Inside Public Procurement: Heroic Stories from the Frontlines

Getting everyone on board with procurement is easier said than done.All procurement pros face the stigma of “red tape” at one point or another even though we all know how vital the purchasing process is.What's the key here? This panel says: education, breaking silos, and good customer service.Collaboration and education were hot topics at Bonfire's User Meetup in Austin, TX. On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, listen in on a conversation between:Melissa McCord, Senior Contract Administrator and Supervisor, Harris CountyEdward Romero, Executive Director of Operations and Business Services, San Antonio Independent School DistrictAnnie Collier, Executive Director of Contract and Procurement Services, Austin Independent School District.Hear their take on improving relationships and educating internal clients, collaborating with other departments to create efficiencies, leveraging the knowledge and experience of other agencies, getting the best outcomes from cooperative purchasing, and so much more.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Getting everyone on board with procurement is easier said than done. All procurement pros face the stigma of “red tape” at one point or another even though we all know how vital the purchasing process is. What's the key here? This panel says: education, breaking silos, and good customer service. Collaboration and education were hot topics at Bonfire's User Meetup in Austin, TX. On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, listen in on a conversation between: Melissa McCord, Senior Contract Administrator and Supervisor, Harris County Edward Romero, Executive Director of Operations and Business Services, San Antonio Independent School District Annie Collier, Executive Director of Contract and Procurement Services, Austin Independent School District. Hear their take on improving relationships and educating internal clients, collaborating with other departments to create efficiencies, leveraging the knowledge and experience of other agencies, getting the best outcomes from cooperative purchasing, and so much more. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

After a two-year hiatus we were finally able to get together in person with our amazing users at an Ontario Meetup. After the last few years of isolation, they had much to say about the importance of coming together to share ideas, celebrate successes and challenges, and problem solve together. And on this special mini episode of Inside Public Procurement, we're bringing the highlights straight to you! Tune in to hear from four procurement professionals on the power of collaborating with peers: Michael Alguire, Purchasing Manager, County of Gray; Bhavna Sharma, Procurement Specialist, Laurier University; Jan Oliver, Assistant Director, Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Services, York University; and Tony De Sciscio, Manager, Procurement and Contracts, Toronto Public Library. Here are some highlights from the session: · Why it's so important to make space for procurement professionals to share their experiences · How insight sharing breaks down silos · Why a culture of collaboration benefits both procurement teams and the clients they serve · Bonus: Each panelist shares their favourite sticky takeaway from the event! You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

After a two-year hiatus we were finally able to get together in person with our amazing users at an Ontario Meetup. After the last few years of isolation, they had much to say about the importance of coming together to share ideas, celebrate successes and challenges, and problem solve together. And on this special mini episode of Inside Public Procurement, we're bringing the highlights straight to you!Tune in to hear from four procurement professionals on the power of collaborating with peers: Michael Alguire, Purchasing Manager, County of Gray; Bhavna Sharma, Procurement Specialist, Laurier University; Jan Oliver, Assistant Director, Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Services, York University; and Tony De Sciscio, Manager, Procurement and Contracts, Toronto Public Library.Here are some highlights from the session:· Why it's so important to make space for procurement professionals to share their experiences· How insight sharing breaks down silos· Why a culture of collaboration benefits both procurement teams and the clients they serve· Bonus: Each panelist shares their favourite sticky takeaway from the event!You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

The transformative powers of technology on procurement is something we'll talk about until we're blue in the face—but hearing from the people who are reaping the benefits really puts it into perspective. On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, enjoy the recording from the case study session we hosted at the NIGP Annual Forum back in August titled “Innovation for Impact”. We sat down with Cheri Estrada, Director of Purchasing at Tacoma School District; Brenda Byers-Banks, Procurement and Contract Specialist at North Carolina State University; Adam Stearns, Director of Purchasing at Magnolia ISD; and Glenn O'Steen, Manager, Procurement at Columbia County, Georgia. Listen in as panelists discuss how tech impacts: Vendor service, diversity, and engagement RFP creation and collaboration Evaluations Client service Cost savings And much more. Sit back, enjoy, and learn how you can use tech to see similar benefits. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

