to becoming a Public Procurement Professional. Join me for an intriguing look at how 28 years of umpiring prepared me for the procurement world. Learning Outcomes: Attendees will gain knowledge of how to use material presented in their own operations; Attendees will learn to use life experiences to plan for future success; Attendees will learn about preparation, presentation, and implementation of rules and guidelines in their own work; and Attendees will learn the importance of believing in themselves, even if no one else does.
• July 30, 2025
  This learning session draws from the legendary resilience of Tina Turner, highlighting her incredible journey of turning adversity into triumph. Using her life story and iconic songs as a guide, as well as personal experiences from the presenters, you’ll explore how obstacles—like navigating difficult leadership dynamics—can ignite creativity, drive collaboration, and fuel success. Be inspired to turn setbacks into comebacks with confidence and grace. Together, we’ll celebrate the power of perseverance to turn adversity into opportunity—just like Tina did! Learning Outcomes: Learn to trust your intuition in navigating challenges and seizing opportunities; Build resilience and harness collaborative experiences to tackle present threats and anticipate future challenges; and Recognize your worth and leverage adversity to innovate and thrive.
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  The field of public procurement is often misunderstood. Many organizations consider procurement a back-office clerical function. However, public procurement is much more than a clerical function, it’s a strategic powerhouse that drives efficiency, cost savings, and innovation. Public Procurement has transformed into a strategic partner and responsible for being stewards of maximizing the value of public spend through relationships with our stakeholders and suppliers. However, many procurement teams operate under finance leadership, limiting their influence and visibility. As a division of Finance, Procurement is not always valued as much as their finance counterparts. However, the procurement professionals are required to hold many of the same qualifications of their finance counterparts, including advanced degrees, certification, continued education, etc. In addition, procurement professionals are key collaborators building cross functional relationships with other departments and the supplier community. In this session, procurement professionals will explore strategies to enhance collaboration with finance while advocating for procurement’s independence as a standalone function. Attendees will gain actionable tools to assess procurement’s current position, communicate its value to leadership, and develop stronger cross-departmental partnership. This session provides the insights and practical steps to elevate procurement’s role in public sector organizations. Learning Outcomes Assess procurement’s strategic impact and identify areas for increased influence; Apply effective communication strategies to gain executive leadership buy-in; Develop a metrics-driven case for elevating procurement’s role; Implement professional development strategies to enhance procurement’s visibility; and Strengthen collaboration with finance while advocating for procurement’s independence.
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects provide opportunities to upgrade technology, modernize processes and policy, adopt best practices, and transform administrative practices and outcomes throughout an organization. ERP projects are also high profile, expensive, and difficult. They require coordination and alignment between vendor and staff resources. Procurement professionals can serve a critical role in using the procurement process to drive readiness activities and make the right selection for ERP supplier. Focus will be on establishing outcome oriented requirements that can be used to help select the best value supplier. In addition, the session will highlight strategies to manage the evaluation team, define a process for evaluating proposals, and navigate the selection process with emphasis on reducing bias and properly weighing key decision factors. GFOA has done recent research into behavioral science, and decision architecture that will be used as basis for group activities. Learning Outcomes: • Understand the importance of readiness and an effective procurement process in preparing the organization for an ERP project • Develop strategies for defining evaluation criteria and structuring an evaluation process • Facilitate the procurement process to reduce potential bias and make fair determination of best value • Help reduce implementation risk
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Join us for an engaging session on navigating the challenges of implementing an e-procurement system under tight deadlines! We’ll explore practical change management strategies, focusing on how to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders, secure buy-in from key departments by incorporating their feedback, and ensure smooth integration of solicitation documents into the system. Plus, we’ll dive into the essentials of training staff on the new platform and share valuable lessons learned post-launch. You’ll leave with actionable insights on how to continue improving after implementation, ensuring long-term success for your team and organization. Learning Outcomes: Identify and describe the key steps in implementing an e-procurement system; Apply effective communication strategies to secure buy-in from key stakeholders; and Evaluate the ongoing needs for change and improvement of an e-procurement system after implementation.
• July 29, 2025
  Embark upon an interactive mental wellness journey when you attend this two-part session! You will find space to engage in leadership round table discussions, and participate in wellness activities, curated for exploring self-care techniques, which will focus on creating a positive, supportive workplace. • Improve your leadership role by exploring new skills for modeling positive behaviors to support employee mental health and well-being; • Identify a new tool and technique for improving your team's overall mental well-being; • Develop an action plan for improving the overall mental wellness within your entity (department/team); and • Identify a plan to improve your mental, and emotional well-being.
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Session participants will learn different methods to confidently advise their Evaluation Committee (EC) on their roles, responsibilities, and how their contributions aid in the success of the procurement process. This learning session will include interactive practical exercises and activities. Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to provide clear expectations and instructions, to their Evaluation Committee (EC) team; Participants will be able to have a clear system and process in place that includes providing guidance on applicable procurement, confidentiality, and conflict of interest principals; Participants will be able to develop agency specific specialized evaluation committee documents that may include: Welcome (initial) messaging outlining roles and responsibilities; supplemental messaging for each key stage of the process; RFP Evaluation Committee Guidelines Document; Initial EC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Form (Part A); Continuation of EC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Form once firms have been identified (Part B); EC Kick off Meeting Agenda and Memo; and Participants will be able to assess what method or methods should be utilized for each procurement, that includes providing guidance on applicable procurement, confidentiality, and conflict of interest principals.
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  Objective: The primary goal of this facilitated discussion is to delve into key aspects of ground transportation management. Participants will gain insights into optimizing operational efficiencies as it relates to fleet management, car rental, truck rental, mileage reimbursement solutions and more
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  In the realm of public sector procurement, the intricate process of acquisition plays a pivotal role in the functioning of governmental operations. This session will provide an engaging and thought-provoking conversation with the authors of the recently published Introduction to Procurement in the public sector, a comprehensive book that delves into the nuances of this essential subject. The authors have about 100 years of combined public procurement experience. Their insights will shed light on the multifaceted nature of procurement, illuminating the challenges and opportunities that lie therein. Through their expert lens, participants will be taken on a journey that explores the strategic methodologies, regulatory frameworks, and ethical considerations that underpin successful procurement practices in the public sector. Learning Objectives: Engage with the Authors Discuss the authors' insights and experiences in the field. Understand the challenges and opportunities in public procurement. Discuss the main themes of the book and examine real-world procurement challenges faced by the public sector, while exploring potential solutions with the authors. Explore Best Practices Learn effective procurement strategies and techniques Discover best practices and strategies to ensure efficient and transparent procurement processes.
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  Procurement professionals are under more pressure than ever: shrinking budgets, leaner teams, and zero room for delays. Yet expectations keep climbing. In this Learning Lab, we’ll dig into practical strategies for turning daily bottlenecks into moments of efficiency. The session will explore how AI and digital tools are streamlining high-friction areas like RFP development, reporting, integrations, and vendor management. Whether you're looking to entirely transform you processes or make incremental improvements, this session will show you how modern public procurement teams are gaining time back.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Are you guilty of common RFP pitfalls? Join this engaging and practical session to learn how to avoid the most common mistakes in creating RFPs. From unclear scopes to overloading mandatory criteria, this session will provide actionable advice and real-world examples to help procurement professionals improve their processes and outcomes. Whether you're new to public procurement or a seasoned professional, you'll leave with practical tools to create more effective, vendor-friendly RFPs. Perfect for anyone who wants to ensure fairness, compliance, and value in their procurement practices. Learning Outcomes: Write Clear and Effective RFPs: Avoid vague scopes and unrealistic requirements to attract quality vendor responses; Enhance Communication: Engage stakeholders and vendors throughout the process to build trust and ensure transparency; and Refine RFP Practices: Use feedback and market insights to continuously improve procurement outcomes.
• July 27, 2025
  Negotiation is an essential skill in procurement yet often overlooked. This session will kick off with an interactive lecture on the basics of negotiation theory, including how to set priorities, understand each party’s perspective and competing commitments, and define value. Then participants will be assigned roles and in small groups, act out a simulation and try to come to a negotiated agreement. After the negotiations conclude, they will discuss what went well and what was challenging in this simulation and reflect on how they could apply this in their day-to-day work.
• July 30, 2025
  Today’s headlines are dominated by discussions of tariffs—threats of new ones, implementation of existing ones, reciprocal tariffs, quotas, and other national-level market control measures. Whether merely proposed or actively enforced, tariffs can disrupt markets in significant ways. Bidders often respond to tariff uncertainty by either avoiding opportunities altogether or including risk premiums in their bids to hedge against potential future tariffs. Contractors may seek price adjustments or even cancel contracts, while buyers face escalating costs and the possible loss of key suppliers. This seminar will explore strategies to proactively and fairly manage these risks: • Explain how tariffs and risk premiums function and influence markets • Discuss both proactive and reactive strategies for managing price adjustment requests due to tariff changes • Offer tools to anticipate and manage the pricing impact of potential tariff changes—whether imposed or lifted—on current and future contracts Learning Outcomes: Understand and articulate the effects of tariffs on markets and government contracts Develop strategies for addressing price adjustment requests during contract administration Apply risk management tools, including tailored contractual clauses, to mitigate the impact of tariffs on both current contractors and future bids
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  While Procurement Cards (P-cards) are a convenient tool for public sector organizations to streamline their purchasing for small dollar transactions, they do present several challenges, especially when it comes to controlling fraud, waste, and abuse. These risks can arise due to the ease of making multiple transactions without oversight or proper authorization, particularly in large, decentralized organizations. To mitigate these risks, many public sector organizations implement a range of internal control measures of which several methods will be examined during this session. Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to explain the role of P-cards in improving the efficiency of small-dollar and high-volume purchases in public sector organizations; Participants will understand the risks associated with P-cards, including fraud, waste, and abuse; and Participants will understand the importance of creating strong internal controls to support P-card programs.
• July 27, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  In the evolving landscape of public procurement, successful leadership extends beyond traditional management practices. Transforming from a manager to a mentor empowers teams, enhances morale, and fosters future leaders. This session examines how adopting a mentoring mindset encourages professional growth, builds stronger team dynamics, and prepares organizations for sustainable success. With a focus on leadership development, attendees will explore how mentorship practices align with the goals of public procurement to create resilient, high-performing teams. This session will cover the following key areas: 1. The Manager-to-Mentor Evolution: Understanding the transition from managing tasks to mentoring people and why this shift is crucial for modern leaders. 2. Active Listening: Practical techniques to enhance communication, build trust, and create an open dialogue. 3. Constructive Feedback: A framework for delivering feedback that inspires growth and improves team performance. 4. Leadership Development Opportunities: Strategies for empowering team members to innovate, lead projects, and take on new challenges. 5. Practical Application of Mentorship: Tailored approaches to integrate mentorship into daily operations within procurement organizations. Learning Outcomes: Apply mentoring techniques to build trust and enhance team engagement; Explore methods for identifying and nurturing leadership potential within their teams; Discover how active listening and constructive feedback can improve relationships and team dynamics; and Use strategies to delegate effectively, empowering team members to innovate and take ownership of their roles.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Are you ready to revolutionize your approach to strategic sourcing and have fun doing it? Join us for an exciting, interactive session that will demystify this critical component of public procurement. Through practical, streamlined approaches, you'll learn how to seamlessly integrate strategic sourcing into your existing workflows. We will refresh your solicitation knowledge and cover everything from building high-performance teams to leveraging data analytics. Participate in a hands-on exercise, engage in lively discussions, and learn from real-world case studies. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to procurement, this session promises to equip you with actionable insights and tools to enhance your strategic sourcing processes. Don't miss this opportunity to learn, network, and transform your procurement practices! Learning Outcomes: Identify and Apply Optimal Solicitation Methods: Participants will be able to determine the most suitable solicitation type (RFP, IFB, RFQ, etc.) and method based on project parameters, controlling factors, and key contextual elements discussed during the session; Streamline Strategic Sourcing Processes: Participants will learn and apply techniques, such as Lean methodology and automation, to simplify and standardize strategic sourcing processes within their organizations; Enhance Team Performance and Communication: Participants will be able to implement strategies for building high-performance teams, improving stakeholder communication, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within their procurement functions; Optimize Efficiency and Risk Management: Participants will learn to implement data-driven strategies for increasing operational efficiency, achieving cost savings, and enhancing compliance and risk management in their strategic sourcing processes; and Cultivate Stakeholder and Supplier Relationships: Attendees will review and discuss skills to improve supplier relationships and increase stakeholder satisfaction through effective communication techniques, performance metrics, and collaborative approaches in strategic sourcing.
• July 30, 2025
  Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming procurement processes by enabling teams to efficiently draft detailed and precise scope of work (SOW) documents. This presentation will showcase how procurement professionals can collaborate with end users to harness AI tools for SOW development, ensuring clarity and compliance while saving time and increasing solicitation responses. Attendees will gain insights into practical AI applications, best practices, and strategies for incorporating this technology into their workflows. Learning Outcomes: Leveraging AI for SOW Development: Explore how AI can simplify the drafting process, improve accuracy, and enhance end-user collaboration; Best Practices for Using AI: Understand ethical considerations, data security, and maintaining human oversight in AI-assisted procurement processes; and Practical Applications and Tools: Discover user-friendly AI tools and techniques tailored to procurement and solicitation needs. Participants should leave this session understanding how to use AI tools more effectively in their workflow, how to educate their end users/requesters/project managers on how to better use the tools, or at the very least feel comfortable to ask the questions to start their journey into AI with their legal/IT team.
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Many entities are looking to modernize transportation, water, energy, broadband infrastructure and more. However, using the same old procurement processes may not cut it. With time, strategy, and resources, smart procurement can be a key asset in delivering impactful projects on time and on budget. In this session, Partners for Public Good (a new nonprofit launched by staff from the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab) will share procurement planning, drafting, and contract management strategies, stemming from best practices from cities participating in the Local Infrastructure Hub (LIH). And, we’ll discuss how market research and outreach, goal setting, smart team building, and performance metric development can add value to complex projects. Learning Objectives: • Understand the challenges, regulations, and opportunities distinct to infrastructure projects • Learn about various market research and procurement planning strategies to help you better understand the vendor pool, incorporate community input, and promote accessibility among small and diverse vendors, and manage risk • Identify ways to adapt current procurement and contract management practices and to new infrastructure projects, while also striving to maximize accessibility for vendors
• July 28, 2025
  How often have you looked at a departmental request for a bid or RFP and thought to yourself, what in the world do they want? In this session we will look at requests that had minimal information and how the specifications and procurement process were developed to give vendors a clear picture of what they are bidding. This interactive session will touch on how good communication in the early stages can result in a quality bid or RFP in an expedited manner. • Learn how to communicate with staff early in the procurement process to develop quality specifications; • Learn how training procurement staff and others to utilize templates or executed contracts as a basis for drafting specifications can expedite the procurement process; • Learn how an emphasis on consistent processes can result in better communication and a better buying experience; and • Learn how to take a poor specification and turn it into a quality specification that reduces the number of addendums and clarifications.
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  The Legal Learning Path will help equip public procurement professionals with essential legal knowledge to navigate contracting with confidence. Throughout four sessions, participants will explore the plain meaning of key contract clauses, negotiation strategies, weigh the pros and cons of various options for terminating a contract, and consider the discretion to waive procurement informalities. Each session will provide practical insights and real-world applications, helping participants develop the skills to interpret legal terms, assess risks, and make informed decisions that align with agency objectives. This session provides participants with a deep dive into commonly encountered contract clauses, such as indemnity, sovereign immunity, governing law, and force majeure. Participants will learn how to interpret these clauses in plain language and understand their impact on risk allocation. Learning Objectives Translate complex legal terms into plain language to ensure transparency and mutual understanding. Identify and explain the function of key contractual clauses in public procurement.
