Radio NIGP turn the attention on those who’ve made an impact on the public procurement profession including interviews with the following on their favorite professional accomplishments and advice for those looking to grow in the industry:

• Aran Raz - Procurement Manager for the City of Westminster, Colorado
  • What does it take to transform procurement from a decentralized function to a centralized one? Change management aspects of centralization, lessons learned along the way, and tips for others on the journey.
• Bobbie Matthews – Director, Administrative Services, Port of Portland, OR
  • Strategic partnership (value to early collaboration with internal departments and contractors) and strategic planning, all for the benefit of the traveling public
• Brian Smith – Purchasing Manager for Multnomah County, OR
• Ginger Line – Client Development Administrator, Sourcewell
• Matt Bauer – Vice President of Procurement - Tampa International Airport
  • Innovative Best Practices: How Reverse Auctions Can Add Value to Your Organization
• Nathan Dawson – Procurement & Contracts Manager Office of Technology and Information Services, State of South Carolina
  • How Procurement’s response during Covid was a shining moment
• Rebecca Kee – StateRAMP Implementation Consultant
  • How celebrating your team’s goals and accomplishments, and not necessarily awards, is the key indicator of success
• Stephanie Dion - Procurement Manager Canoe Procurement Group of Canada
  • What does it mean to be a procurement professional on the go
• Terry McKee - Procurement Director - Knoxville's Community Development Corp - The Public Housing & Redevelopment Authority

The spotlight also shines on the new NIGP Chapter Ambassadors, a special holiday commentary, the latest news and happenings with NIGP, and a post credit scene extra.

How often do we find ourselves glued to our screens, answering work emails long after office hours? Or sacrificing precious family time due to pressing work deadlines? Striking a balance between our professional and personal lives is not just a luxury but a necessity for our overall well-being and happiness.

Radio NIGP explores the value of creating boundaries – those invisible lines that define where your work life ends and your personal life begins. We will delve into why setting these boundaries is not only beneficial for your mental and physical health but also essential for enhancing your productivity and creativity at work.

Hot Topics - Tips for busy people on setting better boundaries and being more productive.

Tech Talk - Using technology to set calendar boundaries to allow for time for innovative and inspirational thought or focus time.   

Moments with NIGP - Interview with Emily Moses, Publications and Content Curation Manager, about the recently completed Workforce Competency Study. The study looks at identifying and mapping the continuing education needs of NIGP's members. 

Deeper Dive - How to set boundaries to be more productive in and out of the office! We will highlight some successes and challenges with establishing boundaries in and out of the office. We will discuss strategies developed by an agency in Virginia that continue to be effective today! 

Chapter Updates - contemplates boundaries the chapter volunteer needs to consider but also looks at the boundaries the chapter leadership needs to set for successful engagement with chapter volunteers. 

Procurement on the Go – (NEW FEATURE) Guest appearances from those in the procurement profession with their view and comments on the topic of the month. Stephanie Dion, Procurement Manager with Canoe Procurement Group of Canada, discusses the importance of setting boundaries when attending events in person to be present and effective.

Construction Junction - The boundaries of control using different construction delivery methods and the separation of responsibilities after contract award.  

Way to Grow - Using mentors to help mentees set individual boundaries.

Commentary – Giving thanks with NIGP’s Rick Grimm to members, remembering major milestones in 2023, and looking forward to the year ahead

After Hours – The entire staff continues the earlier Hot Topics conversation and addresses Creating a Culture of Respecting Cord Cutting  

Hot Topics – An interview with Art Moore, the most recent Ella Pierce Diversity and Inclusion Award recipient, who discusses his work with the Illinois Equity and Inclusion Initiatives.  In this session we hear about how the State is proactively training staff to identify and resolve barriers to competition.  Art shares "why we should care" and how we can take ownership of our role in providing opportunities.

Legally Speaking - A brief discussion of the legal case City of Richmond vs. J.A. Croson in which the United States Supreme Court held that the minority set-aside program of Richmond, Virginia, which gave preference to minority business enterprises in the awarding of municipal contracts, was unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause, and why the findings are still relevant to agencies deciding to implement an MBE or other types of DEI program. 