The transformative powers of technology on procurement is something we'll talk about until we're blue in the face—but hearing from the people who are reaping the benefits really puts it into perspective.On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, enjoy the recording from the case study session we hosted at the NIGP Annual Forum back in August titled “Innovation for Impact”.We sat down with Cheri Estrada, Director of Purchasing at Tacoma School District; Brenda Byers-Banks, Procurement and Contract Specialist at North Carolina State University; Adam Stearns, Director of Purchasing at Magnolia ISD; and Glenn O'Steen, Manager, Procurement at Columbia County, Georgia.Listen in as panelists discuss how tech impacts:Vendor service, diversity, and engagementRFP creation and collaborationEvaluationsClient serviceCost savingsAnd much more. Sit back, enjoy, and learn how you can use tech to see similar benefits.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Public procurement pros are the champions of creating positive, impactful change. Every now and again, take a step back and appreciate the ways procurement has real power to make a difference not just for your team and organization, but your community and peers, too. For Ada County, Idaho, that meant creating a procurement environment that empowered agility, mobility, and a better vendor experience. But, as if creating big internal changes wasn't enough, Bob Perkins, Ada County's Procurement Director, led the charge to tackle outdated legislation and introduce a new state bill that benefits all Idaho public agencies through cooperative purchasing. Cooperative purchasing in public procurement can make a world of difference—especially for smaller agencies. The little guys gain more purchasing power and all participating agencies can breeze through procurement since all the heavy lifting is already done. For everyone, it means negotiating lower prices and gaining the ability to be more frugal with taxpayer funds. On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, we sit down with Bob to talk about being the driving force behind switching to paperless procurement and creating a bill that would allow Idaho public agencies to leverage cooperative contracts. We also discuss how both he and his team at Ada County are always working to improve their processes, create a better experience for vendors, and advocate for cooperative purchasing. Have questions? Reach out to Bob at bperkins@adacounty.id.gov You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Public procurement pros are the champions of creating positive, impactful change.Every now and again, take a step back and appreciate the ways procurement has real power to make a difference not just for your team and organization, but your community and peers, too.For Ada County, Idaho, that meant creating a procurement environment that empowered agility, mobility, and a better vendor experience. But, as if creating big internal changes wasn't enough, Bob Perkins, Ada County's Procurement Director, led the charge to tackle outdated legislation and introduce a new state bill that benefits all Idaho public agencies through cooperative purchasing.Cooperative purchasing in public procurement can make a world of difference—especially for smaller agencies. The little guys gain more purchasing power and all participating agencies can breeze through procurement since all the heavy lifting is already done. For everyone, it means negotiating lower prices and gaining the ability to be more frugal with taxpayer funds.On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, we sit down with Bob to talk about being the driving force behind switching to paperless procurement and creating a bill that would allow Idaho public agencies to leverage cooperative contracts. We also discuss how both he and his team at Ada County are always working to improve their processes, create a better experience for vendors, and advocate for cooperative purchasing.Have questions? Reach out to Bob at bperkins@adacounty.id.govYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

How often have you heard procurement described as the “department of no”? To your internal clients—who want their goods and services purchased yesterday—the systems and processes you've put in place to ensure a fair and transparent process sometimes just look like red tape. But forward-thinking purchasing teams, like the one at San Bernardino County, are changing the narrative. In this episode, we sat down with Michelle Churchill and Bruce Cole, Supervising Buyers at San Bernardino County. At over 20,000 employees, Michelle and Bruce serve a huge internal client base. And they've made it their mission to shift their agency's perspective of procurement, once seen as a roadblock, now established as a trusted and strategic advisor to their organization. In our conversion, hosted in-person at this year's NIGP Forum in Boston, Bruce and Michelle tackle topics such as: How manual errors and RFP addenda eroded trust with internal clients and vendors How procurement technology has freed up the purchasing team's time to get out of the weeds and think more strategically The importance of user-friendly software to ensure buy-in from evaluators and vendors Connect with Bruce at bcole@pur.sbcounty.gov and Michelle at Michelle.Churchill@pur.sbcounty.gov. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