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  We’re celebrating 80 incredible years of NIGP Forum with a totally rad 80s throwback bash—because what better way to honor the past than with the decade that defined fun, fashion, and unforgettable vibes? Step back in time and make a splash at Retro Wave at the Denver Aquarium for an unforgettable 80s extravaganza! Whether you're a fan of neon fashion, teased hair, arcade games, or unforgettable tunes from artists like Madonna and Prince, this event has it all. Relive the magic of the decade with an evening packed full of retro vibes, epic networking, and amazing aquatic wonders as we transform the aquarium into a throwback paradise. Highlights include: Exclusive Access - Explore stunning marine exhibits in a one-of-a-kind after-hours experience. Live music - Dance the night away to classic hits from the decade of synth and style. Gourmet Bites – Hors d’œuvres, food stations and cash bars throughout the venue. Dynamic networking opportunities – Connect with fellow professionals and suppliers in a lively, laid-back setting. Dress to impress in your most outrageous 80s outfit, and let's celebrate the era of big dreams and even bigger shoulder pads. Don't miss out—this is your chance to experience the 80s like never before!
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Courage and Mistakes: both are needed in public procurement and leadership. If we agree we need innovation, then we have to get comfortable with things not going exactly to plan and learn to rebound from that. Through story-telling and small group discussion, we are going to get real about mistakes made. Not the fluffy stuff, but the real-life, "I think I might get fired for this" kind of mistakes. Ready to be brave and dive in? This session is not for the faint of heart or those with egos, this session is for those who want to hear the honest stories of mistakes I've made and discuss how we can learn to embrace mistakes and conduct deep dives to learn from them (even when we are so embarrassed about the mistake - we want to hide in the bathroom stall). Learning Outcomes: Attendees will be able to name and own a mistake; Attendees will be able to review how they reacted to the mistake; Attendees will be able to review how they moved past the mistake; and Attendees will be able to plan to actively embrace mistakes, and learn and grow from them.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Unlock the secrets to successful vendor partnerships. Learn how to build trust, negotiate better deals, and improve communication for stronger, long-lasting relationships. Get hands-on tips, real-world examples, and discover how data can help you find the right vendors for your projects. Don’t miss out on this chance to boost your procurement success! Learning Outcomes: Understand how to build and maintain strong vendor-buyer relationships through clear communication, trust-building strategies, and networking opportunities such as vendor expos and lunch-and-learn sessions; Develop effective negotiation tactics to overcome obstacles and secure favorable procurement outcomes, leveraging insights gained from vendor expos and demo sessions; Identify opportunities for improvement using data-driven insights and surveys to optimize vendor selection, enhance performance, and ensure project success; Gain practical skills in conflict resolution and managing vendor relationships through real-world examples, including lessons from vendor expos and interactive demo sessions; and Learn best practices for conducting disparity studies, surveys, and other assessment tools to promote inclusivity and growth within the procurement process, leading to more diverse vendor partnerships.
• July 30, 2025
  Procurement professionals have long experienced interference from top elected or appointed officials while attempting to carry out acquisition strategies within clear policies and procedures. Add that kind of political power structure on top of the already mounting pressures of post-COVID supply chain issues, talent scarcity, and overly aggressive goals, and the perfect storm begins to brew. In this session, we will take your stories from the field and dissect them, helping you to identify and analyze the source of pressure, while offering sustainable mitigation tools to keep your procurement team out of the news cycle. Learning Outcomes: The Learner will identify and analyze sources of pressure as either political, geo-political, inflationary, or other; The Learner will use tools learned during the presentation to develop a systematic approach to mitigating risks from politicians, or pressures caused by inflation, the COVID-19 legacy, wars and conflicts, and stakeholders; and The Learner will create, implement, or enhance policies, procedures, and practices that support transparency in procurement and trust and confidence to sustain internal and external relationships.
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  Purchasing is happening in every entity it is just a matter of how. It is often handled by various departments, which may lead to inconsistencies in policies, procedures, and overall effectiveness. Engaging in this presentation will focus on how a public procurement professional joining an entity lacking a designated purchasing staff can build and improve procurement functions. We will examine the common obstacles procurement professionals face in a new environment, including policy gaps, lack of structure, competing interests, and the influence of pre-existing practices. Through the process, we will build a toolbox of resources for your success. Learning Outcomes: Discuss the process to evaluate existing policies and align them with organizational goals and legal requirements; Explore the steps to establish standardized templates and tools, such as RFPs and vendor communication protocols, and the many resources available; and Navigate change management and gain buy-in from stakeholders across departments.
• July 29, 2025
  Contract termination can be technical, but it does not have to be scary. This session will explore different types of contract termination, including termination for cause, termination for convenience, and mutual termination. Through real-world examples, participants will learn the skills to make informed decisions and mitigate risks regarding contract termination. Join us to build your confidence in managing contract terminations and avoid costly mistakes. Learning Objectives Identify the different contract termination types and their appropriate applications. Weigh the operational and legal implications of terminating a contract. Gain practical strategies to mitigate risks associated with contract termination decisions.
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Someone once said, “the best way to learn from mistakes is vicariously”. This session will help professionals (young and seasoned) do just that. For this session, conference organizers are encouraged to choose their most engaging members to participate in a panel discussion of seasoned procurement professionals to share stories of the highs and lows they experienced in their careers. Where did they start and what path did they follow to get to leadership? What hindrances did they successfully eliminate? What has been their biggest challenges? What mistakes created their biggest lessons? Have there been any regrets? What has been their most gratifying moments or procurements? What has been their lessons learned and what wisdom can they impart to younger professionals? A storyteller at heart, Stacy will serve as moderator to weave a patchwork of panel experiences into an intricate tapestry that tells the story of triumph and success. Not only will there be stories shared by panelists, but attendees will have time to ask questions and share their own experiences. While there will be lessons learned, the session promises to be fun, engaging, and inspired. Learning Outcomes: Meet and connect with other professionals build their network of professional resources; Review case studies of honest mistakes made by newer and sometimes veteran Procurement Officers; Discuss different approaches, which may have prevented the mistake, and approaches to resolve mistakes; and Learn the outcomes that the Procurement Officer took in each instance.
• July 29, 2025
  Join Delivering Results and Solutions (DRS) as we share several case studies demonstrating how we've helped our clients optimize their disaster recovery funding by establishing sound federal procurement and contracting practices.
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  From disengaged and stagnant, to purpose-driven and fully-activated, Seb's Performance and Transformation keynote will unlock peak performance, deep connection and purpose-driven collaboration in your individuals and teams. Sharing his inspiring personal story as well as his framework to help Unlock Limitless Possibility, Seb's profound and interactive keynote will create an environment for success and transformation through arming people with not only the agility to adapt to change, but the bravery to create, through re­ imaging what's possible. Audience Takeaways: Passion as a driving force for personal & professional performance Linking individual values to company purpose Creating environments for change, growth and evolution Strong alone. Better together: collaboration and community Holistic goal setting to unlock transformation The Ripple Effect: Serving others
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Are issues like chemical exposure, labor rights, climate change, equal opportunity and local economic growth important to your community and organization? Did you know that most organization’s abilities to address these issues and opportunities lies within its supply chain and procurement decisions? Join us to get an introduction to sustainable procurement – a strategy and set of best practices that promotes more sustainable procurement of goods and services, while providing additional organizational and end user benefits such as cost savings and supply chain resilience. Participants will have an opportunity to apply their learnings along the way by drafting an initial strategic sustainable procurement and supplier engagement plan with the support of their peers and SPLC’s expert coaches. Learning Outcomes: Learn the basics of sustainable procurement and a strategic program approach; Be able to identify best practices and begin to recognize how they address the environmental, social and economic sustainability impacts and opportunities of your organization; Understand the critical role stakeholders and organizational alignment plays in achieving success; Get hands-on practice applying these learnings to initiate and build out your organization’s sustainable procurement activities in order to maximize positive sustainability impacts and operational benefits; Develop a network of like-minded sustainable procurement peers to help further your program development and support its implementation.
• July 28, 2025
  Strong communication is the key to successful procurement. This session will provide practical strategies for engaging stakeholders early, managing evaluation committee discussions, and leading successful goal-oriented vendor negotiations. Join us to gain actionable insights, hear real-world success stories, and enhance your ability to drive collaboration and better procurement outcomes. Learning Outcomes: Develop stakeholder engagement strategies that align procurement objectives with project goals during the pre-solicitation phase; Apply best practices for managing evaluation committees to encourage collaboration and reach well-informed procurement decisions; Implement structured communication techniques to facilitate productive and goal-oriented vendor negotiations; Analyze real-world procurement scenarios to identify effective communication strategies and common pitfalls; and Enhance professional relationships by utilizing clear, consistent, and strategic communication throughout the procurement process.
• July 28, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Workshops on specification writing typically address the WHAT (content) and WHY (the reason the whats are important) of specification writing. This session addresses an area that most specification trainings do not address… the “HOW”. As we explore the HOWs, we will learn how to write clear, straightforward and easy to follow specifications. Attendees will be reminded how important basic grammar and basic organization are, and how poorly written specification can affect the outcome of a solicitation. Attendees will learn how to recognize and avoid some common pitfalls of specification writing: poor grammar, disorganization, being too bossy (for the sake of being bossy), lack of clarity and accuracy, and unnecessary repetition. Attendees will be able to apply the tactics discussed to their own specification writing by developing an understanding of how specifications should be organized in a manner to provide clear information in a well-organized manner. Attendees will develop the skills necessary to take a specification submitted by their customer and utilize the skills discussed in this session to make the document clear, concise and easier for their vendors to understand. Attendees will be encouraged to apply the skills discussed to their existing agency specification templates or to utilize the information learned to develop templates which can be share with their customers. By having clear templates to share with their customers, Purchasing staff time to review specifications can be significantly reduced.
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Theory is important, but seeing construction procurement best practices in action is where the real learning happens. In this session, we’ll examine real-world case studies, including an analysis of the Denver International Airport construction project, to understand how procurement challenges were successfully navigated using best practices. By breaking down each case into clear problem-solution-outcome frameworks, participants will gain actionable insights for applying lessons from previous sessions directly into their own procurement processes. Objectives: 1. Analyze real-world case studies to identify procurement best practices that address complex construction challenges 2. Develop actionable strategies for applying construction procurement best practices to current and future projects.
• July 30, 2025
  The post-award phase involves contract administration and contract closeout. This session will focus on contract oversight, handling performance issues and contract disputes, managing changes, and contract closeout. Participants will take part in hands-on exercises to acquire experience with performing the job tasks and competencies required to ensure satisfactory performance and bring a contract to a successful conclusion. Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the key areas of contract administration. 2. Explain the contract changes process. 3. Describe the process for managing performance issues. 4. Address contract disputes and claims. 5. Outline the steps in the contract closeout process.
• July 28, 2025
  This session explored the critical role of the supply chain in public procurement, specifically how vendors like Graybar help procurement professionals streamline their operations and address challenges such as product availability, logistics, and project delays. Graybar’s strategies and solutions for supporting public sector projects were emphasized, including the use of cooperative contracts and innovative technologies to optimize procurement processes.
• July 30, 2025
  Mentorship is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. Mentorship fosters skill development, knowledge sharing, guidance, and networking. In this interactive session, we’ll explore how to cultivate meaningful mentor-mentee relationships that drive success. Attendees will hear real stories from mentors and mentees in public procurement about the transformative impact of mentorship. Through engaging table discussions, participants will reflect on their own mentorship experiences and identify key qualities that make mentorship effective. Topics include: • What makes a great mentor in public procurement? • How can mentorship support personal and professional development? • What strategies can mentees use to maximize their mentorship experience? Additionally, we’ll introduce tools and strategies for finding, fostering, and sustaining successful mentorship relationships—whether through the NIGP Mentorship Program or other avenues. Walk away with actionable insights to develop a personalized mentorship plan and build a culture of mentorship in your professional journey. Learning Outcomes: Develop a personalized mentorship plan that identifies key skills, goals, and strategies for a successful mentoring relationship; and Apply best practices to establish and nurture meaningful mentorship connections that enhance professional growth.
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Embark upon an interactive mental wellness journey when you attend this two-part session! You will find space to engage in leadership round table discussions, and participate in wellness activities, curated for exploring self-care techniques, which will focus on creating a positive, supportive workplace. Learning Outcomes: Improve your leadership role by exploring new skills for modeling positive behaviors to support employee mental health and well-being; Identify a new tool and technique for improving your team's overall mental well-being; Develop an action plan for improving the overall mental wellness within your entity (department/team); and Identify a plan to improve your mental, and emotional well-being.
• July 29, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  In today's rapidly evolving landscape, procurement professionals face unprecedented challenges and opportunities. This dynamic workshop will delve into the critical intersection of innovation, leadership, and cooperative procurement, with a specific focus on the transformative potential and ethical considerations of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Hear from public sector leaders about how they are leveraging the supplier community and addressing the needs of small local businesses. Learning Outcomes: Embrace Innovation: Explore cutting-edge procurement technologies and discuss how to effectively integrate them into your agency's operations; Develop Strong Leadership: Gain insights from seasoned procurement leaders on fostering a culture of innovation within your organization, empowering your team, and navigating the complexities of change management; Unlock the Power of Cooperative Procurement: Learn how to leverage cooperative purchasing arrangements to access innovative solutions, drive economies of scale, and improve service delivery for your community; Understand the potential of AI: Discover how AI can revolutionize procurement processes, from supplier selection and contract management to risk mitigation and spend analysis; Address the ethical considerations: Explore the ethical implications of AI in procurement, including data privacy, bias mitigation, and responsible AI development; and Develop a responsible AI strategy: Learn how to identify the right AI applications for your agency, build trust with stakeholders, and ensure the ethical and responsible use of AI in your procurement processes.
• July 27, 2025
  The procurement workforce is constantly changing, and leaders often find themselves stepping into atypical roles – even as coaches. This session will dig into ways that procurement staff find themselves coaching others, whether its other purchasing staff, external departments, or vendors. The facilitator will first provide a framework for coaching and discuss ways participants find themselves acting as coaches. Participants will then break into groups of three for mini coaching simulations. After each simulation, there will be a brief debrief of the scenario, along with a close-out group reflection, encouraging participants to name their next steps in their development as coaches.
• July 30, 2025
  Procurement may operate behind the scenes, but its credibility should resonate at the highest levels of the organization. This session explores how procurement professionals can elevate their profile and become trusted advisors to external and internal stakeholder, including agency leadership through strategic communication, performance transparency, and intentional relationship-building.  Learn how to communicate value in ways that resonate with diverse audiences—from frontline departments to elected officials—while positioning procurement as a strategic partner in organizational decision-making.  Learn how to translate day-to-day successes into meaningful narratives that demonstrate value, influence decisions, and earn executive confidence.  If you’re ready for procurement to be heard, respected, and relied upon—this is your blueprint. 1. Recognize the importance of credibility in strengthening procurement’s influence across all levels of the organization. 2. Develop strategies to build trust and foster strong relationships with internal staff, external stakeholders, and agency leadership. 3. Identify strategies to position procurement as a strategic, solution-oriented partner in organizational planning and decision-making.
• July 28, 2025
  In this learning session, we show with the help of real-world examples and case studies, how AI based spend system is able to detect the duplicate payments and other non-compliant procurement spend. The data comes from ERP system, eProcurement systems, contract management systems, supplier portal, banks (pcard), diversity management portals, financial analysis, and other heterogeneous data sources. The data is scrubbed for quality tuning. Statistical techniques like regression is used impute missing data as needed. An AI based system learns over time and becomes more intelligent in detecting duplicate payments, and other non compliant spend that occurs because of negligence and fraud. Using real data we show step by step various different scenarios where non-compliant spend occurs and gets detected by the AI based spend analytics system. Without going into detection algorithms we explain in simple words how the AI system works, traces, monitors, and detects possible duplicate payments. Invoice data, PO data, EFT/check data, procurement data, requisition data, diversity and contract data help in detecting the duplicate payments. The learning session will expose participants to AI applications and behind the scene compliance monitoring and reporting techniques. Explore how an intelligent AI based Spend Analytics system work. Discover how an intelligent AI based Spend Analytics system detects duplicate payments and other non-compliant send items. Apply the knowledge gained to detect some of the duplicate payments based on presented scenarios and use cases.