Construction Junction - In this segment we cover the use of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program in Federal Funded Construction Projects and Procurement's Role

Deeper Dive - Supplier Diversity and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Programs---past, present and future!

Way To Grow - Growing a DEI Program at Your Agency

Moments with NIGP - Discussion with Todd Slater, Chief Content Officer, NIGP, about the Leadership Summit coming up in February 2024. 

After Hours - Radio NIGP staff continue the discussion on D.E.I. focusing on exploring our supplier diversity plan and programs and how that benefits our communities and the effect on employee sustainability.

The dictionary defines an “aha moment” as “a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension.”

For the over 2,500 attendees of NIGP’s 2023 Forum, there were plenty of “aha moments” for seasoned public procurement professionals, first time attendees, as well as suppliers.

Aha Moments include:

• The Influence procurement has
• Shared interests (on a nationwide level)
• Networking experiences (leading to new ideas/solutions)
• Expert knowledge shared and new technology
• Perspective and addressing assumptions from a non-procurement attendee
• New relationships & reuniting with friends

Also featured in today’s show are interviews with additional award winners:

• Procurement Manager of the Year – Erin A. D’Vincent
• Procurement Specialist of the Year – Tracy Garcia
• Agency Advancement Award – Orange County Public Schools

As an added bonus, the Radio NIGP team and "After Hours" where the team discusses their live appearance before an audience at Forum.

The RadioNIGP team speak with the winners of NIGP's top Awards for 2023 as well as the finalists for the Manager of the Year Award and the Procurement Specialist of the Year Awards.  

Join us for an engaging discussion as the Radio NIGP staff dive into the world of leadership and the challenges that come with extra responsibilities.  Leadership is not just about a title or position; it's about inspiring others, making tough decisions, and going the extra mile. We will explore the qualities that define exceptional leaders and how they navigate the complexities of their roles. You will gain valuable insights, tips, and strategies to enhance your leadership skills and excel in those "extra duties as assigned" situations. Do not miss out on the chance to elevate your leadership game and discover the potential within you!

• Hot Topics - Giving and receiving feedback. As supervisors, we have a responsibility to provide appropriate feedback to our subordinates, but how and when we provide that feedback matters. There are also opportunities for feedback that are not specific to a job title – presenting feedback to superiors/leadership as it relates to being a subject matter expert, providing feedback to your supervisor when you see them making a potentially detrimental decision, providing feedback to peers:
  • The value of praising publicly and coaching privately.
  • What to do when you make a mistake (apologize publicly).
  • Knowing the weight our voice has (as executive leadership) because even when we think we are just having a candid conversation, others may not feel like they can challenge us.

• Good in Orange - Stacy is joined by former Procurement Officer, Rebecca Kee and certified clinical trauma therapist, Sandy Boone, to discuss leading through trauma. 
• Chapter Updates – Conversations with Chapter Presidents from Florida and Tennessee about their "other duties as assigned".  We are leaders of our agencies and continue to keep our chapters thriving, long after our term as President, especially after we lose Presidents.
• Tech Talk - "Other duties as assigned" that procurement professionals have to be aware of should their organization become a victim of a ransomware attack. While mitigation begins as you are forming contracts, many duties do not take place until an attack happens, and an entity needs to keep operations running. 
• Deeper Dive: Making a Splash - “Leadership: Extra Duties as Assigned”—Implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System – Procurement leaders share experiences and lessons learned while providing leadership as “other duties as assigned,” when successfully implementing an ERP system. Get an overview of the phases that may be included during the ERP implementation process. Resources available for those interested in implementing an ERP system.
• Way to Grow - Two Can Grow Better Than One
• After Hours – Tara and David discuss how to give feedback in a way that is appropriate (and owning our mistakes when we fail) which reflects our character. Seeking feedback from subordinates is tricky.  Sometimes the loudest voice is not the one you should be listening to.

The staff of Radio NIGP takes on your top questions posted on NIGP’s Purchissues.  With over 600 years of procurement experience, staff shares their experiences and advice on the following:

• Best practices for dealing with non-payment of subcontractors and other suggestions if your public entity requires payments to be made to a subcontractor. 
• How do you define "professional services" - legal services, bond council, financial advisor, A&E; Brooks Act; QBS vs. Best Value; Brooks Act (Federal) and others that various states have adopted and their impact on federal funding.
• Pre-bid Meetings: Good or Bad?
• What to do with your surplus property (and not just throw it away).
• Current Issues in Procurement with Bill Culhane, VP of Operations for BidPrime and Beacon Bid as well as the host of the Big Bid Theory Podcast.