How often have you heard procurement described as the “department of no”?To your internal clients—who want their goods and services purchased yesterday—the systems and processes you've put in place to ensure a fair and transparent process sometimes just look like red tape.But forward-thinking purchasing teams, like the one at San Bernardino County, are changing the narrative.In this episode, we sat down with Michelle Churchill and Bruce Cole, Supervising Buyers at San Bernardino County.At over 20,000 employees, Michelle and Bruce serve a huge internal client base. And they've made it their mission to shift their agency's perspective of procurement, once seen as a roadblock, now established as a trusted and strategic advisor to their organization.In our conversion, hosted in-person at this year's NIGP Forum in Boston, Bruce and Michelle tackle topics such as:How manual errors and RFP addenda eroded trust with internal clients and vendorsHow procurement technology has freed up the purchasing team's time to get out of the weeds and think more strategicallyThe importance of user-friendly software to ensure buy-in from evaluators and vendorsConnect with Bruce at bcole@pur.sbcounty.gov and Michelle at Michelle.Churchill@pur.sbcounty.gov.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Have you ever met someone who grew up wanting to go into public procurement? When all of their friends were dressing up as doctors and firefighters for Halloween, they came as a purchasing agent? Us neither. Hardly anyone actively seeks a job in public procurement; you just kinda fall into it. So whether someone is coming to the procurement department from finance, public works, planning, or even fresh from school, the field of public purchasing can be a bit overwhelming to say the least. Procurement is a whole new, scary world complete with a new language, processes, rules, and tools. What's a newbie to do? One thing that public procurement doesn't get enough credit for is how friendly and helpful the community is. Procurement pros are always ready to share their knowledge, experience, and advice to help others. For Keith Allen, Senior Buyer at Jackson County, Missouri, leaning on a mentor and his peers has been one of the most crucial parts to him finding his rhythm in public procurement. Not only that, as a fresh mind in the department, Keith identified a lot of opportunities and helped the County ditch dozens of drawers of paper records, among other innovations. Keith sat down with us at the NIGP Annual Forum in Boston to talk us through his transition into procurement from finance, advice for new procurement pros, the power of new perspectives, and the best way to make seafood pasta. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Have you ever met someone who grew up wanting to go into public procurement? When all of their friends were dressing up as doctors and firefighters for Halloween, they came as a purchasing agent? Us neither.Hardly anyone actively seeks a job in public procurement; you just kinda fall into it.So whether someone is coming to the procurement department from finance, public works, planning, or even fresh from school, the field of public purchasing can be a bit overwhelming to say the least. Procurement is a whole new, scary world complete with a new language, processes, rules, and tools. What's a newbie to do?One thing that public procurement doesn't get enough credit for is how friendly and helpful the community is. Procurement pros are always ready to share their knowledge, experience, and advice to help others.For Keith Allen, Senior Buyer at Jackson County, Missouri, leaning on a mentor and his peers has been one of the most crucial parts to him finding his rhythm in public procurement.Not only that, as a fresh mind in the department, Keith identified a lot of opportunities and helped the County ditch dozens of drawers of paper records, among other innovations.Keith sat down with us at the NIGP Annual Forum in Boston to talk us through his transition into procurement from finance, advice for new procurement pros, the power of new perspectives, and the best way to make seafood pasta.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

New technology can be scary to a lot of people which is why digital transformation can be a huge deal in an organization—especially in public sector agencies where tech is notoriously lagging. Leading a new software implementation doesn't start with technical things, it starts with the very human elements. Getting people on board with change is one of the hardest parts of the implementation process and involving your team in the transition right from the beginning is a winning strategy. On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, we sat down to chat with Kyle Jurgens, Category Specialist in procurement at the University of Saskatchewan. Kyle received the Leadership award—nominated by multiple colleagues—in this year's Bonfire Procurement Awards after successfully leading the implementation of eProcurement at USask. Kyle shares his wisdom on leading change in your organization, what engaging stakeholders and obtaining buy-in looks like, and why procurement digital transformation is a team sport. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

New technology can be scary to a lot of people which is why digital transformation can be a huge deal in an organization—especially in public sector agencies where tech is notoriously lagging.Leading a new software implementation doesn't start with technical things, it starts with the very human elements. Getting people on board with change is one of the hardest parts of the implementation process and involving your team in the transition right from the beginning is a winning strategy.On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, we sat down to chat with Kyle Jurgens, Category Specialist in procurement at the University of Saskatchewan. Kyle received the Leadership award—nominated by multiple colleagues—in this year's Bonfire Procurement Awards after successfully leading the implementation of eProcurement at USask.Kyle shares his wisdom on leading change in your organization, what engaging stakeholders and obtaining buy-in looks like, and why procurement digital transformation is a team sport.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