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Join us for a story from the field highlighting how innovation, collaboration, and transparency led to a successful $13+ million alternate delivery project for three new park projects in a growing mid-sized city. This session brings together a unique panel of experts – the procurement officer, the best value expert consultant, and the awarded general contractor – to share their firsthand experience navigating a paradigm shift and committing to the process. We will provide an overview of the approach and share data collected throughout the project. Discover how transparency and the commitment to follow a transparent, simple, and metric-centered process for both procurement and project management led to a successful outcome! Learning Outcomes: Analyze how results-driven procurement and planning impact the outcome; Identify change management concepts to apply when challenging the status quo; and Identify strategies to maximize transparency and mitigate risk.
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Better Results, Better Relationships, Limitless Possibilities What do you get when you combine a background in leadership development with decades of corporate entertainment experience? You get something that is fun, engaging, and that builds a bridge between insight and actionable strategies to bring the best out of your people. This is what Ben Whiting's Creating a Limitless Culture™ keynote delivers. In addition to experiencing draw-dropping (and often hilarious) magic and mind reading, we will be able to instantly increase productivity through better communication, reduce drama by learning how to create and sustain quality relationships in the workplace, and learn to thrive amidst constant change with a simple mindset shift that will also help them find not just happiness, but fulfillment in our day-to-day work lives (all while having A LOT of fun!). Ben will give us the Blueprint to Create a Limitless Culture that will help people… Communicate in a way that increases productivity while minimizing drama Create quality relationships with colleagues, clients, and customers that can be leveraged for motivation and influence (and to reduce turnover!) Learn a simple mindset shift that when applied empowers us to thrive through change, courageous innovation, and find fulfillment in our work. Inspire with an unbelievably fun experience with lessons we will never forget!
• July 29, 2025
  The pre-award phase lays the groundwork for an effective procurement. This session will guide participants through the key steps involved in solicitation planning, performing market research, developing statements of work, and contracting methods and contract types. Using real-world case studies, participants will gain hands-on experience in building a strong foundation for procurement contracts. Learning Objectives: 1. Outline the steps in the typical market research cycle. 2. Explain the elements in a typical statement of work. 3. Apply the appropriate contracting method and contract type based on goals and risks. 4. Identify the components of a solicitation package.
• July 28, 2025
  To meet rising customer expectations, many government procurement professionals are interested in using generative AI to strengthen smart buying decisions, drive efficiencies, and create value for their organizations. Join us to learn more about available tools, including an AI-powered procurement solution developed by California Polytechnic State University’s Digital Transformation Hub with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The solution, “ScopeBuilder,” uses generative AI to assist procurement staff in scope development for contracts, Bids, and RFPs, and help create high-quality Statements of Work.
• July 28, 2025
  Public entities often work within pre-drafted contract templates, but some clauses can be negotiated or modified to better align with agency goals and risk tolerance. This session will explore when and how to negotiate contract terms such as indemnification, intellectual property rights, and confidentiality. Participants will engage in interactive exercises where they evaluate examples of indemnity, intellectual property rights, governing law, and other situational clauses to determine their fairness, potential burdens, and insurability issues. Additionally, participants will identify and propose modifications to standard contract clauses. Learning Objectives 1. Identify key contract clauses that may be subject to negotiation in public procurement. 2. Evaluate the benefits and risks of modifying specific contractual terms.
• July 28, 2025
  Learn about the Canon you didn’t know and how evolving industry trends/cooperative purchasing contracts can simplify procurement and drive efficiency. Explore the latest innovations in technology designed to streamline operations, maximize value for government and education institutions while meeting industry standards. Plus, stick around for a fun, interactive game with a chance to win fabulous prizes!
• July 29, 2025
  Procuring human services can be complex and challenging. Join this session where presenters will walk attendees through a timeline-based case study of Multnomah County’s RFP for the SUN Service System, a large, $14.6M human/personal services system focused on supporting the success of children and families. Participants will learn about the considerations in leading a human services procurement, including: Incorporating community input; Supporting small emerging businesses; Facilitating evaluation panels; Debriefing suppliers and elected officials; and Contract development, administration and monitoring Attendees will hear about strategies that were used, and examples and methods that can be applied in daily procurement practice, including Multnomah County's Interactive RFP Timeline Tool. Learning Outcomes: Attendees will be able to design and manage RFPs that fully outline what skills/qualities/attributes are required for operating a large human services system procurement process; Attendees will be able to develop and implement quality performance measures as they relate to human services, as well as analyze resulting data; Attendees will be able to gain skills and tips for communicating with a broad group of stakeholders, including coordinating and communicating with elected officials; and Attendees will learn approaches for developing and managing scoring methodologies for a complex RFP process, managing multiple evaluation panels, and conducting meaningful de-brief sessions for suppliers.
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Public procurement is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by shifting regulations, rapid technological advancements, changing leadership priorities, and increasing stakeholder demands. Navigating this dynamic landscape requires more than compliance, it demands insight, adaptability, and a commitment to innovation. This session will explore actionable strategies for building a procurement team that doesn’t just respond to change but anticipates and leads it. Learn how to foster resilience, enhance agility, and create a culture of collaboration that empowers your team to thrive amid uncertainty. Join us to discover how procurement professionals can move beyond reactive approaches and become architects of progress in their organizations. Learning Outcomes: Understand the concepts of resilience and agility and how they impact procurement success; Gain tools to assess their team’s current capabilities and identify areas for improvement; Learn strategies to upskill their teams, integrate technology effectively, and build stronger stakeholder relationships; and Leave with a practical checklist for implementing resilience and agility-building measures within their own organizations.
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Ready to level up your negotiation game? In this session, you'll learn practical tools and strategies to prepare for negotiations that create real value, not just victories. We'll cover researching contracts, defining your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA), identifying non-negotiables, and building decision-making frameworks. You'll also learn how balancing confidence, mission-focus, and organizational alignment can transform your outcomes. Objectives: • Define and leverage your BATNA to strengthen your negotiation position. • Identify essential, non-negotiable terms and understand their impact to your organization. • Develop targeted questions, decision trees, and if/then frameworks to manage negotiation scenarios proactively. • Balance assertiveness, mission alignment, and organizational purpose to achieve optimal negotiation outcomes.
• July 30, 2025
  The Stress Wisely approach is a kind-hearted reckoning against everything we have learned about stress, delivered as a knockout punch. Dr. Robyne, with her signature honesty, humor, relatability, and gift of translating scientific research, invites you to lean into the parts of you that intuitively know there must be a better way to achieve greatness in both livelihood and lifestyle. Using the eight realms of wellness, Dr. Robyne presents deep-yet clear and concise-insights and strategies that are instantly actionable. Learn to harness stress as an ally, not an adversary, and elevate your capacity for peak performance and resilience. It’s time to stress wisely and live well. Audience members learn to transform their relationship with stress, gaining actionable strategies to harness it as a powerful ally for achieving peak performance and enhanced resilience.
• July 30, 2025
  Today’s headlines are dominated by discussions of tariffs—threats of new ones, implementation of existing ones, reciprocal tariffs, quotas, and other national-level market control measures. Whether merely proposed or actively enforced, tariffs can disrupt markets in significant ways. Bidders often respond to tariff uncertainty by either avoiding opportunities altogether or including risk premiums in their bids to hedge against potential future tariffs. Contractors may seek price adjustments or even cancel contracts, while buyers face escalating costs and the possible loss of key suppliers. This seminar will explore strategies to proactively and fairly manage these risks: • Explain how tariffs and risk premiums function and influence markets • Discuss both proactive and reactive strategies for managing price adjustment requests due to tariff changes • Offer tools to anticipate and manage the pricing impact of potential tariff changes—whether imposed or lifted—on current and future contracts Learning Outcomes: Understand and articulate the effects of tariffs on markets and government contracts Develop strategies for addressing price adjustment requests during contract administration Apply risk management tools, including tailored contractual clauses, to mitigate the impact of tariffs on both current contractors and future bids
• July 30, 2025
  As public procurement continues to evolve, agencies must navigate the challenges of modernizing processes while ensuring compliance, efficiency, and stakeholder buy-in. AI, automation, and e-procurement systems offer powerful solutions, but successful implementation requires strategic planning and an understanding of best practices. This session brings together a panel of experienced procurement professionals and technology leaders with firsthand experience in driving procurement modernization across government agencies and public institutions. Through real-world insights and lessons learned, they will explore: ● Best practices for selecting and implementing e-procurement solutions while avoiding common pitfalls. ● Strategies for overcoming internal challenges, managing change, and securing stakeholder support. ● The future of procurement technology, including AI-driven automation and its impact on public sector purchasing. Along with prizes for in-person attendees and everyone in attendance being entered into an exciting raffle, attendees will gain actionable takeaways to help modernize their procurement processes, whether they are selecting new technology, refining existing systems, or preparing for future advancements. This is an opportunity to learn from experts who have successfully navigated procurement transformation and are helping to shape the next era of public sector purchasing. Apply Best Practices for E-Procurement Software Selection & Implementation – Learn strategies for successful adoption of e-procurement systems, avoiding common mistakes, and ensuring internal stakeholder buy-in. Navigate Organizational & Internal Challenges – Gain understanding into the dynamics of procurement reform in large and small agencies, learning how to address resistance to change and drive modernization efforts. Assess the Future of Procurement Technology – Develop actionable insights into emerging trends in AI, automation, and e-procurement systems that will shape public procurement in the coming years.
• July 28, 2025
  This brand-new presentation, set up like an HGTV cooking show, will compare cooking with developing a good cooperative procurement recipe! Sharing key ingredients for conducting due diligence, with a pinch or two of insights into how good procurement teams use these contracts. Favorite recipes and cooking tips will be tied into cooperative purchasing strategies. Fun and interactive, this cooking show will host contestants that include a cooperative, a supplier and a public procurement chef. Learning Outcomes: Discover the top questions to ask before using a cooperative contract; Know the key ingredients for a successful strategy; Spice up your current procurement policies with new insights; and Find out about free recipe resources to continue your learning journey.
• July 29, 2025
  Procurement professionals in the public sector face unique challenges — tight budgets, lengthy RFP processes, and growing demands to maximize limited resources. This session is designed to educate public agency procurement leaders on how to become champions within their organizations. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the evolving RFP landscape, how to leverage cooperative purchasing and other resources to maximize benefit and discover actionable strategies to transform procurement into a value-generating function. Whether your agency is large or small, you'll leave with practical insights to foster innovation and contribute to your agency’s overall growth. This session will ensure purchasing professionals understand how to do their job more efficiently by leveraging the available tools, like spend analytics, to maximize efficiency and drive savings. Learning Outcomes: Navigate the Evolving RFP Landscape: Examine the financial implications and emerging challenges that public procurement professionals will face in 2025 and know how to stay ahead; Positioning Procurement as a Strategic Function: Learn strategies to effectively communicate the value of procurement as a strategic asset within your agency. Hear stories from peers who successfully transformed their procurement functions and the measurable outcomes they achieved; and Maximize Your Cooperative Purchasing Organization: Identify common pitfalls in cooperative purchasing and apply best practices to maximize benefits, ensuring competitive pricing, clear expectations, open communication, and effective partnerships.
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  In this session, we’ll start by reviewing the key tools, frameworks, and wins from Sessions 1–3. Then, we’ll dig into common roadblocks that derail negotiations and counter negative tactics deployed to throw you. We will develop a resilience playbook that lets you pivot your negotiations from setback to success. Objectives: 1. Review tools and strategies from Sessions 1–3 2. Counter negative negotiation tactics 3. Implement strategies for overcoming barriers to successful negotiation planning
• July 30, 2025
  Join this dynamic session designed for public procurement professionals who procure using federal grant funds as we dive into the latest Uniform Guidance and explore practical insights for integrating local and federal requirements into your procurement functions. Explore real life approaches through activities, group discussions, and hands-on exercises, aiming for long-term workplace success. Obtain answers to your real-life questions! Learning Outcomes: Comprehend the latest changes in Uniform Guidance; Craft the required language to include in your federally funded procurements; Identify the allowed procurement methods and the allowed contract types; Understand major Davis Bacon principles and identify wage classifications for projects; and Recognize what Cost Analysis, Price Analysis and Independent Cost Estimate are and when they are required.
• July 30, 2025
  Join members of the NIGP Certification Commission for an interactive panel discussion on the evolution and impact of the NIGP Certified Procurement Professional (NIGP-CPP) certification. Learn firsthand how this ANAB-accredited credential enhances career opportunities, reinforces ethical procurement practices, and aligns with the evolving complexities of the profession. Panelists will share their certification journeys, discuss best practices, and answer your questions about the value of becoming an NIGP-CPP. Learning Outcomes: Explain the evolution of the NIGP-CPP certification and its significance in public procurement; Provide information about the recent changes in eligibility, updates to the Exam Content Outline and testing, and changes to the application policies and timelines for the NIGP-CPP; Recognize the career benefits of earning the ANAB-accredited NIGP-CPP certification; Identify how certification reinforces ethical standards and best practices in procurement; Explore strategies for leveraging certification to advance within the profession; and Engage in an informed discussion about the certification process, requirements, and long-term professional growth.
• July 30, 2025
  The future of public procurement is driven by data—but how do we translate raw numbers into strategic action? In this dynamic session, Marcheta Gillespie and Al Hleileh will unpack the power of procurement analytics, from foundational insights to advanced AI-driven forecasting. We’ll dive into real-world examples of spend analysis, supplier performance, and risk assessment—showing how agencies can cut costs, drive efficiency, and enhance compliance. Expect an interactive experience where we’ll explore the full analytics lifecycle, tackle implementation challenges, and discuss the future of AI in procurement. Join us to unlock smarter decision-making and next-level procurement strategy.
• July 27, 2025
  Join us for an interactive session on how highly involved management can build high-performing teams and drive organizational success. Learn how effective leadership, coaching, mentoring, and succession planning can transform team dynamics, enhance collaboration, and ensure long-term growth. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable strategies for fostering a culture of engagement, performance, and continuous learning. Learning Outcomes: Identify key strategies for involving management in decision-making that enhance employee engagement, communication, and collaboration, resulting in improved team performance and alignment with organizational goals; Design and implement a coaching and mentoring program within their teams to foster employee skill development, support growth, and build a high-performance culture; Evaluate and develop a succession planning framework that identifies and nurtures top talent, ensuring a pipeline of capable leaders to support long-term strategic growth and organizational sustainability; Apply techniques to promote constructive interaction and knowledge-sharing within teams, leading to increased goal commitment, task achievement, and overall team success; and Measure the impact of highly involved management on team dynamics and organizational performance by assessing improvements in collaboration, skill development, and alignment with strategic objectives.
• July 30, 2025
  The award phase of the contract life cycle involves the tasks and actions performed after receipt of offers to produce an awarded contract. This session will explore price and cost analysis, negotiations, selecting a source, and debriefing offerors. Participants will engage in interactive exercises to analyze proposals and determine the most advantageous contract award decisions. Learning Objectives: 1. Utilize cost analysis and price analysis to support fair and reasonable price determinations. 2. Apply tradeoff and Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) selection methods in proposal evaluations. 3. Analyze documentation of source selection decisions. 4. Develop a negotiation plan. 5. Explain the purpose and information provided during debriefings.
