Course

Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis

Name: Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis
Author: NIGP

Date: 06/20/2025
Start Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time
End Time: 7:00 PM Eastern Time
Instructor: Mr. Kirk W. Buffington, MLS, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, FNIGP, MBA, C.P.M.
Director, (RETIRED), Finance, Risk Management, Procurement
Mr. Kirk W. Buffington, MLS, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, FNIGP, MBA, C.P.M.
kirk.buffington@att.net — Phone: 954-608-7455
Professional Certification(s) obtained: FNIGP, CPPO, C.P.M., NIGP-CPP Experience: Kirk Buffington retired in June 2019 from the City of Fort Lauderdale, FL, where he had spent the last five years as Director of Finance, Risk Management and Procurement. Services. Before serving in that capacity, he served the City as Deputy Director of Finance, Director of Procurement Services, and Deputy Director of Administrative Services. Before coming to the City of Fort Lauderdale, Kirk was the Purchasing Agent for Osceola County, FL. In addition, Kirk has purchasing experience with the Orange County School Board, as a Grocery Buyer with the Wal-Mart Corporation, and as a Receiving Supervisor with the Walt Disney World Co. Kirk has a B.S. in Business Administration from Florida State University and an M.B.A. from Webster University, St. Louis, MO, with a concentration in Procurement and Acquisitions Management. In August 2023, he received a Masters in Legal Studies (M.L.S.) from the University of Cincinnati Law School. Kirk has also completed the Cornell University's certification program in Cybersecurity Leadership. Mr. Buffington served as President of the Florida Association of Public Purchasing Officers and was elected to the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) Board of Directors in July 2003, and served as President of NIGP from 2008-2009. Kirk received the 2013 Distinguished Service Award, the second-highest honor bestowed upon individuals by NIGP in the public procurement profession. In August 2023, Kirk became a Fellow of NIGP. In addition to his activities with NIGP, Mr. Buffington has also served the National Purchasing Institute, NPI, on their Selection and Evaluation Committee for the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award. Kirk was chair of the NIGP FORUM Selection Committee, Mr. Buffington co-authored the NIGP LEAP text “The Legal Aspects of Purchasing,” now in its third edition, and has published numerous articles in the NIGP Tech Bulletin and various articles concerning Procurement Case Law both in local news blogs and in nationally peer-reviewed academic journals. He currently authors the Legally Speaking blog for NIGP. Kirk has been an NIGP Instructor for over twenty years and has taught numerous classes on multiple topics in those twenty years. His specialties include PCard adoption and usage, legal and compliance issues, business and finance-related topics and issues, risk management, and strategic planning.
Level: Foundation
Format: Virtual Instructor-Led
Contact Hours: 8
CEUs: 0.8

Focus Areas:

Planning and Analysis
Cost, Price, and Value Analysis

Synthesizing financial data is crucial for procurement professionals in making competent decisions. NIGP’s Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis is a comprehensive activity-based learning experience. Mastering cost, price, and value analysis is key to justifying expenditures and meeting public needs effectively. This course equips professionals with the skills needed to excel in procurement, making them invaluable assets to any organization. Elevate your career with this foundational course in procurement excellence.

Pricing:

Price	Cost	Begins	Ends
Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis (Member: Early)	$272.00		04/21/2025
Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis (Member: Standard)	$340.00	04/22/2025	06/18/2025
Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis (Non-Member: Standard)	$440.00		06/18/2025

Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis (Member: Early) $272.00
Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis (Non-Member: Standard) $440.00
(prices valid until Apr 21, 2025)

Spots available: 23

Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Evaluate cost and price data to determine total cost of ownership to an entity.
Compare the price of a commodity against the benefit to be derived by the entity to determine whether the expenditure is justifiable.

Intended Audience

This offering is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics: 

Entry-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.

Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.  
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function. 
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

Completion Requirements

In order to successfully earn a digital badge in the Cost, Price & Value Analysis competency, learners must:

Complete any pre-work materials provided prior to the course start date.
Attend and participate in the entirety of the instructional event.
Complete the post-course evaluation survey available in Aspire.
Complete the final assessment examination with a score of 71% or higher.

Competency Alignment

Get a Core Certificate: Foundations of Planning & Analysis by adding these competency modules:

Standardization
Requirements Planning and Understanding

Miscellaneous

Payment Information

Register online with credit card
Register online and upload a Purchase Order
Register by fax and download the print & fax form

*FORM OF PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY REGISTRATION FORM FOR ORDER TO BE PROCESSED

Methods of Payment Accepted: Check (make checks payable to NIGP), Purchase Orders (via print and fax form or online), and Credit Cards (Master Card, Visa, and American Express).

If paying by check, please make check payable to NIGP and send payment to:
NIGP, Attn: Seminar Registration
12007 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 110
Reston, VA 20191

Sessions

June 20, 2025

Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis

June 20, 2025
Competency Module: Cost, Price, and Value Analysis

Cancellation Policy

Registration and payment must be received 24 hours prior to the course start date. After this time, registrations will be based on space availability.  A full refund, less a $75 administrative fee will be given for cancellations made in writing 31+ days prior to the seminar date by emailing RegistrationInfo@nigp.org. No refunds are given for cancellations received within 24 hours of the seminar start date. There are no refunds for no-shows. If the seminar is cancelled for any reason, NIGP's liability is limited to the registration fee only.

Attendee substitutions within the same agency may be done at any time with email notification to NIGP. If attending via scholarship, please provide documentation verifying the scholarship issuer's name and contact information in lieu of payment information.

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