What do public procurement professionals and superheroes have in common? More than you'd think.While we don't know many procurement pros with super strength or laser vision, we do know a ton who are the driving force behind their agencies and their communities.Every year, we at Bonfire dig through our databases and gather third-party information to create the State of Public Sourcing report. This report uncovers emerging priorities and trends as well as how outside factors are influencing the current reality of public procurement teams.The 2022 report is here and we are blown away by the heroic efforts in the face of huge increases in project volumes and tighter human resources—among other challenges. Through analyzing data from nearly 500 public agencies, we identified five key areas that procurement pros like you are flexing your superpowers:Vendor DiversityCollaborationClient ServiceDigitizationCost Savings On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, we sit down with our very own Emily Lambert, Manager of Content Marketing at Bonfire and the force behind the State of Public Sourcing report.Emily walks us through the findings of the report and what they mean for the future of public procurement, how to leverage these insights to unlock your own superpowers, and why you should embrace the community of your peers and their experiences.Get your free digital copy of this report at gobonfire.com/super-sourcing.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

What do public procurement professionals and superheroes have in common? More than you'd think. While we don't know many procurement pros with super strength or laser vision, we do know a ton who are the driving force behind their agencies and their communities. Every year, we at Bonfire dig through our databases and gather third-party information to create the State of Public Sourcing report. This report uncovers emerging priorities and trends as well as how outside factors are influencing the current reality of public procurement teams. The 2022 report is here and we are blown away by the heroic efforts in the face of huge increases in project volumes and tighter human resources—among other challenges. Through analyzing data from nearly 500 public agencies, we identified five key areas that procurement pros like you are flexing your superpowers: Vendor Diversity Collaboration Client Service Digitization Cost Savings  On this episode of Inside Public Procurement, we sit down with our very own Emily Lambert, Manager of Content Marketing at Bonfire and the force behind the State of Public Sourcing report. Emily walks us through the findings of the report and what they mean for the future of public procurement, how to leverage these insights to unlock your own superpowers, and why you should embrace the community of your peers and their experiences. Get your free digital copy of this report at gobonfire.com/super-sourcing. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

The mere mention of the word “audit” can cause the collective palms of public procurement to sweat. The reality is, audits are stressful and it's not a question of if you'll get audited, but when.Since there's so much money that flows through public procurement, it's high on the auditor's list of risky activities. With a lot of hands in the pot, external pressures, and an increased chance of mistakes and fraud, it's no wonder public procurement is under such tight scrutiny.So, when the auditor inevitably comes knocking, are you prepared?Mark Funkhouser, President of Funkhouser and Associates and Former Mayor of Kansas City, works with public agencies to improve many aspects of their operations. With an auditing background, Mark has unique insight into what triggers a procurement audit and how to prepare for and prevent a lot of common mistakes or oversights that can land you in hot water.In this episode of Inside Public Procurement, Mark talks to Bonfire's Director of Client Experience Rachel Friesen about the importance of creating a system of checks and balances for your procurement processes, red flags auditors look for when conducting a procurement audit, why thorough staff training is a vital part of audit-proofing your procurement, and how to plan ahead and mitigate risks before they become a problem.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

The mere mention of the word “audit” can cause the collective palms of public procurement to sweat. The reality is, audits are stressful and it's not a question of if you'll get audited, but when. Since there's so much money that flows through public procurement, it's high on the auditor's list of risky activities. With a lot of hands in the pot, external pressures, and an increased chance of mistakes and fraud, it's no wonder public procurement is under such tight scrutiny. So, when the auditor inevitably comes knocking, are you prepared? Mark Funkhouser, President of Funkhouser and Associates and Former Mayor of Kansas City, works with public agencies to improve many aspects of their operations. With an auditing background, Mark has unique insight into what triggers a procurement audit and how to prepare for and prevent a lot of common mistakes or oversights that can land you in hot water. In this episode of Inside Public Procurement, Mark talks to Bonfire's Director of Client Experience Rachel Friesen about the importance of creating a system of checks and balances for your procurement processes, red flags auditors look for when conducting a procurement audit, why thorough staff training is a vital part of audit-proofing your procurement, and how to plan ahead and mitigate risks before they become a problem. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