• July 27, 2025
  Strong leadership isn’t an accident — you must build intentional systems to drive accountability, innovation, and alignment. Explore how a structured leadership approach enhances communication, decision-making, and employee development at all levels of an organization. Through real-world examples, including Sourcewell’s successful implementation, attendees will gain actionable strategies to fuel organizational success. Learning Outcomes: Understand the Fundamentals of an Intentional Leadership System – Define what a leadership system is, its key components, and how to fully use it to influence decision-making, communication, and organizational success; Recognize the Benefits of Intentional Leadership – Explore how a structured leadership approach enhances accountability, employee development, and alignment with your organization’s mission and values; Learn Strategies for Effective Implementation – Identify the necessary steps, tools, and resources for successfully developing and embedding a leadership system within your organization; and Overcome Common Leadership Challenges – Discover practical solutions to address barriers in leadership development and system implementation, ensuring long-term success.
• July 30, 2025
  Join this dynamic session designed for public procurement professionals who procure using federal grant funds as we dive into the latest Uniform Guidance and explore practical insights for integrating local and federal requirements into your procurement functions. Explore real life approaches through activities, group discussions, and hands-on exercises, aiming for long-term workplace success. Obtain answers to your real-life questions! Learning Outcomes: Comprehend the latest changes in Uniform Guidance; Craft the required language to include in your federally funded procurements; Identify the allowed procurement methods and the allowed contract types; Understand major Davis Bacon principles and identify wage classifications for projects; and Recognize what Cost Analysis, Price Analysis and Independent Cost Estimate are and when they are required.
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  We have all faced the storms of change as individuals, teams, departments, and/or entities. Storms are disruptions that can cause significant damage and/or reveal hidden opportunities. How we forecast the storm, prepare for it, navigate through it, and recover from it all hold the keys to success. While participants will be reminded of the five stages of group development (forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning), we will focus on the storming phase and how best to lead through it (whether you are in charge or not). Learning Outcomes: Participants will examine tactics to better forecast, prepare, navigate, and recover during the storm of change; Participants will identify and explore leadership skills and characteristics that are effective when leading through change; and After participating in the session, participants will be able to analyze various lessons learned, and applications of the same, when going through a storm of change.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Success is close, with a few remaining items to agree on. This is still about preparations to create as close to a win/win for both parties as possible and remembering not to allow “the perfect” to get in the way of good. Practice compromise, using the tools from Session 1, without classifying it as a loss or failure, expanding where value can be achieved by both parties instead of sacrificing more of the pie, and get more pie to negotiate over. Objectives: • Apply negotiation tools to support compromise and expand value creation, ensuring both parties benefit by increasing available opportunities rather than viewing concessions as losses. • Implement the zone of agreement, where success is not at a single point; it's between the minimum one party is willing to accept and the maximum another party is willing to offer. • Integrate key negotiation points early in the process to set expectations and reduce potential conflicts.
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Step into this engaging session where leadership meets the dynamic world of public procurement. Led by George Barber, a former professional baseball player turned Chief Procurement Officer, this session blends real-world sports experiences with academic research to uncover what truly drives effective leadership in government. Explore how leadership styles, trust-building, and autonomy shape team performance while addressing common misconceptions in public procurement. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and hands-on exercises, attendees will gain actionable strategies to elevate their leadership impact and enhance organizational success. Learning Outcomes: Evaluate how leadership styles and actions influence team performance, morale, and productivity in government settings; Design strategies to build trust, foster autonomy, and empower procurement teams to perform at their highest potential; Implement proven methods to identify and address leadership gaps, challenge procurement misconceptions, and drive continuous improvement in public organizations; Create a personal leadership development plan grounded in academic research, real-life examples, and best practices from both sports and public service; and Inspire with purpose by translating key leadership principles into practical actions that inspire teams and improve procurement outcomes.
• July 27, 2025
  Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects can present major challenges for organizations and many face risk of cost overruns, delays, difficulty in dealing with change, testing failures, business continuity and more. This session will focus on key risk areas within ERP contracts. GFOA assists local governments with contract negotiations and will draw from this experience to highlight current examples, market trends, and successful negotiation strategies. All ERP projects should have a detailed statement of work and contract that provides protection with milestone payments, clear deliverables, service level agreements, and other tools for accountability. In addition, the workshop will use interactive exercises and real examples to highlight common industry terms and strategies for negotiating away unfavorable terms found in most supplier contract templates that lead to changer orders. Learning Objectives: Understand the most common risks with ERP contracts Learn how to identify and negotiate unfavorable terms Evaluate contracts risks and communicate impacts to key stakeholders Understand essential components of an ERP contract to promote accountability
• July 29, 2025
  Are issues like chemical exposure, labor rights, climate change, equal opportunity and local economic growth important to your community and organization? Did you know that most organization’s abilities to address these issues and opportunities lies within its supply chain and procurement decisions? Join us to get an introduction to sustainable procurement – a strategy and set of best practices that promotes more sustainable procurement of goods and services, while providing additional organizational and end user benefits such as cost savings and supply chain resilience. Participants will have an opportunity to apply their learnings along the way by drafting an initial strategic sustainable procurement and supplier engagement plan with the support of their peers and SPLC’s expert coaches. Learning Outcomes: Learn the basics of sustainable procurement and a strategic program approach; Be able to identify best practices and begin to recognize how they address the environmental, social and economic sustainability impacts and opportunities of your organization; Understand the critical role stakeholders and organizational alignment plays in achieving success; Get hands-on practice applying these learnings to initiate and build out your organization’s sustainable procurement activities in order to maximize positive sustainability impacts and operational benefits; and Develop a network of like-minded sustainable procurement peers to help further your program development and support its implementation.
• July 25, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how government agencies deliver services, offering the potential for greater efficiency, accessibility, and responsiveness. But how can public agencies adopt AI effectively while ensuring its safe and ethical use? Join the GovAI Coalition, a volunteer coalition of over 500 public agencies, for a dynamic session exploring how procurement professionals can help their agencies adopt cutting-edge AI technology safely, efficiently, and responsibly. Through real-world examples, we’ll explore strategies for collaborating with technologists and other public agencies to shape solution requirements and terms, including how to leverage a shared contract repository to discover best practices and cooperative purchasing opportunities from across the country. Learn how you can tap into the expertise of the growing community of agencies adopting AI – and contribute your own experiences, too! Learning Outcomes: Gain insights into how procurement teams can effectively collaborate with technologists to shape AI requirements and mitigate potential risks; Learn how to access and utilize a shared contract hub to identify cooperative purchasing opportunities and adopt best practices for AI procurement; and Discover ways to tap into a network of public procurement experts to accelerate AI adoption and contribute to a growing body of collective expertise
• July 29, 2025
  A well-structured set of solicitation documents provides the foundation for a successful construction procurement. This session will cover best practices for drafting clear, fair, and reasonable solicitations that attract qualified contractors, support fair and reasonable competition, and lead to accurate proposals. We’ll discuss how to effectively communicate the procurement process—through advertising, outreach, and direct solicitation—to ensure strong proposer engagement. Attendees will also explore the role specifications and the use of basis of design in shaping project outcomes. Whether you're refining your solicitation approach or tackling challenges in contractor engagement, this session will provide actionable strategies to improve transparency, competition, and project success. 1. Implement essential elements of a strong set of solicitation documents and how those documents can drive interest and participation. 2. Avoid solicitation documents that can negatively impact fair and open competition, limit participation, and increase the risk of a protest.
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Join us in demystifying procurement in this interactive session that explores the concept of adopting a mindset that avoids deflection, focuses on problem-solving, and encourages perseverance without blaming external factors to avoid the common phase of “Its Held up in Procurement?” Join us for an interactive session where we break down the procurement process and explore how adopting a proactive mindset—one that emphasizes accountability, problem-solving, and persistence—can help you avoid the all-too-common excuse of “It's held up in procurement.” Discover innovative strategies through case studies, group discussions, and practical exercises, all focused on fueling the “No Excuses’ Mindset.” Learning Outcomes: Identify Key Pitfalls Leading to Procurement Delays: Understand the common obstacles that contribute to the culture of “It’s Held up in Procurement.” Pinpoint the underlying issues that cause delays and inefficiencies within the procurement process; Evaluate the Procurement Structure: Assess the foundational structure of procurement within your agency. Review the workflow, key stakeholders, and communication channels to identify areas for improvement or inefficiencies; Develop Case Study-Based Solutions: Utilize case studies to explore real-world scenarios and draft potential solutions to overcome the roadblocks within the procurement process. Focus on actionable strategies that have proven successful in similar settings; Create a Communication and Collaboration Strategy: Design a strategic playbook for improving communication and collaboration within your agency. Focus on establishing clear lines of communication and fostering a collaborative culture that minimizes misunderstandings and delays; and Implement a “No Excuses” Mindset: Develop a comprehensive action plan to instill a “No Excuses” mindset throughout your agency. Encourage accountability, proactivity, and problem-solving at all levels to promote a results-oriented culture.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Ever had a negotiation spiral out of control? In this session, you'll learn to stay composed, maintain control, and navigate even the toughest procurement conversations. We'll explore how to recognize and diffuse non-productive tension, know when to pause or step away, identify hidden pitfalls, and handle hostility effectively, keeping you cool under pressure. Objectives: • Identify and strategically leverage opportunities, even in difficult or hostile negotiations. • Recognize and address risky or unproductive behavior within your negotiation team. • Determine when to pause negotiations and when walking away is the best option. • Spot hidden pitfalls early to mitigate their impact.
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  As the 80th anniversary celebration comes to a close, we still have lots of Forum stories and memories to share – some humorous – some life-changing – always inspiring. In advance of the Forum dates, Rick will ask attendees to share the “funny thing that happened on the way to the Forum” (borrowing from a title of a 1966 musical comedy that appeared on Broadway and in cinema). The best stories will make it to the stage Wednesday afternoon – and Rick will insert some colorful memories of his own stories. But the story-telling doesn’t begin or end with the Forum. For 28 years, Rick has listened to member stories and has witnessed countless careers flourish. These stories offer a composite of experiences, friendships, challenges, mentorships, and successes that have touched our lives – and they have become the blueprint for Rick’s life lessons that he will share with you during his final walk on the NIGP stage.
• July 30, 2025
  How to lead and influence without formal power. Leadership is not confined to titles or positions; it is about mindset, actions, and the ability to influence from any role. Learning Outcomes: Identify opportunities to influence and lead from any role by recognizing how their daily actions contribute to organizational success; Develop essential leadership skills—communication, adaptability, and decision-making—to enhance their impact and professional growth; and Create a personal leadership action plan using insights from interactive discussions and real-world procurement examples to drive influence in their organization.
• July 28, 2025
  Choosing the right procurement method is just the beginning. Understanding and managing risk throughout the project lifecycle is critical for success. In this session, we’ll walk through how to identify, assess, and mitigate risks after the procurement strategy is set. We will explore practical approaches to contract risks, supplier performance issues, construction delays, price escalation, and regulatory challenges. Through case studies and interactive exercises, participants will be prepared to turn potential threats into strategic advantages. 1. Analyze how different procurement methods (like Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, CMAR) influence post-selection risk exposure. 2. Equip participants with the ability to identify and manage key procurement risks that emerge after a procurement method has been selected. 3. Analyze the various construction procurement tools for monitoring and controlling procurement risks. (Making your procurement audit proof)
• July 29, 2025
• July 24, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Join us as we delve into the importance of vendor debriefs in the procurement process. Learn how these discussions can not only help vendors understand their strengths and areas for improvement, but also create a pathway for better future proposals. Participants will also have the chance to learn and share their tips and tricks when preparing for vendor debriefs. Learning Outcomes: Discover why vendor debriefs are crucial to foster transparency and continuous improvement; Learn key elements of a successful debrief; and Provide strategies on how to have challenging conversations during debriefs.
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Contracting begins when a need is identified and ends with contract closeout. This session will provide an overview of the three phases of the contract life cycle – Pre-Award, Award, and Post-Award. Participants will explore the guiding principles that apply to all phases of the contract life cycle and provide the framework for successful contract management. Learning Objectives: 1. Identify each phase of the contract life cycle. 2. Describe the guiding principles and their importance in successful contract management.
• July 27, 2025
  Successful procurement hinges on understanding your end-users/stakeholders and funding sources. In this session, we'll examine various procurement methods, the origins of contractors (public/private), and the importance of strategic outreach. Additionally, we'll explore the unique rules tied to funding sources and highlight why grasping these rules early can prevent future issues. 1. Analyze the various construction procurement methods available and determine which method best suits the needs of their organization. (Making your procurement audit proof) 2. Adhere to the specific rules associated with different funding sources (Federal, State, Local, Grants) to ensure compliance and minimize risks.
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  Update NIGP members on the New Capabilities that Home Depot has in our Pro Eco System to better serve their procurement needs and shop the way that you want to shop with your Suppliers. Come attend the event and learn how to save time and money with the Home Depot
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Explore how socially responsible procurement is reshaping public procurement by expanding opportunities for suppliers. This session will cover key tools and real-life strategies for fostering and expanding small business participation. Learn how these capabilities help drive compliance and make a meaningful impact on your community. Learning Outcomes: Discover how and why agencies are putting the more emphasis on encouraging small vendor participation; Learn what local, small businesses are saying are obstacles to do business with governments; and Discover and make small changes to educate small suppliers to eliminate perceived barriers
• July 30, 2025
  Government entities often have discretion in waiving minor informalities in procurement decisions. This session will explore the legal boundaries of agency discretion by reviewing key case law examples and best practices for waiver decisions. Participants will engage in scenario-based discussions and determine when it is in an agency’s best interest to waive a minor informality or enforce strict compliance. Objectives 1. Analyze relevant case law to determine when waiving a minor informality is legally permissible. 2. Evaluate agency discretion in procurement decisions and its impact on fairness and compliance. 3. Apply judgment in deciding whether to waive minor irregularities in procurement decisions.
• July 29, 2025
  Join this engaging discussion, as the NIGP Business Council hosts a panel of practitioners and suppliers speaking on the 2025 NBC White Paper "Optimizing Procurement Operations: Strategies for Enhanced Efficiency and Effectiveness". Discover how building efficiencies in government can enhance public trust, improve operations, attract innovative suppliers, and drive significant cost savings. Learn to view suppliers as strategic partners, ready to collaborate with government procurement in improving service to our collective communities. Gain insights into effective business operation practices, efficient resource utilization, leveraging data analytics, and conducting risk assessments to measure success. This session will equip you with actionable strategies to enhance your entity's performance and foster a collaborative environment between government entities and suppliers. Don't miss this opportunity to revolutionize your procurement operations!
• July 28, 2025
  The four Caring Leadership principles delivered in this interactive experience serve as a powerful reminder of every leader's responsibility to uplift their team and organization and drive real business results. Built around the framework of Lead Yourself, Lead Your Team, Lead Your Industry, this keynote will develop leaders who inspire loyalty and retention. The audience will leave with: Strategies to inspire loyalty by becoming more present, caring, and compassionate A practical understanding of the concrete actions they can take to uplift and engage those they lead Deep insights into the positive power they possess to create a culture of caring at work
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Continuing the theme of cooking, this session will share how rare ingredients, arduous instructions, or making a dish from scratch can be challenging. The same could be said by conducting your own bid or RFP process. Discover the right recipes for tackling federal funding requirements, construction projects, pricing determinations and learning to navigate with limited resources and time. There is no magical crock pot to take care of your tough issues. However, learning new skill sets during this more advance session will guide your team on that next culinary cooperative adventure. Gain insights into the due diligence needed when using federal funds Learn better prep with cost-to-procure tools Mix and match consulting, installation and construction contracts Practice making tough decision through provided scenarios

• July 29, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  In today’s rapidly evolving IT hardware and software landscapes, understanding the complexities of tariffs, procurement constraints, and shifting policy environments is more important than ever. Join Southern Computer Warehouse (SCW) for an insightful discussion that unlocks the often-overlooked challenges in IT procurement. We’ll explore how tariffs, regulatory changes, and contract structures impact purchasing decisions and vendor relationships. You'll gain practical insights into navigating procurement roadblocks, managing lead times, ensuring compliance, and adapting to evolving policies — all while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness to stay ahead in a constantly shifting market.