Bonus:

• Moments with NIGP: An interview with Chanda Carpenter, Director, Content Research and Development on NIGP's new 60/20 initiative which offers members a 20% discount on registration when registering for a class(es) at least 60 days in advance.
• The Way to Grow segment travels to Florida to ask FAPPO members “What would you consider to be the most pressing issue facing the public procurement profession today?” 
• Good in Orange: Lessons from employees from Mason, TN who were indicted on multiple theft charges, which includes holding two full time jobs simultaneously.

Since 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May in the United States and is highlighted in the media and local events.  It is also highlighted this May by Radio NIGP.   

Procurement is fun but not easy at times.  As such, awareness of your wellbeing is important.  This month’s show addresses topics that include improving your own work situation, moving/sharing responsibilities strategically, change or transformation, training and letting go, and vacation planning. 

Discussions:

• Deciding When It's Time to Walk Away
• How the ADA can help
• Panel discussion on “How can I improve my situation” with subject matter experts in the field of Human Resources and Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI). During this segment, we explore opportunities that organizations and employees can take to work together to strengthen the mental and emotional well-being of the employees so that they live healthier lives and are more productive both at home and work.
• Balancing your work/life and volunteering
• “When Enough is Enough”
• Managing your own situation: prioritization of multiple competing procurement requests, and how to make sure that taking a vacation has the desired effect.
• How to calm your mind to focus on what really matters
• Closing: During the pandemic we began to vocalize the importance of work/life balance.  We appreciated the importance of having a strong network and support system to help offset the struggles that isolation can bring.  Unfortunately, for many who struggle with mental health, the awareness alone does not bring about change or relief.  Listen to this month’s commentary for some insight and encouragement that will make you go HHMMMM.

This month’s show discusses the various struggles with losing momentum and gains during COVID, from Emergency to Permanency (such as virtual/online bid openings, remote working) and how public procurement professionals have adapted.

• Hot Topic: Coming out of Covid - What's the good and bad?
• Legally Speaking: Contract Modifications, Electronic Sourcing, Electronic Evaluation, Acceptance (or not) of Electronic Signatures, Public Meetings, On the Job Training...
• Way to Grow: What We Learned During the Pandemic That Helped Us Grow!
• Moments with NIGP:  How things have changed at NIGP due to the pandemic. Includes how NIGP pivoted for the first NIGP FORUM in 2020, and how educational delivery has changed, and will continue to change.
• Deeper Dive:  A panel discussion about the impact of the pandemic on their procurement operations. Guests provide details of how they were able to “pivot” and make changes to the procurement business processes to meet the needs of their stakeholders.  We will discuss what worked well, and how they are continuing to manage the procurement process, post pandemic.
• Tech Talk: ChatGPT, what is it, how can we use it, is it accurate and tips if using. 

And a brand-new segment debuts this month:

Construction Junction: Changes made during COVID with construction and how they were received.  Also, lessons learned from a Construction student on doing site visits virtually.

Stories of the impact public procurement has on topics that include:

• Waste Water
• Hurricane Response
• When it’s “OK’ to be flexible
• The value of your clients, your co-workers, and having fun
• Surplus Property
• And more

Also this month’s regular segments:

• Good in Orange - March's Procurement Month Message features a story about attempted fraud by an Atlanta Georgia businessman; and the value that procurement provides to our customers in similar situations.
• Moments with NIGP – Upcoming elections and what it’s like as an elected representative on the Member Council
• Way to Grow - a discussion about the new NIGP Public Procurement Associate Designation “Intensive” class with Rhonda Kaplan, Senior Procurement Specialist, City of Tamarac, Florida.

Also, a special “Procurement On” welcome from NIGP CEO Rick Grimm and an After Hours special at the end of this month’s show.