How can we build more relationships with small, diverse and historically underutilized organizations? It's a question many procurement teams are acting on as they realize that supplier diversity isn't just a social responsibility — it's a smart business strategy.Whether you're launching a vendor diversity program, already have one, or don't know where to start, this is one episode you don't want to miss.In a pre-recorded session with Robert Tatum of the Cayman Islands Government and Sheena Fain of the City of Akron, in conversation with Bonfire's Director of Client Experience, Rachel Friesen, you'll discover how both procurement pros launched their own small supplier programs and what they learned along the way, including how to:Eliminate barriers to entry for small and diverse suppliersCreate a process that gives more time back to small business owners (and why that's the most important currency of all)Educate internal stakeholders about vendor diversityConduct outreach that builds trust and taps into the small supplier ecosystemGet feedback that helps you move the needle on the things small suppliers care aboutUse Bonfire to support your vendor diversity effortsYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

How can we build more relationships with small, diverse and historically underutilized organizations? It's a question many procurement teams are acting on as they realize that supplier diversity isn't just a social responsibility — it's a smart business strategy. Whether you're launching a vendor diversity program, already have one, or don't know where to start, this is one episode you don't want to miss. In a pre-recorded session with Robert Tatum of the Cayman Islands Government and Sheena Fain of the City of Akron, in conversation with Bonfire's Director of Client Experience, Rachel Friesen, you'll discover how both procurement pros launched their own small supplier programs and what they learned along the way, including how to: Eliminate barriers to entry for small and diverse suppliers Create a process that gives more time back to small business owners (and why that's the most important currency of all) Educate internal stakeholders about vendor diversity Conduct outreach that builds trust and taps into the small supplier ecosystem Get feedback that helps you move the needle on the things small suppliers care about Use Bonfire to support your vendor diversity efforts You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Purpose and priorities. They're two things employees got serious about during the pandemic. Millions walked away from jobs that didn't reflect their core values and, as the Great Resignation grinds on, employers are still feeling the pinch — procurement included.With a growing appetite for purpose-driven work — and so many myths about careers in procurement — how can under-resourced teams attract the best talent?According to Chris Sheel, Manager of Procurement for the City of Vernon, public procurement has exactly what it takes to win the war. In this episode he sits down with Bonfire CEO Omar Salaymeh for some real talk on the state of recruitment in public sector procurement today.Chris and Omar discuss:The power of core values in public procurementHow organizations can attract purpose-driven talentWhy the public sector is uniquely positioned to compete for millennial and Gen Z hearts and mindsHow procurement can meet the needs of internal clients and employeesThe secret to engaged and empathetic leadershipHow eProcurement supports your recruitment strategyConnect with Chris on LinkedIn.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Purpose and priorities. They're two things employees got serious about during the pandemic. Millions walked away from jobs that didn't reflect their core values and, as the Great Resignation grinds on, employers are still feeling the pinch — procurement included. With a growing appetite for purpose-driven work — and so many myths about careers in procurement — how can under-resourced teams attract the best talent? According to Chris Sheel, Manager of Procurement for the City of Vernon, public procurement has exactly what it takes to win the war. In this episode he sits down with Bonfire CEO Omar Salaymeh for some real talk on the state of recruitment in public sector procurement today. Chris and Omar discuss: The power of core values in public procurement How organizations can attract purpose-driven talent Why the public sector is uniquely positioned to compete for millennial and Gen Z hearts and minds How procurement can meet the needs of internal clients and employees The secret to engaged and empathetic leadership How eProcurement supports your recruitment strategy Connect with Chris on LinkedIn. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

If you're responsible for managing and allocating federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), you know it's an incredible opportunity for communities — and also a massive burden for under-resourced procurement departments.Between the funding structure, the timelines, and the stringent reporting requirements attached to the money, there's a lot to juggle. And yet, our latest guests say there are plenty of worthwhile reasons to leverage ARPA funding.Joel Neaveill and Ken Hillebrand of the Louisville Metro Government have each played a key role in managing Louisville's $388 million in ARPA funding over the last year. In this previously recorded session, they sit down with Bonfire host Anthony Berry to share some firsthand advice and answer all your questions about ARPA, including:Understanding the funding and how it worksAssembling the right teamAccessing and managing the money effectivelyUsing ARPA funds to support strategic goalsPreparing for the great project floodMeeting compliance and reporting requirementsConnect with Joel and Ken on LinkedIn.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