• July 27, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Public Procurement Professional and Umpire, two professions that couldn't seem further apart from one another. However, it was the training received as a fastpitch softball umpire that helped with the transition to becoming a Public Procurement Professional. Join me for an intriguing look at how 28 years of umpiring prepared me for the procurement world. Learning Outcomes: Attendees will gain knowledge of how to use material presented in their own operations; Attendees will learn to use life experiences to plan for future success; Attendees will learn about preparation, presentation, and implementation of rules and guidelines in their own work; and Attendees will learn the importance of believing in themselves, even if no one else does.
• July 30, 2025
  This learning session draws from the legendary resilience of Tina Turner, highlighting her incredible journey of turning adversity into triumph. Using her life story and iconic songs as a guide, as well as personal experiences from the presenters, you’ll explore how obstacles—like navigating difficult leadership dynamics—can ignite creativity, drive collaboration, and fuel success. Be inspired to turn setbacks into comebacks with confidence and grace. Together, we’ll celebrate the power of perseverance to turn adversity into opportunity—just like Tina did! Learning Outcomes: Learn to trust your intuition in navigating challenges and seizing opportunities; Build resilience and harness collaborative experiences to tackle present threats and anticipate future challenges; and Recognize your worth and leverage adversity to innovate and thrive.
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  The field of public procurement is often misunderstood. Many organizations consider procurement a back-office clerical function. However, public procurement is much more than a clerical function, it’s a strategic powerhouse that drives efficiency, cost savings, and innovation. Public Procurement has transformed into a strategic partner and responsible for being stewards of maximizing the value of public spend through relationships with our stakeholders and suppliers. However, many procurement teams operate under finance leadership, limiting their influence and visibility. As a division of Finance, Procurement is not always valued as much as their finance counterparts. However, the procurement professionals are required to hold many of the same qualifications of their finance counterparts, including advanced degrees, certification, continued education, etc. In addition, procurement professionals are key collaborators building cross functional relationships with other departments and the supplier community. In this session, procurement professionals will explore strategies to enhance collaboration with finance while advocating for procurement’s independence as a standalone function. Attendees will gain actionable tools to assess procurement’s current position, communicate its value to leadership, and develop stronger cross-departmental partnership. This session provides the insights and practical steps to elevate procurement’s role in public sector organizations. Learning Outcomes Assess procurement’s strategic impact and identify areas for increased influence; Apply effective communication strategies to gain executive leadership buy-in; Develop a metrics-driven case for elevating procurement’s role; Implement professional development strategies to enhance procurement’s visibility; and Strengthen collaboration with finance while advocating for procurement’s independence.
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects provide opportunities to upgrade technology, modernize processes and policy, adopt best practices, and transform administrative practices and outcomes throughout an organization. ERP projects are also high profile, expensive, and difficult. They require coordination and alignment between vendor and staff resources. Procurement professionals can serve a critical role in using the procurement process to drive readiness activities and make the right selection for ERP supplier. Focus will be on establishing outcome oriented requirements that can be used to help select the best value supplier. In addition, the session will highlight strategies to manage the evaluation team, define a process for evaluating proposals, and navigate the selection process with emphasis on reducing bias and properly weighing key decision factors. GFOA has done recent research into behavioral science, and decision architecture that will be used as basis for group activities. Learning Outcomes: • Understand the importance of readiness and an effective procurement process in preparing the organization for an ERP project • Develop strategies for defining evaluation criteria and structuring an evaluation process • Facilitate the procurement process to reduce potential bias and make fair determination of best value • Help reduce implementation risk
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Join us for an engaging session on navigating the challenges of implementing an e-procurement system under tight deadlines! We’ll explore practical change management strategies, focusing on how to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders, secure buy-in from key departments by incorporating their feedback, and ensure smooth integration of solicitation documents into the system. Plus, we’ll dive into the essentials of training staff on the new platform and share valuable lessons learned post-launch. You’ll leave with actionable insights on how to continue improving after implementation, ensuring long-term success for your team and organization. Learning Outcomes: Identify and describe the key steps in implementing an e-procurement system; Apply effective communication strategies to secure buy-in from key stakeholders; and Evaluate the ongoing needs for change and improvement of an e-procurement system after implementation.
• July 29, 2025
  Embark upon an interactive mental wellness journey when you attend this two-part session! You will find space to engage in leadership round table discussions, and participate in wellness activities, curated for exploring self-care techniques, which will focus on creating a positive, supportive workplace. • Improve your leadership role by exploring new skills for modeling positive behaviors to support employee mental health and well-being; • Identify a new tool and technique for improving your team's overall mental well-being; • Develop an action plan for improving the overall mental wellness within your entity (department/team); and • Identify a plan to improve your mental, and emotional well-being.
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Session participants will learn different methods to confidently advise their Evaluation Committee (EC) on their roles, responsibilities, and how their contributions aid in the success of the procurement process. This learning session will include interactive practical exercises and activities. Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to provide clear expectations and instructions, to their Evaluation Committee (EC) team; Participants will be able to have a clear system and process in place that includes providing guidance on applicable procurement, confidentiality, and conflict of interest principals; Participants will be able to develop agency specific specialized evaluation committee documents that may include: Welcome (initial) messaging outlining roles and responsibilities; supplemental messaging for each key stage of the process; RFP Evaluation Committee Guidelines Document; Initial EC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Form (Part A); Continuation of EC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Form once firms have been identified (Part B); EC Kick off Meeting Agenda and Memo; and Participants will be able to assess what method or methods should be utilized for each procurement, that includes providing guidance on applicable procurement, confidentiality, and conflict of interest principals.
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  Objective: The primary goal of this facilitated discussion is to delve into key aspects of ground transportation management. Participants will gain insights into optimizing operational efficiencies as it relates to fleet management, car rental, truck rental, mileage reimbursement solutions and more
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  In the realm of public sector procurement, the intricate process of acquisition plays a pivotal role in the functioning of governmental operations. This session will provide an engaging and thought-provoking conversation with the authors of the recently published Introduction to Procurement in the public sector, a comprehensive book that delves into the nuances of this essential subject. The authors have about 100 years of combined public procurement experience. Their insights will shed light on the multifaceted nature of procurement, illuminating the challenges and opportunities that lie therein. Through their expert lens, participants will be taken on a journey that explores the strategic methodologies, regulatory frameworks, and ethical considerations that underpin successful procurement practices in the public sector. Learning Objectives: Engage with the Authors Discuss the authors' insights and experiences in the field. Understand the challenges and opportunities in public procurement. Discuss the main themes of the book and examine real-world procurement challenges faced by the public sector, while exploring potential solutions with the authors. Explore Best Practices Learn effective procurement strategies and techniques Discover best practices and strategies to ensure efficient and transparent procurement processes.
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  Procurement professionals are under more pressure than ever: shrinking budgets, leaner teams, and zero room for delays. Yet expectations keep climbing. In this Learning Lab, we’ll dig into practical strategies for turning daily bottlenecks into moments of efficiency. The session will explore how AI and digital tools are streamlining high-friction areas like RFP development, reporting, integrations, and vendor management. Whether you're looking to entirely transform you processes or make incremental improvements, this session will show you how modern public procurement teams are gaining time back.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Are you guilty of common RFP pitfalls? Join this engaging and practical session to learn how to avoid the most common mistakes in creating RFPs. From unclear scopes to overloading mandatory criteria, this session will provide actionable advice and real-world examples to help procurement professionals improve their processes and outcomes. Whether you're new to public procurement or a seasoned professional, you'll leave with practical tools to create more effective, vendor-friendly RFPs. Perfect for anyone who wants to ensure fairness, compliance, and value in their procurement practices. Learning Outcomes: Write Clear and Effective RFPs: Avoid vague scopes and unrealistic requirements to attract quality vendor responses; Enhance Communication: Engage stakeholders and vendors throughout the process to build trust and ensure transparency; and Refine RFP Practices: Use feedback and market insights to continuously improve procurement outcomes.
• July 27, 2025
  Negotiation is an essential skill in procurement yet often overlooked. This session will kick off with an interactive lecture on the basics of negotiation theory, including how to set priorities, understand each party’s perspective and competing commitments, and define value. Then participants will be assigned roles and in small groups, act out a simulation and try to come to a negotiated agreement. After the negotiations conclude, they will discuss what went well and what was challenging in this simulation and reflect on how they could apply this in their day-to-day work.
• July 30, 2025
  Today’s headlines are dominated by discussions of tariffs—threats of new ones, implementation of existing ones, reciprocal tariffs, quotas, and other national-level market control measures. Whether merely proposed or actively enforced, tariffs can disrupt markets in significant ways. Bidders often respond to tariff uncertainty by either avoiding opportunities altogether or including risk premiums in their bids to hedge against potential future tariffs. Contractors may seek price adjustments or even cancel contracts, while buyers face escalating costs and the possible loss of key suppliers. This seminar will explore strategies to proactively and fairly manage these risks: • Explain how tariffs and risk premiums function and influence markets • Discuss both proactive and reactive strategies for managing price adjustment requests due to tariff changes • Offer tools to anticipate and manage the pricing impact of potential tariff changes—whether imposed or lifted—on current and future contracts Learning Outcomes: Understand and articulate the effects of tariffs on markets and government contracts Develop strategies for addressing price adjustment requests during contract administration Apply risk management tools, including tailored contractual clauses, to mitigate the impact of tariffs on both current contractors and future bids
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  While Procurement Cards (P-cards) are a convenient tool for public sector organizations to streamline their purchasing for small dollar transactions, they do present several challenges, especially when it comes to controlling fraud, waste, and abuse. These risks can arise due to the ease of making multiple transactions without oversight or proper authorization, particularly in large, decentralized organizations. To mitigate these risks, many public sector organizations implement a range of internal control measures of which several methods will be examined during this session. Learning Outcomes: Participants will be able to explain the role of P-cards in improving the efficiency of small-dollar and high-volume purchases in public sector organizations; Participants will understand the risks associated with P-cards, including fraud, waste, and abuse; and Participants will understand the importance of creating strong internal controls to support P-card programs.
• July 27, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  In the evolving landscape of public procurement, successful leadership extends beyond traditional management practices. Transforming from a manager to a mentor empowers teams, enhances morale, and fosters future leaders. This session examines how adopting a mentoring mindset encourages professional growth, builds stronger team dynamics, and prepares organizations for sustainable success. With a focus on leadership development, attendees will explore how mentorship practices align with the goals of public procurement to create resilient, high-performing teams. This session will cover the following key areas: 1. The Manager-to-Mentor Evolution: Understanding the transition from managing tasks to mentoring people and why this shift is crucial for modern leaders. 2. Active Listening: Practical techniques to enhance communication, build trust, and create an open dialogue. 3. Constructive Feedback: A framework for delivering feedback that inspires growth and improves team performance. 4. Leadership Development Opportunities: Strategies for empowering team members to innovate, lead projects, and take on new challenges. 5. Practical Application of Mentorship: Tailored approaches to integrate mentorship into daily operations within procurement organizations. Learning Outcomes: Apply mentoring techniques to build trust and enhance team engagement; Explore methods for identifying and nurturing leadership potential within their teams; Discover how active listening and constructive feedback can improve relationships and team dynamics; and Use strategies to delegate effectively, empowering team members to innovate and take ownership of their roles.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Are you ready to revolutionize your approach to strategic sourcing and have fun doing it? Join us for an exciting, interactive session that will demystify this critical component of public procurement. Through practical, streamlined approaches, you'll learn how to seamlessly integrate strategic sourcing into your existing workflows. We will refresh your solicitation knowledge and cover everything from building high-performance teams to leveraging data analytics. Participate in a hands-on exercise, engage in lively discussions, and learn from real-world case studies. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to procurement, this session promises to equip you with actionable insights and tools to enhance your strategic sourcing processes. Don't miss this opportunity to learn, network, and transform your procurement practices! Learning Outcomes: Identify and Apply Optimal Solicitation Methods: Participants will be able to determine the most suitable solicitation type (RFP, IFB, RFQ, etc.) and method based on project parameters, controlling factors, and key contextual elements discussed during the session; Streamline Strategic Sourcing Processes: Participants will learn and apply techniques, such as Lean methodology and automation, to simplify and standardize strategic sourcing processes within their organizations; Enhance Team Performance and Communication: Participants will be able to implement strategies for building high-performance teams, improving stakeholder communication, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within their procurement functions; Optimize Efficiency and Risk Management: Participants will learn to implement data-driven strategies for increasing operational efficiency, achieving cost savings, and enhancing compliance and risk management in their strategic sourcing processes; and Cultivate Stakeholder and Supplier Relationships: Attendees will review and discuss skills to improve supplier relationships and increase stakeholder satisfaction through effective communication techniques, performance metrics, and collaborative approaches in strategic sourcing.
• July 30, 2025
  Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming procurement processes by enabling teams to efficiently draft detailed and precise scope of work (SOW) documents. This presentation will showcase how procurement professionals can collaborate with end users to harness AI tools for SOW development, ensuring clarity and compliance while saving time and increasing solicitation responses. Attendees will gain insights into practical AI applications, best practices, and strategies for incorporating this technology into their workflows. Learning Outcomes: Leveraging AI for SOW Development: Explore how AI can simplify the drafting process, improve accuracy, and enhance end-user collaboration; Best Practices for Using AI: Understand ethical considerations, data security, and maintaining human oversight in AI-assisted procurement processes; and Practical Applications and Tools: Discover user-friendly AI tools and techniques tailored to procurement and solicitation needs. Participants should leave this session understanding how to use AI tools more effectively in their workflow, how to educate their end users/requesters/project managers on how to better use the tools, or at the very least feel comfortable to ask the questions to start their journey into AI with their legal/IT team.
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Many entities are looking to modernize transportation, water, energy, broadband infrastructure and more. However, using the same old procurement processes may not cut it. With time, strategy, and resources, smart procurement can be a key asset in delivering impactful projects on time and on budget. In this session, Partners for Public Good (a new nonprofit launched by staff from the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab) will share procurement planning, drafting, and contract management strategies, stemming from best practices from cities participating in the Local Infrastructure Hub (LIH). And, we’ll discuss how market research and outreach, goal setting, smart team building, and performance metric development can add value to complex projects. Learning Objectives: • Understand the challenges, regulations, and opportunities distinct to infrastructure projects • Learn about various market research and procurement planning strategies to help you better understand the vendor pool, incorporate community input, and promote accessibility among small and diverse vendors, and manage risk • Identify ways to adapt current procurement and contract management practices and to new infrastructure projects, while also striving to maximize accessibility for vendors
• July 28, 2025
  How often have you looked at a departmental request for a bid or RFP and thought to yourself, what in the world do they want? In this session we will look at requests that had minimal information and how the specifications and procurement process were developed to give vendors a clear picture of what they are bidding. This interactive session will touch on how good communication in the early stages can result in a quality bid or RFP in an expedited manner. • Learn how to communicate with staff early in the procurement process to develop quality specifications; • Learn how training procurement staff and others to utilize templates or executed contracts as a basis for drafting specifications can expedite the procurement process; • Learn how an emphasis on consistent processes can result in better communication and a better buying experience; and • Learn how to take a poor specification and turn it into a quality specification that reduces the number of addendums and clarifications.
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  The Legal Learning Path will help equip public procurement professionals with essential legal knowledge to navigate contracting with confidence. Throughout four sessions, participants will explore the plain meaning of key contract clauses, negotiation strategies, weigh the pros and cons of various options for terminating a contract, and consider the discretion to waive procurement informalities. Each session will provide practical insights and real-world applications, helping participants develop the skills to interpret legal terms, assess risks, and make informed decisions that align with agency objectives. This session provides participants with a deep dive into commonly encountered contract clauses, such as indemnity, sovereign immunity, governing law, and force majeure. Participants will learn how to interpret these clauses in plain language and understand their impact on risk allocation. Learning Objectives Translate complex legal terms into plain language to ensure transparency and mutual understanding. Identify and explain the function of key contractual clauses in public procurement.