Traditionally, the month of March celebrates the public procurement profession.  To help you prepare properly, the Radio NIGP staff has a few suggestions:

• Hot Topics - The group discusses volunteerism and why they pay it forward.
• Legally Speaking- Learn about the importance of encouraging recognition by seeking Resolutions or other official acts to bring attention to this great profession and what we accomplish.  Also, consider seeking changes in your procurement codes during procurement month - changes in legislation are doable!  Hear about three hilarious old laws that demonstrate that codes/laws can be absurd and therefore changes are welcome! 
• Deeper Dive - Highlights some low or no budget ideas for celebrating our profession in March
• Tech Talk  & Good in Orange celebrate you and shares ideas on celebrating your procurement department.
• Way to Grow – What’s new with Mentorship for Procurement Month with Mentorship Committee Chair Marcheta Gillespie and Vice Chair Kirk Buffington. 

In addition, you can enjoy regular segments featuring:

• Moments with NIGP - Talking about excitement for the ballot list and why it is important to vote in the upcoming NIGP elections 
• Visionary Views - Happy 2nd Anniversary for Radio NIGP!  As the show kicks off it third year, join the co-founders as they talk about the original idea for the show.

PLUS, two new segments:

• Reflections – A new segment that interviews attendees from procurement events on their experiences.  This month we look back at some of the highlights from the NIGP Leadership Summit in St. Louis, MO
• Afterhours – Additional material from a segment that would normally get cut but offers additional information, insight, and value.  The Hot Topics team shares some of the experiences of volunteerism, “paying it forward,” and when it unexpectedly pays off.

Starting the new year with new employees, Radio NIGP has some great tips to help out with Onboarding New Employees: 

• in person and in the virtual world (along with a cautionary tale of remote working gone wrong)
• Coaching tips including using a checklist
• Being the “new kid on the block”
• Onboarding your new Chapter Officers

Other Features:

• Moments with NIGP -  Todd Slater, Chief Content Officer for NIGP discusses the Call for Presentations for NIGP Forum 2023 including the topics and types of presentations requested, the various length of presentations, the desire for both experienced and newer practitioners to submit, along with the deadline reminder of February 17, 2023.
   
• Procurement Pioneers – Interview with Albert H. Hall Award and  Distinguished Service Award recipient Dr. Stephen B. Gordon. 
  • Advancing the strategic contribution of public procurement and contract management has been a primary focus of Dr. Gordon's career for over 40 years and now, in retirement, he is focusing on helping those individuals who struggle with loneliness, anxiety and depression.

Clause: a distinct article, stipulation, or proviso in a formal document

• article: a stipulation in a document (such as a contract or a creed)
• stipulation:  a condition, requirement, or item specified in a legal instrument
• proviso: an article or clause (as in a contract) that introduces a condition

A clause is a section or subsection written into a contract, which may contain one or more provisions within it, of which, stipulates a condition or requirement.  Clauses define the rights and obligations each party has under the agreement and fall into three general categories: enforcement, interpretation, and execution clause.

As public procurement officials, it’s important to understand not only the meaning and the purpose behind the clauses but also how to use them properly in our documents.

The staff of Radio NIGP has come up with a list of their favorite clauses and explores the meaning, purpose, and the benefits of the proper application of each:

“My Favorite Clause” from the Radio NIGP staff:

• Confidential Information
• Conflict of Interest
• Equitable Adjustment Provision / Escalation
• Livable Wage
• Non-Availability of Funding
• Piggybacking & Cooperative Purchasing
• Price Escalation
• Public Inspection of Certain Records
• Request for Information
• Restrictions on Presenting Terms of Use or Offering Additional Services

Stocking Stuffer: stick around for a special bonus from some of the Governing Board’s little helpers!

Whether you’re new to procurement or a seasoned practitioner, we’ve got insightful tips and advice to guide your career forward.

Highlights from this month's radio segment include:

Hot Topics

New to procurement or a seasoned practitioner? What is it that you don’t know?  How will you create a pathway to advance your career?  In this session we interview Cheral Manke and learn about NIGP’s new Concierge program which is designed to help guide your career journey.

Visionary Views

An interview with Jody Jacoby who speaks about the importance of hiring the right staff, in the right roles.  How it is so important to empower staff, training them and connecting them with others in the profession to help them grow in their careers.

Tech Talk

The Tech Talk team discuss the valuable resources that NIGP provides to those new to procurement or technology procurement. Sit back and take notes to improve your technology procurement skills. 