If you're responsible for managing and allocating federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), you know it's an incredible opportunity for communities — and also a massive burden for under-resourced procurement departments. Between the funding structure, the timelines, and the stringent reporting requirements attached to the money, there's a lot to juggle. And yet, our latest guests say there are plenty of worthwhile reasons to leverage ARPA funding. Joel Neaveill and Ken Hillebrand of the Louisville Metro Government have each played a key role in managing Louisville's $388 million in ARPA funding over the last year. In this previously recorded session, they sit down with Bonfire host Anthony Berry to share some firsthand advice and answer all your questions about ARPA, including: Understanding the funding and how it works Assembling the right team Accessing and managing the money effectively Using ARPA funds to support strategic goals Preparing for the great project flood Meeting compliance and reporting requirements Connect with Joel and Ken on LinkedIn. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

“You can't make a sandwich without going to the grocery store,” says Latanya Figueroa. And if you want it to be especially delicious, you need to know where to find the best ingredients.That's something procurement professionals do really well. And while sandwiches may be low on their priority list, collectively, public procurement teams source hundreds of thousands of goods and services for their communities. Finding solutions that deliver the best value for taxpayers takes a special set of skills — and chief among them is relationship building.In this episode, Latanya, who is the Purchasing Manager at Clover Park School District, joins Bonfire host Tuong La to share her philosophy on vendor partnerships — why they matter and how to build stronger relationships with the businesses that help keep your organization running.Drawing on 25 years of experience in procurement, Latanya dives into these topics and more:Why strong partnerships matterHow getting aligned on mission helps both sides be successfulStrategies for staying open and improving communicationThe impact of vendor relationships on risk management, pricing, quality, support and transparencyConnect with Latanya on LinkedIn.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

“You can't make a sandwich without going to the grocery store,” says Latanya Figueroa. And if you want it to be especially delicious, you need to know where to find the best ingredients. That's something procurement professionals do really well. And while sandwiches may be low on their priority list, collectively, public procurement teams source hundreds of thousands of goods and services for their communities. Finding solutions that deliver the best value for taxpayers takes a special set of skills — and chief among them is relationship building. In this episode, Latanya, who is the Purchasing Manager at Clover Park School District, joins Bonfire host Tuong La to share her philosophy on vendor partnerships — why they matter and how to build stronger relationships with the businesses that help keep your organization running. Drawing on 25 years of experience in procurement, Latanya dives into these topics and more: Why strong partnerships matter How getting aligned on mission helps both sides be successful Strategies for staying open and improving communication The impact of vendor relationships on risk management, pricing, quality, support and transparency Connect with Latanya on LinkedIn. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Every day at University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, some of the most innovative patient care and health research in the world happens. While researchers and clinicians make history, procurement professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all possible.Juli Smyth, Senior Strategic Sourcing Specialist at UHN, is one of those people. Her innovative approach to procurement supports cutting-edge healthcare and research — and that's no easy feat in a space that tends to play it safe.In this episode of Inside Public Procurement, she joins Bonfire host Tuong La for a deep dive into some of the initiatives she's spearheaded at UHN, from the use of integrated project delivery (IPD) contract formats to competitive dialogue (CD) with vendors in the procurement process.Given the challenges of the last two years, Juli also shares the highs and lows of healthcare procurement during the pandemic – including the surprising power of the cold call and the generosity that keeps her going.Connect with Juli on LinkedIn.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Every day at University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, some of the most innovative patient care and health research in the world happens. While researchers and clinicians make history, procurement professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all possible. Juli Smyth, Senior Strategic Sourcing Specialist at UHN, is one of those people. Her innovative approach to procurement supports cutting-edge healthcare and research — and that's no easy feat in a space that tends to play it safe. In this episode of Inside Public Procurement, she joins Bonfire host Tuong La for a deep dive into some of the initiatives she's spearheaded at UHN, from the use of integrated project delivery (IPD) contract formats to competitive dialogue (CD) with vendors in the procurement process. Given the challenges of the last two years, Juli also shares the highs and lows of healthcare procurement during the pandemic – including the surprising power of the cold call and the generosity that keeps her going. Connect with Juli on LinkedIn. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