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  We’re celebrating 80 incredible years of NIGP Forum with a totally rad 80s throwback bash—because what better way to honor the past than with the decade that defined fun, fashion, and unforgettable vibes? Step back in time and make a splash at Retro Wave at the Denver Aquarium for an unforgettable 80s extravaganza! Whether you're a fan of neon fashion, teased hair, arcade games, or unforgettable tunes from artists like Madonna and Prince, this event has it all. Relive the magic of the decade with an evening packed full of retro vibes, epic networking, and amazing aquatic wonders as we transform the aquarium into a throwback paradise. Highlights include: Exclusive Access - Explore stunning marine exhibits in a one-of-a-kind after-hours experience. Live music - Dance the night away to classic hits from the decade of synth and style. Gourmet Bites – Hors d’œuvres, food stations and cash bars throughout the venue. Dynamic networking opportunities – Connect with fellow professionals and suppliers in a lively, laid-back setting. Dress to impress in your most outrageous 80s outfit, and let's celebrate the era of big dreams and even bigger shoulder pads. Don't miss out—this is your chance to experience the 80s like never before!
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Courage and Mistakes: both are needed in public procurement and leadership. If we agree we need innovation, then we have to get comfortable with things not going exactly to plan and learn to rebound from that. Through story-telling and small group discussion, we are going to get real about mistakes made. Not the fluffy stuff, but the real-life, "I think I might get fired for this" kind of mistakes. Ready to be brave and dive in? This session is not for the faint of heart or those with egos, this session is for those who want to hear the honest stories of mistakes I've made and discuss how we can learn to embrace mistakes and conduct deep dives to learn from them (even when we are so embarrassed about the mistake - we want to hide in the bathroom stall). Learning Outcomes: Attendees will be able to name and own a mistake; Attendees will be able to review how they reacted to the mistake; Attendees will be able to review how they moved past the mistake; and Attendees will be able to plan to actively embrace mistakes, and learn and grow from them.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Unlock the secrets to successful vendor partnerships. Learn how to build trust, negotiate better deals, and improve communication for stronger, long-lasting relationships. Get hands-on tips, real-world examples, and discover how data can help you find the right vendors for your projects. Don’t miss out on this chance to boost your procurement success! Learning Outcomes: Understand how to build and maintain strong vendor-buyer relationships through clear communication, trust-building strategies, and networking opportunities such as vendor expos and lunch-and-learn sessions; Develop effective negotiation tactics to overcome obstacles and secure favorable procurement outcomes, leveraging insights gained from vendor expos and demo sessions; Identify opportunities for improvement using data-driven insights and surveys to optimize vendor selection, enhance performance, and ensure project success; Gain practical skills in conflict resolution and managing vendor relationships through real-world examples, including lessons from vendor expos and interactive demo sessions; and Learn best practices for conducting disparity studies, surveys, and other assessment tools to promote inclusivity and growth within the procurement process, leading to more diverse vendor partnerships.
• July 30, 2025
  Procurement professionals have long experienced interference from top elected or appointed officials while attempting to carry out acquisition strategies within clear policies and procedures. Add that kind of political power structure on top of the already mounting pressures of post-COVID supply chain issues, talent scarcity, and overly aggressive goals, and the perfect storm begins to brew. In this session, we will take your stories from the field and dissect them, helping you to identify and analyze the source of pressure, while offering sustainable mitigation tools to keep your procurement team out of the news cycle. Learning Outcomes: The Learner will identify and analyze sources of pressure as either political, geo-political, inflationary, or other; The Learner will use tools learned during the presentation to develop a systematic approach to mitigating risks from politicians, or pressures caused by inflation, the COVID-19 legacy, wars and conflicts, and stakeholders; and The Learner will create, implement, or enhance policies, procedures, and practices that support transparency in procurement and trust and confidence to sustain internal and external relationships.
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  Purchasing is happening in every entity it is just a matter of how. It is often handled by various departments, which may lead to inconsistencies in policies, procedures, and overall effectiveness. Engaging in this presentation will focus on how a public procurement professional joining an entity lacking a designated purchasing staff can build and improve procurement functions. We will examine the common obstacles procurement professionals face in a new environment, including policy gaps, lack of structure, competing interests, and the influence of pre-existing practices. Through the process, we will build a toolbox of resources for your success. Learning Outcomes: Discuss the process to evaluate existing policies and align them with organizational goals and legal requirements; Explore the steps to establish standardized templates and tools, such as RFPs and vendor communication protocols, and the many resources available; and Navigate change management and gain buy-in from stakeholders across departments.
• July 29, 2025
  Contract termination can be technical, but it does not have to be scary. This session will explore different types of contract termination, including termination for cause, termination for convenience, and mutual termination. Through real-world examples, participants will learn the skills to make informed decisions and mitigate risks regarding contract termination. Join us to build your confidence in managing contract terminations and avoid costly mistakes. Learning Objectives Identify the different contract termination types and their appropriate applications. Weigh the operational and legal implications of terminating a contract. Gain practical strategies to mitigate risks associated with contract termination decisions.
• July 25, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Someone once said, “the best way to learn from mistakes is vicariously”. This session will help professionals (young and seasoned) do just that. For this session, conference organizers are encouraged to choose their most engaging members to participate in a panel discussion of seasoned procurement professionals to share stories of the highs and lows they experienced in their careers. Where did they start and what path did they follow to get to leadership? What hindrances did they successfully eliminate? What has been their biggest challenges? What mistakes created their biggest lessons? Have there been any regrets? What has been their most gratifying moments or procurements? What has been their lessons learned and what wisdom can they impart to younger professionals? A storyteller at heart, Stacy will serve as moderator to weave a patchwork of panel experiences into an intricate tapestry that tells the story of triumph and success. Not only will there be stories shared by panelists, but attendees will have time to ask questions and share their own experiences. While there will be lessons learned, the session promises to be fun, engaging, and inspired. Learning Outcomes: Meet and connect with other professionals build their network of professional resources; Review case studies of honest mistakes made by newer and sometimes veteran Procurement Officers; Discuss different approaches, which may have prevented the mistake, and approaches to resolve mistakes; and Learn the outcomes that the Procurement Officer took in each instance.
• July 29, 2025
  Join Delivering Results and Solutions (DRS) as we share several case studies demonstrating how we've helped our clients optimize their disaster recovery funding by establishing sound federal procurement and contracting practices.
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  From disengaged and stagnant, to purpose-driven and fully-activated, Seb's Performance and Transformation keynote will unlock peak performance, deep connection and purpose-driven collaboration in your individuals and teams. Sharing his inspiring personal story as well as his framework to help Unlock Limitless Possibility, Seb's profound and interactive keynote will create an environment for success and transformation through arming people with not only the agility to adapt to change, but the bravery to create, through re­ imaging what's possible. Audience Takeaways: Passion as a driving force for personal & professional performance Linking individual values to company purpose Creating environments for change, growth and evolution Strong alone. Better together: collaboration and community Holistic goal setting to unlock transformation The Ripple Effect: Serving others
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Are issues like chemical exposure, labor rights, climate change, equal opportunity and local economic growth important to your community and organization? Did you know that most organization’s abilities to address these issues and opportunities lies within its supply chain and procurement decisions? Join us to get an introduction to sustainable procurement – a strategy and set of best practices that promotes more sustainable procurement of goods and services, while providing additional organizational and end user benefits such as cost savings and supply chain resilience. Participants will have an opportunity to apply their learnings along the way by drafting an initial strategic sustainable procurement and supplier engagement plan with the support of their peers and SPLC’s expert coaches. Learning Outcomes: Learn the basics of sustainable procurement and a strategic program approach; Be able to identify best practices and begin to recognize how they address the environmental, social and economic sustainability impacts and opportunities of your organization; Understand the critical role stakeholders and organizational alignment plays in achieving success; Get hands-on practice applying these learnings to initiate and build out your organization’s sustainable procurement activities in order to maximize positive sustainability impacts and operational benefits; Develop a network of like-minded sustainable procurement peers to help further your program development and support its implementation.
• July 28, 2025
  Strong communication is the key to successful procurement. This session will provide practical strategies for engaging stakeholders early, managing evaluation committee discussions, and leading successful goal-oriented vendor negotiations. Join us to gain actionable insights, hear real-world success stories, and enhance your ability to drive collaboration and better procurement outcomes. Learning Outcomes: Develop stakeholder engagement strategies that align procurement objectives with project goals during the pre-solicitation phase; Apply best practices for managing evaluation committees to encourage collaboration and reach well-informed procurement decisions; Implement structured communication techniques to facilitate productive and goal-oriented vendor negotiations; Analyze real-world procurement scenarios to identify effective communication strategies and common pitfalls; and Enhance professional relationships by utilizing clear, consistent, and strategic communication throughout the procurement process.
• July 28, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Workshops on specification writing typically address the WHAT (content) and WHY (the reason the whats are important) of specification writing. This session addresses an area that most specification trainings do not address… the “HOW”. As we explore the HOWs, we will learn how to write clear, straightforward and easy to follow specifications. Attendees will be reminded how important basic grammar and basic organization are, and how poorly written specification can affect the outcome of a solicitation. Attendees will learn how to recognize and avoid some common pitfalls of specification writing: poor grammar, disorganization, being too bossy (for the sake of being bossy), lack of clarity and accuracy, and unnecessary repetition. Attendees will be able to apply the tactics discussed to their own specification writing by developing an understanding of how specifications should be organized in a manner to provide clear information in a well-organized manner. Attendees will develop the skills necessary to take a specification submitted by their customer and utilize the skills discussed in this session to make the document clear, concise and easier for their vendors to understand. Attendees will be encouraged to apply the skills discussed to their existing agency specification templates or to utilize the information learned to develop templates which can be share with their customers. By having clear templates to share with their customers, Purchasing staff time to review specifications can be significantly reduced.
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Theory is important, but seeing construction procurement best practices in action is where the real learning happens. In this session, we’ll examine real-world case studies, including an analysis of the Denver International Airport construction project, to understand how procurement challenges were successfully navigated using best practices. By breaking down each case into clear problem-solution-outcome frameworks, participants will gain actionable insights for applying lessons from previous sessions directly into their own procurement processes. Objectives: 1. Analyze real-world case studies to identify procurement best practices that address complex construction challenges 2. Develop actionable strategies for applying construction procurement best practices to current and future projects.
• July 30, 2025
  The post-award phase involves contract administration and contract closeout. This session will focus on contract oversight, handling performance issues and contract disputes, managing changes, and contract closeout. Participants will take part in hands-on exercises to acquire experience with performing the job tasks and competencies required to ensure satisfactory performance and bring a contract to a successful conclusion. Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the key areas of contract administration. 2. Explain the contract changes process. 3. Describe the process for managing performance issues. 4. Address contract disputes and claims. 5. Outline the steps in the contract closeout process.
• July 28, 2025
  This session explored the critical role of the supply chain in public procurement, specifically how vendors like Graybar help procurement professionals streamline their operations and address challenges such as product availability, logistics, and project delays. Graybar’s strategies and solutions for supporting public sector projects were emphasized, including the use of cooperative contracts and innovative technologies to optimize procurement processes.
• July 30, 2025
  Mentorship is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. Mentorship fosters skill development, knowledge sharing, guidance, and networking. In this interactive session, we’ll explore how to cultivate meaningful mentor-mentee relationships that drive success. Attendees will hear real stories from mentors and mentees in public procurement about the transformative impact of mentorship. Through engaging table discussions, participants will reflect on their own mentorship experiences and identify key qualities that make mentorship effective. Topics include: • What makes a great mentor in public procurement? • How can mentorship support personal and professional development? • What strategies can mentees use to maximize their mentorship experience? Additionally, we’ll introduce tools and strategies for finding, fostering, and sustaining successful mentorship relationships—whether through the NIGP Mentorship Program or other avenues. Walk away with actionable insights to develop a personalized mentorship plan and build a culture of mentorship in your professional journey. Learning Outcomes: Develop a personalized mentorship plan that identifies key skills, goals, and strategies for a successful mentoring relationship; and Apply best practices to establish and nurture meaningful mentorship connections that enhance professional growth.
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Embark upon an interactive mental wellness journey when you attend this two-part session! You will find space to engage in leadership round table discussions, and participate in wellness activities, curated for exploring self-care techniques, which will focus on creating a positive, supportive workplace. Learning Outcomes: Improve your leadership role by exploring new skills for modeling positive behaviors to support employee mental health and well-being; Identify a new tool and technique for improving your team's overall mental well-being; Develop an action plan for improving the overall mental wellness within your entity (department/team); and Identify a plan to improve your mental, and emotional well-being.
• July 29, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  In today's rapidly evolving landscape, procurement professionals face unprecedented challenges and opportunities. This dynamic workshop will delve into the critical intersection of innovation, leadership, and cooperative procurement, with a specific focus on the transformative potential and ethical considerations of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Hear from public sector leaders about how they are leveraging the supplier community and addressing the needs of small local businesses. Learning Outcomes: Embrace Innovation: Explore cutting-edge procurement technologies and discuss how to effectively integrate them into your agency's operations; Develop Strong Leadership: Gain insights from seasoned procurement leaders on fostering a culture of innovation within your organization, empowering your team, and navigating the complexities of change management; Unlock the Power of Cooperative Procurement: Learn how to leverage cooperative purchasing arrangements to access innovative solutions, drive economies of scale, and improve service delivery for your community; Understand the potential of AI: Discover how AI can revolutionize procurement processes, from supplier selection and contract management to risk mitigation and spend analysis; Address the ethical considerations: Explore the ethical implications of AI in procurement, including data privacy, bias mitigation, and responsible AI development; and Develop a responsible AI strategy: Learn how to identify the right AI applications for your agency, build trust with stakeholders, and ensure the ethical and responsible use of AI in your procurement processes.
• July 27, 2025
  The procurement workforce is constantly changing, and leaders often find themselves stepping into atypical roles – even as coaches. This session will dig into ways that procurement staff find themselves coaching others, whether its other purchasing staff, external departments, or vendors. The facilitator will first provide a framework for coaching and discuss ways participants find themselves acting as coaches. Participants will then break into groups of three for mini coaching simulations. After each simulation, there will be a brief debrief of the scenario, along with a close-out group reflection, encouraging participants to name their next steps in their development as coaches.
• July 30, 2025
  Procurement may operate behind the scenes, but its credibility should resonate at the highest levels of the organization. This session explores how procurement professionals can elevate their profile and become trusted advisors to external and internal stakeholder, including agency leadership through strategic communication, performance transparency, and intentional relationship-building.  Learn how to communicate value in ways that resonate with diverse audiences—from frontline departments to elected officials—while positioning procurement as a strategic partner in organizational decision-making.  Learn how to translate day-to-day successes into meaningful narratives that demonstrate value, influence decisions, and earn executive confidence.  If you’re ready for procurement to be heard, respected, and relied upon—this is your blueprint. 1. Recognize the importance of credibility in strengthening procurement’s influence across all levels of the organization. 2. Develop strategies to build trust and foster strong relationships with internal staff, external stakeholders, and agency leadership. 3. Identify strategies to position procurement as a strategic, solution-oriented partner in organizational planning and decision-making.
• July 28, 2025
  In this learning session, we show with the help of real-world examples and case studies, how AI based spend system is able to detect the duplicate payments and other non-compliant procurement spend. The data comes from ERP system, eProcurement systems, contract management systems, supplier portal, banks (pcard), diversity management portals, financial analysis, and other heterogeneous data sources. The data is scrubbed for quality tuning. Statistical techniques like regression is used impute missing data as needed. An AI based system learns over time and becomes more intelligent in detecting duplicate payments, and other non compliant spend that occurs because of negligence and fraud. Using real data we show step by step various different scenarios where non-compliant spend occurs and gets detected by the AI based spend analytics system. Without going into detection algorithms we explain in simple words how the AI system works, traces, monitors, and detects possible duplicate payments. Invoice data, PO data, EFT/check data, procurement data, requisition data, diversity and contract data help in detecting the duplicate payments. The learning session will expose participants to AI applications and behind the scene compliance monitoring and reporting techniques. Explore how an intelligent AI based Spend Analytics system work. Discover how an intelligent AI based Spend Analytics system detects duplicate payments and other non-compliant send items. Apply the knowledge gained to detect some of the duplicate payments based on presented scenarios and use cases.