Legally Speaking

The team discusses the importance of understanding enabling legislation as well as insights into the Model Procurement Code (MPC)

Chapter Updates

NIGP website resources for those new to the profession and an interview with Fareshta Touhami and Ronni Levine about the new NIGP Chapter websites.

Way to Grow

An interview with Mentee, Gina Klug to discuss NIGP's Mentorship Platform called “Together.”

Moments with NIGP

Anna Spindler, Vice President, Procurement, Western Governors University, discusses their application for the Agency Advancement Award and the 2022 receipt of the award.

For the past 18 years, October has been declared Cybersecurity Awareness Month and focuses on  helping individuals protect themselves online as threats to technology and confidential data increase.  This month’s theme is 'See Yourself in Cyber: Together we make it Safer', focusing on the ‘people’ part of cybersecurity, providing information and resources to help spread awareness.  Considering there are around 2,200 cyberattacks per day, that could equate to more than 800,000 people being hacked per year, getting information on preventing cyberattacks is extremely important more than ever.

• Hot Topics – The team interviews Mohave County’s Chief Information Officer Nathan McDaniel for his perspective and recommendations for how to better protect ourselves from cyber threats.
• Not Good in Orange - Stacy sits down with Travis Johnson, South Carolina State University Chief Information Officer, to discuss cyberattacks experienced by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) since the fall of 2021 including Lincoln College, Howard University, and North Carolina A&T University.
• Way to Grow: Issues When Training Employees About Cyber Security Risks
• Tech Talk – An interview with Maria Thompson, State and Local Government Cybersecurity Lead for Amazon Web Services (AWS) about information technology, strategic planning, computer network defense and risk management.
• Deeper Dive - Radio NIGP Tech Talk host Kristy Varda defines Cyber-security and discuss why this topic is so important for public procurement practitioners, what’s trending in Cyber-security, what’s on the horizon in the next 5, 10 to 15 years and more.
• Visionary Views - Brian Smith, Purchasing Manager for Multnomah County, Oregon and 2022 NIGP Distinguished Award Winner, describes his role in representing his entity and local NIGP chapter in Legislative issues affecting procurement.
• Moments w/ NIGP - Kate Rotella, Director of Fiscal Affairs and Acquisitions - Eastern Connecticut State University, and Chair-Elect - NIGP Governing Board, discusses NIGP’s upcoming Leadership Summit scheduled for February 2023.

Hundreds of public procurement professionals gathered recently in Boston, MA for the 2022 NIGP Forum.

From the perspective of many first-time attendees, they were asked in this month’s show what was your “aha” moment at Forum, what did you take away from the plenary speakers and sessions, and how do you benefit in your role by attending?

Radio NIGP continues to place the spotlight on the best of the best in Public Procurement with additional interviews of this year's NIGP Award Recipients:

• Ella Pierce Diversity and Inclusion Award (Clarissa Clark)
• Procurement Manager of the Year Award (Zac Christensen)
• Procurement Specialist of the Year Award (Teresa Chapman

NIGP staff and management also weigh in on the impact of Forum on our profession.

Finally, stick around for the first-time ever post-credit scenes!

As the unsung heroes of procurement, we aren’t used to being recognized for what we do.  

Today we place the spotlight on the best of the best in Public Procurement with interviews of this year's NIGP Award Recipients.

Interviews with the recipients for the Ella Pierce Diversity and Inclusion Award (Clarissa Clark), Procurement Manager of the Year Award, and the Procurement Specialist of the Year Award will be featured in the September Radio NIGP show!

This month, Radio NIGP focuses on supplier relationships and how we build collaborative environments while maintaining procurement integrity.

Hot Topics – “Supplier Relationships - Not Just an Arm’s Length Issue.”

Chapter Updates - Developing supplier relationships through chapter events.

Deeper Dive (NEW SEGMENT) - Bobbie Tolston speaks with instructor and content creator Barbara Johnson and Supplier and Master's Certificate for Suppliers designee Dr. Kim Abrego about NIGP's educational offerings for the supplier community.  

Tech Talk - This month’s discussion includes: tips on hiring vendors as subject matter experts, case law surrounding hiring vendors as subject matter experts, and suggestions for having protocol in place so that vendors and procurement agents can have a clear policy around their relationships.