A tale as old as time in public agencies: stunted communication between departments, barriers to collaboration, and a lack of transparency.When it comes to being a part of decisions, the procurement department doesn't always get a seat at the table. Being left out of those conversations can have a chain reaction of consequences both internally and externally. This coupled with lagging technology can really throw a wrench in dreams of a collaborative, efficient, and transparent public purchasing process.For Boyd Donavon, Assistant Purchasing Agent for the County of Ventura, being involved in purchasing decisions and planning means more job satisfaction for his peers, open lines of communication with other departments, and building public trust through open and transparent processes.As a centerpiece to all of these topics, Boyd champions digital transformation in government agencies and sheds light on the County's efforts to move to eProcurement in 2019, how that affected them during the pandemic, and why others should make the switch.In this episode of Inside Public Procurement, listen in on this conversation between Boyd and Bonfire CEO Omar Salaymeh and hear about all of these topics—plus how the County of Ventura's procurement department became heroes during the pandemic.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

A tale as old as time in public agencies: stunted communication between departments, barriers to collaboration, and a lack of transparency. When it comes to being a part of decisions, the procurement department doesn't always get a seat at the table. Being left out of those conversations can have a chain reaction of consequences both internally and externally. This coupled with lagging technology can really throw a wrench in dreams of a collaborative, efficient, and transparent public purchasing process. For Boyd Donavon, Assistant Purchasing Agent for the County of Ventura, being involved in purchasing decisions and planning means more job satisfaction for his peers, open lines of communication with other departments, and building public trust through open and transparent processes. As a centerpiece to all of these topics, Boyd champions digital transformation in government agencies and sheds light on the County's efforts to move to eProcurement in 2019, how that affected them during the pandemic, and why others should make the switch. In this episode of Inside Public Procurement, listen in on this conversation between Boyd and Bonfire CEO Omar Salaymeh and hear about all of these topics—plus how the County of Ventura's procurement department became heroes during the pandemic. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

We've learned a lot over the last two years: for one, that responding to a global public health crisis depends on strong strategic sourcing partners; and on the flipside, that supporting urgent, high-impact projects is next to impossible with a procurement process that lives in filing cabinets and email inboxes.Procurement teams have had to ask some tough questions and strategize about how to respond faster and stronger to the next big challenge.In this episode of Inside Public Procurement, we're bringing you a recorded webinar featuring the story of UT Health San Antonio, a leading research university in South Texas.Even before the pandemic, UT Health San Antonio knew their ability to deliver valuable real-world solutions would be hampered by old approaches to sourcing and purchasing. Training future generations of healthcare professionals and driving breakthroughs in healthcare would require a strong procurement strategy.Strategic Sourcing Specialist Christopher C. Januszewski describes the journey to implement a digital procurement system and build a strategic sourcing department from the ground up. You'll learn how eProcurement helped centralize and streamline sourcing for the busy research university—and how it can help your organization do the same.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

We've learned a lot over the last two years: for one, that responding to a global public health crisis depends on strong strategic sourcing partners; and on the flipside, that supporting urgent, high-impact projects is next to impossible with a procurement process that lives in filing cabinets and email inboxes. Procurement teams have had to ask some tough questions and strategize about how to respond faster and stronger to the next big challenge. In this episode of Inside Public Procurement, we're bringing you a recorded webinar featuring the story of UT Health San Antonio, a leading research university in South Texas. Even before the pandemic, UT Health San Antonio knew their ability to deliver valuable real-world solutions would be hampered by old approaches to sourcing and purchasing. Training future generations of healthcare professionals and driving breakthroughs in healthcare would require a strong procurement strategy. Strategic Sourcing Specialist Christopher C. Januszewski describes the journey to implement a digital procurement system and build a strategic sourcing department from the ground up. You'll learn how eProcurement helped centralize and streamline sourcing for the busy research university—and how it can help your organization do the same. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Every profession has its superpowers and public procurement has more than a few. But there's one hidden talent that's especially handy: being resourceful.It's part of the reason Gary O. Chavez, Bureau Chief, Chief Procurement Officer in the Human Services Department at the State of New Mexico, has found so much success in his career. 17 years ago, he transitioned from a career in education to what he calls a “second life” in public procurement. In just a few years, he climbed a steep learning curve to head up procurement for the second-largest agency in the State of New Mexico.In this conversation with Bonfire host Rachel Friesen, Gary shares his advice for early career professionals on how to use curiosity, learning, and resourcefulness to succeed in public procurement. And he lets us in on a little secret: true success in procurement isn't about knowing everything, but knowing where to find it.Get in touch with Gary at garyo.chavez@state.nm.usYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Every profession has its superpowers and public procurement has more than a few. But there's one hidden talent that's especially handy: being resourceful. It's part of the reason Gary O. Chavez, Bureau Chief, Chief Procurement Officer in the Human Services Department at the State of New Mexico, has found so much success in his career. 17 years ago, he transitioned from a career in education to what he calls a “second life” in public procurement. In just a few years, he climbed a steep learning curve to head up procurement for the second-largest agency in the State of New Mexico. In this conversation with Bonfire host Rachel Friesen, Gary shares his advice for early career professionals on how to use curiosity, learning, and resourcefulness to succeed in public procurement. And he lets us in on a little secret: true success in procurement isn't about knowing everything, but knowing where to find it. Get in touch with Gary at garyo.chavez@state.nm.us You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