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Join us for a story from the field highlighting how innovation, collaboration, and transparency led to a successful $13+ million alternate delivery project for three new park projects in a growing mid-sized city. This session brings together a unique panel of experts – the procurement officer, the best value expert consultant, and the awarded general contractor – to share their firsthand experience navigating a paradigm shift and committing to the process. We will provide an overview of the approach and share data collected throughout the project. Discover how transparency and the commitment to follow a transparent, simple, and metric-centered process for both procurement and project management led to a successful outcome! Learning Outcomes: Analyze how results-driven procurement and planning impact the outcome; Identify change management concepts to apply when challenging the status quo; and Identify strategies to maximize transparency and mitigate risk.
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Better Results, Better Relationships, Limitless Possibilities What do you get when you combine a background in leadership development with decades of corporate entertainment experience? You get something that is fun, engaging, and that builds a bridge between insight and actionable strategies to bring the best out of your people. This is what Ben Whiting's Creating a Limitless Culture™ keynote delivers. In addition to experiencing draw-dropping (and often hilarious) magic and mind reading, we will be able to instantly increase productivity through better communication, reduce drama by learning how to create and sustain quality relationships in the workplace, and learn to thrive amidst constant change with a simple mindset shift that will also help them find not just happiness, but fulfillment in our day-to-day work lives (all while having A LOT of fun!). Ben will give us the Blueprint to Create a Limitless Culture that will help people… Communicate in a way that increases productivity while minimizing drama Create quality relationships with colleagues, clients, and customers that can be leveraged for motivation and influence (and to reduce turnover!) Learn a simple mindset shift that when applied empowers us to thrive through change, courageous innovation, and find fulfillment in our work. Inspire with an unbelievably fun experience with lessons we will never forget!
• July 29, 2025
  The pre-award phase lays the groundwork for an effective procurement. This session will guide participants through the key steps involved in solicitation planning, performing market research, developing statements of work, and contracting methods and contract types. Using real-world case studies, participants will gain hands-on experience in building a strong foundation for procurement contracts. Learning Objectives: 1. Outline the steps in the typical market research cycle. 2. Explain the elements in a typical statement of work. 3. Apply the appropriate contracting method and contract type based on goals and risks. 4. Identify the components of a solicitation package.
• July 28, 2025
  To meet rising customer expectations, many government procurement professionals are interested in using generative AI to strengthen smart buying decisions, drive efficiencies, and create value for their organizations. Join us to learn more about available tools, including an AI-powered procurement solution developed by California Polytechnic State University’s Digital Transformation Hub with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The solution, “ScopeBuilder,” uses generative AI to assist procurement staff in scope development for contracts, Bids, and RFPs, and help create high-quality Statements of Work.
• July 28, 2025
  Public entities often work within pre-drafted contract templates, but some clauses can be negotiated or modified to better align with agency goals and risk tolerance. This session will explore when and how to negotiate contract terms such as indemnification, intellectual property rights, and confidentiality. Participants will engage in interactive exercises where they evaluate examples of indemnity, intellectual property rights, governing law, and other situational clauses to determine their fairness, potential burdens, and insurability issues. Additionally, participants will identify and propose modifications to standard contract clauses. Learning Objectives 1. Identify key contract clauses that may be subject to negotiation in public procurement. 2. Evaluate the benefits and risks of modifying specific contractual terms.
• July 28, 2025
  Learn about the Canon you didn’t know and how evolving industry trends/cooperative purchasing contracts can simplify procurement and drive efficiency. Explore the latest innovations in technology designed to streamline operations, maximize value for government and education institutions while meeting industry standards. Plus, stick around for a fun, interactive game with a chance to win fabulous prizes!
• July 29, 2025
  Procuring human services can be complex and challenging. Join this session where presenters will walk attendees through a timeline-based case study of Multnomah County’s RFP for the SUN Service System, a large, $14.6M human/personal services system focused on supporting the success of children and families. Participants will learn about the considerations in leading a human services procurement, including: Incorporating community input; Supporting small emerging businesses; Facilitating evaluation panels; Debriefing suppliers and elected officials; and Contract development, administration and monitoring Attendees will hear about strategies that were used, and examples and methods that can be applied in daily procurement practice, including Multnomah County's Interactive RFP Timeline Tool. Learning Outcomes: Attendees will be able to design and manage RFPs that fully outline what skills/qualities/attributes are required for operating a large human services system procurement process; Attendees will be able to develop and implement quality performance measures as they relate to human services, as well as analyze resulting data; Attendees will be able to gain skills and tips for communicating with a broad group of stakeholders, including coordinating and communicating with elected officials; and Attendees will learn approaches for developing and managing scoring methodologies for a complex RFP process, managing multiple evaluation panels, and conducting meaningful de-brief sessions for suppliers.
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Public procurement is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by shifting regulations, rapid technological advancements, changing leadership priorities, and increasing stakeholder demands. Navigating this dynamic landscape requires more than compliance, it demands insight, adaptability, and a commitment to innovation. This session will explore actionable strategies for building a procurement team that doesn’t just respond to change but anticipates and leads it. Learn how to foster resilience, enhance agility, and create a culture of collaboration that empowers your team to thrive amid uncertainty. Join us to discover how procurement professionals can move beyond reactive approaches and become architects of progress in their organizations. Learning Outcomes: Understand the concepts of resilience and agility and how they impact procurement success; Gain tools to assess their team’s current capabilities and identify areas for improvement; Learn strategies to upskill their teams, integrate technology effectively, and build stronger stakeholder relationships; and Leave with a practical checklist for implementing resilience and agility-building measures within their own organizations.
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Ready to level up your negotiation game? In this session, you'll learn practical tools and strategies to prepare for negotiations that create real value, not just victories. We'll cover researching contracts, defining your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA), identifying non-negotiables, and building decision-making frameworks. You'll also learn how balancing confidence, mission-focus, and organizational alignment can transform your outcomes. Objectives: • Define and leverage your BATNA to strengthen your negotiation position. • Identify essential, non-negotiable terms and understand their impact to your organization. • Develop targeted questions, decision trees, and if/then frameworks to manage negotiation scenarios proactively. • Balance assertiveness, mission alignment, and organizational purpose to achieve optimal negotiation outcomes.
• July 30, 2025
  The Stress Wisely approach is a kind-hearted reckoning against everything we have learned about stress, delivered as a knockout punch. Dr. Robyne, with her signature honesty, humor, relatability, and gift of translating scientific research, invites you to lean into the parts of you that intuitively know there must be a better way to achieve greatness in both livelihood and lifestyle. Using the eight realms of wellness, Dr. Robyne presents deep-yet clear and concise-insights and strategies that are instantly actionable. Learn to harness stress as an ally, not an adversary, and elevate your capacity for peak performance and resilience. It’s time to stress wisely and live well. Audience members learn to transform their relationship with stress, gaining actionable strategies to harness it as a powerful ally for achieving peak performance and enhanced resilience.
• July 30, 2025
  Today’s headlines are dominated by discussions of tariffs—threats of new ones, implementation of existing ones, reciprocal tariffs, quotas, and other national-level market control measures. Whether merely proposed or actively enforced, tariffs can disrupt markets in significant ways. Bidders often respond to tariff uncertainty by either avoiding opportunities altogether or including risk premiums in their bids to hedge against potential future tariffs. Contractors may seek price adjustments or even cancel contracts, while buyers face escalating costs and the possible loss of key suppliers. This seminar will explore strategies to proactively and fairly manage these risks: • Explain how tariffs and risk premiums function and influence markets • Discuss both proactive and reactive strategies for managing price adjustment requests due to tariff changes • Offer tools to anticipate and manage the pricing impact of potential tariff changes—whether imposed or lifted—on current and future contracts Learning Outcomes: Understand and articulate the effects of tariffs on markets and government contracts Develop strategies for addressing price adjustment requests during contract administration Apply risk management tools, including tailored contractual clauses, to mitigate the impact of tariffs on both current contractors and future bids
• July 30, 2025
  As public procurement continues to evolve, agencies must navigate the challenges of modernizing processes while ensuring compliance, efficiency, and stakeholder buy-in. AI, automation, and e-procurement systems offer powerful solutions, but successful implementation requires strategic planning and an understanding of best practices. This session brings together a panel of experienced procurement professionals and technology leaders with firsthand experience in driving procurement modernization across government agencies and public institutions. Through real-world insights and lessons learned, they will explore: ● Best practices for selecting and implementing e-procurement solutions while avoiding common pitfalls. ● Strategies for overcoming internal challenges, managing change, and securing stakeholder support. ● The future of procurement technology, including AI-driven automation and its impact on public sector purchasing. Along with prizes for in-person attendees and everyone in attendance being entered into an exciting raffle, attendees will gain actionable takeaways to help modernize their procurement processes, whether they are selecting new technology, refining existing systems, or preparing for future advancements. This is an opportunity to learn from experts who have successfully navigated procurement transformation and are helping to shape the next era of public sector purchasing. Apply Best Practices for E-Procurement Software Selection & Implementation – Learn strategies for successful adoption of e-procurement systems, avoiding common mistakes, and ensuring internal stakeholder buy-in. Navigate Organizational & Internal Challenges – Gain understanding into the dynamics of procurement reform in large and small agencies, learning how to address resistance to change and drive modernization efforts. Assess the Future of Procurement Technology – Develop actionable insights into emerging trends in AI, automation, and e-procurement systems that will shape public procurement in the coming years.
• July 28, 2025
  This brand-new presentation, set up like an HGTV cooking show, will compare cooking with developing a good cooperative procurement recipe! Sharing key ingredients for conducting due diligence, with a pinch or two of insights into how good procurement teams use these contracts. Favorite recipes and cooking tips will be tied into cooperative purchasing strategies. Fun and interactive, this cooking show will host contestants that include a cooperative, a supplier and a public procurement chef. Learning Outcomes: Discover the top questions to ask before using a cooperative contract; Know the key ingredients for a successful strategy; Spice up your current procurement policies with new insights; and Find out about free recipe resources to continue your learning journey.
• July 29, 2025
  Procurement professionals in the public sector face unique challenges — tight budgets, lengthy RFP processes, and growing demands to maximize limited resources. This session is designed to educate public agency procurement leaders on how to become champions within their organizations. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the evolving RFP landscape, how to leverage cooperative purchasing and other resources to maximize benefit and discover actionable strategies to transform procurement into a value-generating function. Whether your agency is large or small, you'll leave with practical insights to foster innovation and contribute to your agency’s overall growth. This session will ensure purchasing professionals understand how to do their job more efficiently by leveraging the available tools, like spend analytics, to maximize efficiency and drive savings. Learning Outcomes: Navigate the Evolving RFP Landscape: Examine the financial implications and emerging challenges that public procurement professionals will face in 2025 and know how to stay ahead; Positioning Procurement as a Strategic Function: Learn strategies to effectively communicate the value of procurement as a strategic asset within your agency. Hear stories from peers who successfully transformed their procurement functions and the measurable outcomes they achieved; and Maximize Your Cooperative Purchasing Organization: Identify common pitfalls in cooperative purchasing and apply best practices to maximize benefits, ensuring competitive pricing, clear expectations, open communication, and effective partnerships.
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  In this session, we’ll start by reviewing the key tools, frameworks, and wins from Sessions 1–3. Then, we’ll dig into common roadblocks that derail negotiations and counter negative tactics deployed to throw you. We will develop a resilience playbook that lets you pivot your negotiations from setback to success. Objectives: 1. Review tools and strategies from Sessions 1–3 2. Counter negative negotiation tactics 3. Implement strategies for overcoming barriers to successful negotiation planning
• July 30, 2025
  Join this dynamic session designed for public procurement professionals who procure using federal grant funds as we dive into the latest Uniform Guidance and explore practical insights for integrating local and federal requirements into your procurement functions. Explore real life approaches through activities, group discussions, and hands-on exercises, aiming for long-term workplace success. Obtain answers to your real-life questions! Learning Outcomes: Comprehend the latest changes in Uniform Guidance; Craft the required language to include in your federally funded procurements; Identify the allowed procurement methods and the allowed contract types; Understand major Davis Bacon principles and identify wage classifications for projects; and Recognize what Cost Analysis, Price Analysis and Independent Cost Estimate are and when they are required.
• July 30, 2025
  Join members of the NIGP Certification Commission for an interactive panel discussion on the evolution and impact of the NIGP Certified Procurement Professional (NIGP-CPP) certification. Learn firsthand how this ANAB-accredited credential enhances career opportunities, reinforces ethical procurement practices, and aligns with the evolving complexities of the profession. Panelists will share their certification journeys, discuss best practices, and answer your questions about the value of becoming an NIGP-CPP. Learning Outcomes: Explain the evolution of the NIGP-CPP certification and its significance in public procurement; Provide information about the recent changes in eligibility, updates to the Exam Content Outline and testing, and changes to the application policies and timelines for the NIGP-CPP; Recognize the career benefits of earning the ANAB-accredited NIGP-CPP certification; Identify how certification reinforces ethical standards and best practices in procurement; Explore strategies for leveraging certification to advance within the profession; and Engage in an informed discussion about the certification process, requirements, and long-term professional growth.
• July 30, 2025
  The future of public procurement is driven by data—but how do we translate raw numbers into strategic action? In this dynamic session, Marcheta Gillespie and Al Hleileh will unpack the power of procurement analytics, from foundational insights to advanced AI-driven forecasting. We’ll dive into real-world examples of spend analysis, supplier performance, and risk assessment—showing how agencies can cut costs, drive efficiency, and enhance compliance. Expect an interactive experience where we’ll explore the full analytics lifecycle, tackle implementation challenges, and discuss the future of AI in procurement. Join us to unlock smarter decision-making and next-level procurement strategy.
• July 27, 2025
  Join us for an interactive session on how highly involved management can build high-performing teams and drive organizational success. Learn how effective leadership, coaching, mentoring, and succession planning can transform team dynamics, enhance collaboration, and ensure long-term growth. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable strategies for fostering a culture of engagement, performance, and continuous learning. Learning Outcomes: Identify key strategies for involving management in decision-making that enhance employee engagement, communication, and collaboration, resulting in improved team performance and alignment with organizational goals; Design and implement a coaching and mentoring program within their teams to foster employee skill development, support growth, and build a high-performance culture; Evaluate and develop a succession planning framework that identifies and nurtures top talent, ensuring a pipeline of capable leaders to support long-term strategic growth and organizational sustainability; Apply techniques to promote constructive interaction and knowledge-sharing within teams, leading to increased goal commitment, task achievement, and overall team success; and Measure the impact of highly involved management on team dynamics and organizational performance by assessing improvements in collaboration, skill development, and alignment with strategic objectives.
• July 30, 2025
  The award phase of the contract life cycle involves the tasks and actions performed after receipt of offers to produce an awarded contract. This session will explore price and cost analysis, negotiations, selecting a source, and debriefing offerors. Participants will engage in interactive exercises to analyze proposals and determine the most advantageous contract award decisions. Learning Objectives: 1. Utilize cost analysis and price analysis to support fair and reasonable price determinations. 2. Apply tradeoff and Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) selection methods in proposal evaluations. 3. Analyze documentation of source selection decisions. 4. Develop a negotiation plan. 5. Explain the purpose and information provided during debriefings.
