119th Annual Conference Sessions: Procurement
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Sessions for Sunday, June 29
No procurement sessions for June 29
Sessions for Monday, June 30
Good, Bad, and Ugly: The Debate with Using Cooperative Procurement Agreements
Large cooperative procurement agreements can provide many benefits including better pricing, shorter purchasing timelines, access to pre-negotiated contracts, and improved supplier relationships. However, using a cooperative agreement also can limit new ideas, reduce opportunities for suppliers, require governments to accept less than ideal terms, and create the potential for conflict with procurement policies or grant requirements.
Essentials of a Procurement Policy
Procurement policies provide standards for purchasing goods and services while also navigate complex frameworks of legal, budgetary, management, and ethical requirements. Policies set clear expectations for roles, approvals, transparency, competition, decision-making, and code of conduct and must be evaluated regularly to ensure consistency with both the current business and legal environment. Unfortunately for many organizations, policies are either outdated, vague, or inaccessible to key stakeholders.
Kickstarting Results: Applying Procurement Principles to Grantmaking
Thriving communities are not the focus of governments alone. Nonprofits, faith-based organizations, small businesses, and other community-based institutions often share similar goals. Providing grants to these organizations and businesses can be an effective way for governments to meet their objectives, but only if they take a strategic approach. To ensure they are maximizing their investment, governments must define their priorities and intended results, establish transparent processes for soliciting and reviewing applications, and monitor the effectiveness of the awarded grants.
Sessions for Tuesday, July 1
The Missing Piece: Using P-Cards to Improve Your Procurement and Payable Process
Procurement and accounts payable functions can be slow, inefficient, and a source of frustration for both internal departments and external suppliers. For governments looking for ways to better manage small purchases, subscriptions, travel, or other transactions not ideally suited for a purchase order, purchasing cards (P-cards) can be an effective tool to improve service, control, and transparency, while also reducing administrative burdens. They offer an opportunity to save time and money. While they do present some risks, these can be mitigated through clear policies and procedures, making them often safer than commonly used alternatives.