Course

Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals

Name: Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals
Author: NIGP

Date: 05/19/2025 - 05/20/2025
Start Time: 8:00 AM Eastern Time
End Time: 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Instructor: Ms. Bobbie Tolston, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB
Ms. Bobbie Tolston, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB
bobbietolston85@gmail.com — Phone: 443-796-5676
Bobbie Tolston, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB Bobbie developed a passion for the public procurement profession over 20 years ago. She has shared her management expertise in various capacities throughout her career. She has served as the Supervisor of Procurement for Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) from 2017-2022. Bobbie is currently the Energy Conservation Resource Manager for HCPS where her responsibilities include: the development, implementation, coordination, and monitoring the energy management program, development of employee training programs for schools and offices to promote an awareness of the energy management program and the efficient use of energy throughout the district and the MBE Liaison. Bobbie has a broad range of professional experience. She has managerial experience as a 'change agent" and uses technology to enhance best practices in procurement. She has been a transformational leader for a water utilities provider, local, and municipal governments and a school district. She serves on the Talent Council and is a Liaison to the Mentorship Committee. She is a Pathways Instructor for NIGP, where she has contributed her expertise for multiple Pathways courses. She is a Member of Radio NIGP and hosts a segment titled "Deeper Dive—make a splash”.
Level: Advanced Practitioner
Format: Virtual Instructor-Led
Contact Hours: 16
CEUs: 1.6

Focus Areas:

Specializations

Reducing Request for Proposal processing time and attracting higher-performing suppliers are key to optimizing procurement outcomes. NIGP’s Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals is an activity-based learning experience that equips you with the skills to manage financial constraints, schedule effectively, and utilize internal and external resources for efficient RFP processes. This training enables you to decrease processing time, increase fair and open competition, and manage proposal openings meticulously, reducing risk exposure and improving contract outcomes.

Pricing:

Price	Cost	Begins	Ends
Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals (Member)	$465.00	03/21/2025	05/15/2025
Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals (Member: Early)	$372.00		03/20/2025
Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals (Non-Member)	$565.00		05/15/2025

Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals (Member: Early) $372.00
Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals (Non-Member) $565.00
(prices valid until Mar 20, 2025)

Spots available: 24

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, attendees will be able to:

Decrease the RFP processing time.
Attract higher performance suppliers while increasing fair and open competition.
Improve future proposal outcomes by decreasing risk exposure.
Increase the chance of a successful RFP contract & decrease risk exposure from audit findings.
Verify all deliverables are completed and accepted.

Intended Audience

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

Mid-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as senior buyers, managers, directors, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.  
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who either provide procurement functions that support entity programs under delegated authority, or who already have a good understanding of basic procurement principles but wish to get more in-depth, hands-on training.  
Professionals who are employed by local governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly funded or created entities) who either serve within or manage the procurement function.

Supplier managers and supervisors seeking to understand the public procurement function from a more in-depth holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

Completion Requirements

In order to successfully complete the NIGP Competency Module, learners must:

Attend and participate in the entirety of the instructional event.
Complete the post-course evaluation survey available in Aspire.
Complete the final assessment examination.

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

May 19, 2025

Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals

May 19, 2025
Specialization Certificate: Request for Proposals

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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