Legally Speaking - Explores our relationship with our Suppliers: the difference between ethics and the law; while collaborating with our suppliers we have to remember that perception is reality; and gifts and trade shows - what’s the right thing to do.

Way to Grow - Newest NIGP Business Council Member, Becca Blazak, discusses why her firm Joined the NIGP Business Council

Visionary Views - An interview with Carl Bonitto about NIGP volunteering, mentorship, networking, Forum value, certification, supply chain issue resources, training internal clients, potential webinar use and development, and C-suite engagement. 

Not Good in Orange - How the CEO of an electric company was sentenced to prison because the progress of a construction project was misrepresented to the SC legislature.

Commentary - If you ever feel like you are caught in a game of tug of war with your suppliers, tune in to recognize the importance of joining forces and pulling together to find ways to make a project work in spite of uncertainties in today’s market.  Spoiler alert: it is all in the communication, collaboration, and creative thinking!

The topic for this month centers around improving the effectiveness of our relationships and decision-making support.  As Public Procurement Professionals, supplier and stakeholders support is critical to the service delivery that we provide for our customers. We’ll share some tips and tools that will help you become more effective by refreshing your relationships.

Hot Topic - Internal Relationships and the hard ten percent

Legally Speaking – Key perspectives on establishing or improving your working relationship with legal. Do we share the same view about fundamental responsibilities?  Two new contributors join the team as they unpack some considerations when working with counsel.

Chapter Updates – An interview with Jennifer Steffan, Chapter Relations Manager for NIGP

Way To Grow – How NIGP Mentorships can develop and grow personal and professional relationships

Procurement Pioneers - An interview with the 2008 NIGP Albert H. Hall Memorial Award Recipient, E. Ray (Ray) Burnett

Because I Don’t Look Good in Orange - An embezzlement case involving two procurement officers at Coahoma Community College and why there should be multi-level checks in place to prevent p-card fraud

Commentary - Building relationships with our stakeholders including our end users and our suppliers is critical to the success of any project.  How those relationships are built can take several different forms, but networking is an excellent tool to help grow and develop your personal and professional relationships.  In this segment we will explore times when who you know helps what you know, and relationships always matter.

This month's segment focuses on the Forum experience. Hear what your colleagues have to say about Forum - the memories they share, the advice they offer and the support that's shared by all. It's where procurement professionals come together to connect, learn new innovative ways to perform tasks and grow personally as well as professionally. 

Whether you are planning to attend in-person or virtually you can expect a unique and unforgettable conference that's designed around you. Here are highlights from Radio NIGP:

A Day in the Life of a Forum Attendee: We discuss how we create our schedules; our favorite part of Forum; and how we visit the trade show.

Moments with NIGP - An interview with Carrie Winter, NIGP Director of Events on what you can expect in Boston and virtually.

Legally Speaking: A preview of upcoming Forum sessions that have a particular legal slant and offer useful, compelling content.

Visionary Views – An interview with Kara Daniel, NIGP Chapter Ambassador and Manager I – Purchasing with the School District of Springfield R-12 (Missouri).  Kara provides a roadmap from Local to National NIGP and speaks about the journey from being a member to officer with MAPP, a volunteer with NIGP, and how Forum enhanced her leadership with MAPP - a full circle moment.

Way to Grow - A special panel discussion on what advice you would give to your mentee regarding the benefits of attending Forum.  Panel discussion members include:

• Denise Badillo, Director of Procurement, City of North Charleston, South Carolina
• Juan Corral, Procurement and Contract Services Division Manager at the County of Orange Health Care Agency in California.
• Victoria (Vickey) Cortinas, Senior Procurement Specialist, Tucson Electric Power Company.
• Lisa Mehalko, Director of Procurement, Georgia Technology Authority.

Tech Talk – Discusses the Technology and Innovation track offered at Forum

Chapter Updates - Seven chapters provide input on how they promote participation at Forum for their members

Good in Orange - Forum behavior and how attendees should think about the ethical implications of their after-hour actions.

Many professional industries have experienced a mass exodus from the workforce since the pandemic. This exodus has caused a knowledge gap within many public procurement agencies.  Join us as we provide our listeners with tips and tools for filing those vacancies.  The broadcast also features the Word of the Day, updates from NIGP Chapters, and this month's commentary.