• July 27, 2025
  Strong leadership isn’t an accident — you must build intentional systems to drive accountability, innovation, and alignment. Explore how a structured leadership approach enhances communication, decision-making, and employee development at all levels of an organization. Through real-world examples, including Sourcewell’s successful implementation, attendees will gain actionable strategies to fuel organizational success. Learning Outcomes: Understand the Fundamentals of an Intentional Leadership System – Define what a leadership system is, its key components, and how to fully use it to influence decision-making, communication, and organizational success; Recognize the Benefits of Intentional Leadership – Explore how a structured leadership approach enhances accountability, employee development, and alignment with your organization’s mission and values; Learn Strategies for Effective Implementation – Identify the necessary steps, tools, and resources for successfully developing and embedding a leadership system within your organization; and Overcome Common Leadership Challenges – Discover practical solutions to address barriers in leadership development and system implementation, ensuring long-term success.
• July 30, 2025
  Join this dynamic session designed for public procurement professionals who procure using federal grant funds as we dive into the latest Uniform Guidance and explore practical insights for integrating local and federal requirements into your procurement functions. Explore real life approaches through activities, group discussions, and hands-on exercises, aiming for long-term workplace success. Obtain answers to your real-life questions! Learning Outcomes: Comprehend the latest changes in Uniform Guidance; Craft the required language to include in your federally funded procurements; Identify the allowed procurement methods and the allowed contract types; Understand major Davis Bacon principles and identify wage classifications for projects; and Recognize what Cost Analysis, Price Analysis and Independent Cost Estimate are and when they are required.
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  We have all faced the storms of change as individuals, teams, departments, and/or entities. Storms are disruptions that can cause significant damage and/or reveal hidden opportunities. How we forecast the storm, prepare for it, navigate through it, and recover from it all hold the keys to success. While participants will be reminded of the five stages of group development (forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning), we will focus on the storming phase and how best to lead through it (whether you are in charge or not). Learning Outcomes: Participants will examine tactics to better forecast, prepare, navigate, and recover during the storm of change; Participants will identify and explore leadership skills and characteristics that are effective when leading through change; and After participating in the session, participants will be able to analyze various lessons learned, and applications of the same, when going through a storm of change.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Success is close, with a few remaining items to agree on. This is still about preparations to create as close to a win/win for both parties as possible and remembering not to allow “the perfect” to get in the way of good. Practice compromise, using the tools from Session 1, without classifying it as a loss or failure, expanding where value can be achieved by both parties instead of sacrificing more of the pie, and get more pie to negotiate over. Objectives: • Apply negotiation tools to support compromise and expand value creation, ensuring both parties benefit by increasing available opportunities rather than viewing concessions as losses. • Implement the zone of agreement, where success is not at a single point; it's between the minimum one party is willing to accept and the maximum another party is willing to offer. • Integrate key negotiation points early in the process to set expectations and reduce potential conflicts.
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Step into this engaging session where leadership meets the dynamic world of public procurement. Led by George Barber, a former professional baseball player turned Chief Procurement Officer, this session blends real-world sports experiences with academic research to uncover what truly drives effective leadership in government. Explore how leadership styles, trust-building, and autonomy shape team performance while addressing common misconceptions in public procurement. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and hands-on exercises, attendees will gain actionable strategies to elevate their leadership impact and enhance organizational success. Learning Outcomes: Evaluate how leadership styles and actions influence team performance, morale, and productivity in government settings; Design strategies to build trust, foster autonomy, and empower procurement teams to perform at their highest potential; Implement proven methods to identify and address leadership gaps, challenge procurement misconceptions, and drive continuous improvement in public organizations; Create a personal leadership development plan grounded in academic research, real-life examples, and best practices from both sports and public service; and Inspire with purpose by translating key leadership principles into practical actions that inspire teams and improve procurement outcomes.
• July 27, 2025
  Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects can present major challenges for organizations and many face risk of cost overruns, delays, difficulty in dealing with change, testing failures, business continuity and more. This session will focus on key risk areas within ERP contracts. GFOA assists local governments with contract negotiations and will draw from this experience to highlight current examples, market trends, and successful negotiation strategies. All ERP projects should have a detailed statement of work and contract that provides protection with milestone payments, clear deliverables, service level agreements, and other tools for accountability. In addition, the workshop will use interactive exercises and real examples to highlight common industry terms and strategies for negotiating away unfavorable terms found in most supplier contract templates that lead to changer orders. Learning Objectives: Understand the most common risks with ERP contracts Learn how to identify and negotiate unfavorable terms Evaluate contracts risks and communicate impacts to key stakeholders Understand essential components of an ERP contract to promote accountability
• July 29, 2025
  Are issues like chemical exposure, labor rights, climate change, equal opportunity and local economic growth important to your community and organization? Did you know that most organization’s abilities to address these issues and opportunities lies within its supply chain and procurement decisions? Join us to get an introduction to sustainable procurement – a strategy and set of best practices that promotes more sustainable procurement of goods and services, while providing additional organizational and end user benefits such as cost savings and supply chain resilience. Participants will have an opportunity to apply their learnings along the way by drafting an initial strategic sustainable procurement and supplier engagement plan with the support of their peers and SPLC’s expert coaches. Learning Outcomes: Learn the basics of sustainable procurement and a strategic program approach; Be able to identify best practices and begin to recognize how they address the environmental, social and economic sustainability impacts and opportunities of your organization; Understand the critical role stakeholders and organizational alignment plays in achieving success; Get hands-on practice applying these learnings to initiate and build out your organization’s sustainable procurement activities in order to maximize positive sustainability impacts and operational benefits; and Develop a network of like-minded sustainable procurement peers to help further your program development and support its implementation.
• July 25, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how government agencies deliver services, offering the potential for greater efficiency, accessibility, and responsiveness. But how can public agencies adopt AI effectively while ensuring its safe and ethical use? Join the GovAI Coalition, a volunteer coalition of over 500 public agencies, for a dynamic session exploring how procurement professionals can help their agencies adopt cutting-edge AI technology safely, efficiently, and responsibly. Through real-world examples, we’ll explore strategies for collaborating with technologists and other public agencies to shape solution requirements and terms, including how to leverage a shared contract repository to discover best practices and cooperative purchasing opportunities from across the country. Learn how you can tap into the expertise of the growing community of agencies adopting AI – and contribute your own experiences, too! Learning Outcomes: Gain insights into how procurement teams can effectively collaborate with technologists to shape AI requirements and mitigate potential risks; Learn how to access and utilize a shared contract hub to identify cooperative purchasing opportunities and adopt best practices for AI procurement; and Discover ways to tap into a network of public procurement experts to accelerate AI adoption and contribute to a growing body of collective expertise
• July 29, 2025
  A well-structured set of solicitation documents provides the foundation for a successful construction procurement. This session will cover best practices for drafting clear, fair, and reasonable solicitations that attract qualified contractors, support fair and reasonable competition, and lead to accurate proposals. We’ll discuss how to effectively communicate the procurement process—through advertising, outreach, and direct solicitation—to ensure strong proposer engagement. Attendees will also explore the role specifications and the use of basis of design in shaping project outcomes. Whether you're refining your solicitation approach or tackling challenges in contractor engagement, this session will provide actionable strategies to improve transparency, competition, and project success. 1. Implement essential elements of a strong set of solicitation documents and how those documents can drive interest and participation. 2. Avoid solicitation documents that can negatively impact fair and open competition, limit participation, and increase the risk of a protest.
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Join us in demystifying procurement in this interactive session that explores the concept of adopting a mindset that avoids deflection, focuses on problem-solving, and encourages perseverance without blaming external factors to avoid the common phase of “Its Held up in Procurement?” Join us for an interactive session where we break down the procurement process and explore how adopting a proactive mindset—one that emphasizes accountability, problem-solving, and persistence—can help you avoid the all-too-common excuse of “It's held up in procurement.” Discover innovative strategies through case studies, group discussions, and practical exercises, all focused on fueling the “No Excuses’ Mindset.” Learning Outcomes: Identify Key Pitfalls Leading to Procurement Delays: Understand the common obstacles that contribute to the culture of “It’s Held up in Procurement.” Pinpoint the underlying issues that cause delays and inefficiencies within the procurement process; Evaluate the Procurement Structure: Assess the foundational structure of procurement within your agency. Review the workflow, key stakeholders, and communication channels to identify areas for improvement or inefficiencies; Develop Case Study-Based Solutions: Utilize case studies to explore real-world scenarios and draft potential solutions to overcome the roadblocks within the procurement process. Focus on actionable strategies that have proven successful in similar settings; Create a Communication and Collaboration Strategy: Design a strategic playbook for improving communication and collaboration within your agency. Focus on establishing clear lines of communication and fostering a collaborative culture that minimizes misunderstandings and delays; and Implement a “No Excuses” Mindset: Develop a comprehensive action plan to instill a “No Excuses” mindset throughout your agency. Encourage accountability, proactivity, and problem-solving at all levels to promote a results-oriented culture.
• July 27, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Ever had a negotiation spiral out of control? In this session, you'll learn to stay composed, maintain control, and navigate even the toughest procurement conversations. We'll explore how to recognize and diffuse non-productive tension, know when to pause or step away, identify hidden pitfalls, and handle hostility effectively, keeping you cool under pressure. Objectives: • Identify and strategically leverage opportunities, even in difficult or hostile negotiations. • Recognize and address risky or unproductive behavior within your negotiation team. • Determine when to pause negotiations and when walking away is the best option. • Spot hidden pitfalls early to mitigate their impact.
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  As the 80th anniversary celebration comes to a close, we still have lots of Forum stories and memories to share – some humorous – some life-changing – always inspiring. In advance of the Forum dates, Rick will ask attendees to share the “funny thing that happened on the way to the Forum” (borrowing from a title of a 1966 musical comedy that appeared on Broadway and in cinema). The best stories will make it to the stage Wednesday afternoon – and Rick will insert some colorful memories of his own stories. But the story-telling doesn’t begin or end with the Forum. For 28 years, Rick has listened to member stories and has witnessed countless careers flourish. These stories offer a composite of experiences, friendships, challenges, mentorships, and successes that have touched our lives – and they have become the blueprint for Rick’s life lessons that he will share with you during his final walk on the NIGP stage.
• July 30, 2025
  How to lead and influence without formal power. Leadership is not confined to titles or positions; it is about mindset, actions, and the ability to influence from any role. Learning Outcomes: Identify opportunities to influence and lead from any role by recognizing how their daily actions contribute to organizational success; Develop essential leadership skills—communication, adaptability, and decision-making—to enhance their impact and professional growth; and Create a personal leadership action plan using insights from interactive discussions and real-world procurement examples to drive influence in their organization.
• July 28, 2025
  Choosing the right procurement method is just the beginning. Understanding and managing risk throughout the project lifecycle is critical for success. In this session, we’ll walk through how to identify, assess, and mitigate risks after the procurement strategy is set. We will explore practical approaches to contract risks, supplier performance issues, construction delays, price escalation, and regulatory challenges. Through case studies and interactive exercises, participants will be prepared to turn potential threats into strategic advantages. 1. Analyze how different procurement methods (like Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, CMAR) influence post-selection risk exposure. 2. Equip participants with the ability to identify and manage key procurement risks that emerge after a procurement method has been selected. 3. Analyze the various construction procurement tools for monitoring and controlling procurement risks. (Making your procurement audit proof)
• July 29, 2025
• July 24, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Join us as we delve into the importance of vendor debriefs in the procurement process. Learn how these discussions can not only help vendors understand their strengths and areas for improvement, but also create a pathway for better future proposals. Participants will also have the chance to learn and share their tips and tricks when preparing for vendor debriefs. Learning Outcomes: Discover why vendor debriefs are crucial to foster transparency and continuous improvement; Learn key elements of a successful debrief; and Provide strategies on how to have challenging conversations during debriefs.
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 27, 2025
  Contracting begins when a need is identified and ends with contract closeout. This session will provide an overview of the three phases of the contract life cycle – Pre-Award, Award, and Post-Award. Participants will explore the guiding principles that apply to all phases of the contract life cycle and provide the framework for successful contract management. Learning Objectives: 1. Identify each phase of the contract life cycle. 2. Describe the guiding principles and their importance in successful contract management.
• July 27, 2025
  Successful procurement hinges on understanding your end-users/stakeholders and funding sources. In this session, we'll examine various procurement methods, the origins of contractors (public/private), and the importance of strategic outreach. Additionally, we'll explore the unique rules tied to funding sources and highlight why grasping these rules early can prevent future issues. 1. Analyze the various construction procurement methods available and determine which method best suits the needs of their organization. (Making your procurement audit proof) 2. Adhere to the specific rules associated with different funding sources (Federal, State, Local, Grants) to ensure compliance and minimize risks.
• July 28, 2025
• July 29, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
  Update NIGP members on the New Capabilities that Home Depot has in our Pro Eco System to better serve their procurement needs and shop the way that you want to shop with your Suppliers. Come attend the event and learn how to save time and money with the Home Depot
• July 30, 2025
• July 30, 2025
  Explore how socially responsible procurement is reshaping public procurement by expanding opportunities for suppliers. This session will cover key tools and real-life strategies for fostering and expanding small business participation. Learn how these capabilities help drive compliance and make a meaningful impact on your community. Learning Outcomes: Discover how and why agencies are putting the more emphasis on encouraging small vendor participation; Learn what local, small businesses are saying are obstacles to do business with governments; and Discover and make small changes to educate small suppliers to eliminate perceived barriers
• July 30, 2025
  Government entities often have discretion in waiving minor informalities in procurement decisions. This session will explore the legal boundaries of agency discretion by reviewing key case law examples and best practices for waiver decisions. Participants will engage in scenario-based discussions and determine when it is in an agency’s best interest to waive a minor informality or enforce strict compliance. Objectives 1. Analyze relevant case law to determine when waiving a minor informality is legally permissible. 2. Evaluate agency discretion in procurement decisions and its impact on fairness and compliance. 3. Apply judgment in deciding whether to waive minor irregularities in procurement decisions.
• July 29, 2025
  Join this engaging discussion, as the NIGP Business Council hosts a panel of practitioners and suppliers speaking on the 2025 NBC White Paper "Optimizing Procurement Operations: Strategies for Enhanced Efficiency and Effectiveness". Discover how building efficiencies in government can enhance public trust, improve operations, attract innovative suppliers, and drive significant cost savings. Learn to view suppliers as strategic partners, ready to collaborate with government procurement in improving service to our collective communities. Gain insights into effective business operation practices, efficient resource utilization, leveraging data analytics, and conducting risk assessments to measure success. This session will equip you with actionable strategies to enhance your entity's performance and foster a collaborative environment between government entities and suppliers. Don't miss this opportunity to revolutionize your procurement operations!
• July 28, 2025
  The four Caring Leadership principles delivered in this interactive experience serve as a powerful reminder of every leader's responsibility to uplift their team and organization and drive real business results. Built around the framework of Lead Yourself, Lead Your Team, Lead Your Industry, this keynote will develop leaders who inspire loyalty and retention. The audience will leave with: Strategies to inspire loyalty by becoming more present, caring, and compassionate A practical understanding of the concrete actions they can take to uplift and engage those they lead Deep insights into the positive power they possess to create a culture of caring at work
• July 26, 2025
• July 28, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 26, 2025
• July 30, 2025
• July 27, 2025
• July 25, 2025
• July 29, 2025
  Continuing the theme of cooking, this session will share how rare ingredients, arduous instructions, or making a dish from scratch can be challenging. The same could be said by conducting your own bid or RFP process. Discover the right recipes for tackling federal funding requirements, construction projects, pricing determinations and learning to navigate with limited resources and time. There is no magical crock pot to take care of your tough issues. However, learning new skill sets during this more advance session will guide your team on that next culinary cooperative adventure. Gain insights into the due diligence needed when using federal funds Learn better prep with cost-to-procure tools Mix and match consulting, installation and construction contracts Practice making tough decision through provided scenarios