• Hot Topics - Procurement staffing – the world is changing FAST…are we ready?
• Legally Speaking - Legally Speaking surveys some of the legal issues surrounding employees working remotely, providing a checklist you can use to assess your own entity’s preparedness
• Visionary Views - Interview with Jenn Myers, Procurement Manager, City of Tucson, AZ on What Public Procurement process looks like two years after the Covid pandemic: 
  • Fully staffed with new hires onboarding
  • Strategic Plan refocus
  • Internal training first with new software launch
• Tech Talk - Staffing challenges with discussions on the importance of cross-training, checklists, collaboration with end users and Leadership support
• Way To Grow - An interview with Nathan Daou, Procurement Administrator, City of Tucson, AZ on Mentorship And Succession Planning.
• Good in Orange - What can go wrong when managers hire procurement officers under duress.

It’s the one-year anniversary of Radio NIGP and we’re celebrating Procurement!

The show kicks off with a greeting from NIGP CEO Rick Grimm followed by great information in this month’s segments:

• Greeting from NIGP CEO Rick Grimm
• Moments with NIGP: NIGP Membership Council members Jody Jacoby and Zulay Millan discuss the upcoming elections and why member participation is so important.
• I Don’t Look Good in Orange: PPE fraud during the pandemic and how it presented opportunities for Procurement professionals to shine.
• Tech Talk: Celebrating YOU and technology!
• Visionary Views: An interview with Gord and Emma Sears
• Way to Grow: The Experiences of a Successful Mentee with Mentors – and interview with Tracy Attenasio
• Commentary: As we celebrate YOU and the job that you do during Procurement Month, we also share tips on how to add value and be recognized all year long. Hmmmm…is such a thing possible? 

No one likes to hear “No” especially from the Purchasing Office. Radio NIGP takes a hard look at how you can soften the 'No' and still achieve your entity's goals. In our profession, we have to help stakeholders understand the potential outcomes of their decisions which is not always what they want to hear. 

• Hot Topics – softening and even removing from your lexicon, the “No” at work
• Legally Speaking - When and Why Lawyers Say No
• Tech talk – Ways to avoid the “no” in negotiation technology procurements that could comprise data and increase threats when facing a short deadline
• NEW SEGMENT:  Moments with NIGP – Highlights on NIGP with this month’s segment focusing on Global Best Practices
• Way to Grow - Explore the show’s theme "softening the no," in relation to thought leaders and mentors interacting with others.  What happens when they say "NO?" 
• Procurement Pioneers – An interview with Kenneth Koester, NIGP 2010-2011 Past Presidents/Governing Board Chair, NIGP Distinguished Service Award in 2013 and 2020 recipient of the Albert H. Hall Memorial Award
• I don’t look good in Orange - The case of Richland County Council Woman Dahli Meyers, who was indicted on 24 counts, including making fraudulent charges on her Pcard.
• Commentary - No one likes being told “no” but everyone likes to know their options.  In our profession, we have to help our stakeholders understand the potential outcomes of their decisions, and that is not always what they want to hear.  In this segment, we explore the concept that you may not like me now, but you’ll love me later.

As we start a new year, we often think about things we would like to change or renew. If you are looking for some new ideas about things to renew, our friends at Radio NIGP have lots of suggestions:

• Hot Topic: It’s a new year; a time of renewal; and the Hot Topics crew has suggestions for things to consider in the coming months.
• Procurement Pioneers: An interview with author and NIGP 2009 Distinguished Service Award recipient Dr. Clifford McCue
• Chapter Updates: Newly elected Chapter Presidents share their plans for 2022
• Tech Talk:  Reviews major technology issues in 2021 and how these are setting the trend for Technology changes in 2022.
• I Don’t Look Good in Orange: A case of PCard fraud at Georgia Tech and the steps an administrator must take to bounce back from a problematic program.
• Way to Grow: What is the Mentorship Committee looking to accomplish in 2022.
• Commentary: When considering the renewal of an old goal or the starting of a new one, it is important to consider ways to ensure success rather than increase frustration.  In this segment we will introduce a methodology that will help keep the momentum of renewal going long term.