You've seen it happen time and again. Procurement is brought into a project too late. And the timeline is all but impossible. You drop everything to address urgent needs, compromising other project timelines in the process. But more one-off requests keep coming up. Now multiple internal clients, projects, and constituents are negatively impacted, and your team is overburdened by the impossible task of keeping everyone happy. It's unsustainable and ineffective. So how do you break the cycle?In this episode, we invite Tony De Sciscio, Manager of Procurement and Contracts for the Toronto Public Library, onto the podcast to find out.Tony shares how North America's largest library system nails the art of fast, efficient project planning and RFP creation that delivers value to the community. At TPL, a mix of strategic and collaborative tools and processes help the procurement team work with hundreds of internal clients to meet the needs of constituents across the city.Our conversation connects to some of the big themes we're exploring in our brand-new eBook, The Procurement Manager's Guide to Rapid RFP Creation, including:The trickle-down effect of poor project planningMitigating stops and starts that compromise project timelinesHow to improve intake processesFinding efficiencies during RFP creationUsing procurement data to make better business decisionsConnect with Tony at tdesciscio@tpl.caYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

You've seen it happen time and again. Procurement is brought into a project too late. And the timeline is all but impossible. You drop everything to address urgent needs, compromising other project timelines in the process. But more one-off requests keep coming up. Now multiple internal clients, projects, and constituents are negatively impacted, and your team is overburdened by the impossible task of keeping everyone happy. It's unsustainable and ineffective. So how do you break the cycle? In this episode, we invite Tony De Sciscio, Manager of Procurement and Contracts for the Toronto Public Library, onto the podcast to find out. Tony shares how North America's largest library system nails the art of fast, efficient project planning and RFP creation that delivers value to the community. At TPL, a mix of strategic and collaborative tools and processes help the procurement team work with hundreds of internal clients to meet the needs of constituents across the city. Our conversation connects to some of the big themes we're exploring in our brand-new eBook, The Procurement Manager's Guide to Rapid RFP Creation, including: The trickle-down effect of poor project planning Mitigating stops and starts that compromise project timelines How to improve intake processes Finding efficiencies during RFP creation Using procurement data to make better business decisions Connect with Tony at tdesciscio@tpl.ca You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Strategic procurement has the power to radically transform an organization — especially, says Sandra Nelson, when it involves rubbing elbows with the competition.As Director of Strategic Procurement at Carleton University and Chair of the Ontario University Professional Procurement Management Association (OUPPMA), Sandra has led impressive strategic transformation initiatives in her organizations.Through it all, working hand-in-hand with other Ontario universities has been a major strategic advantage, helping her team drive value, purpose, and impact — even with limited resources.On the podcast, Sandra joins Bonfire host Tuong La to talk strategic transformation and collaboration. Why is it important in procurement? What does it mean to be a good strategist? And how can collaboration supercharge your strategic power?We dive into these topics and more:Making the strategic shift from purchasing to procurementHow to plan for an uncertain futureThe strategic advantage of co-opetitionOUPPMA's model for working together and raising the profile of procurement You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Strategic procurement has the power to radically transform an organization — especially, says Sandra Nelson, when it involves rubbing elbows with the competition. As Director of Strategic Procurement at Carleton University and Chair of the Ontario University Professional Procurement Management Association (OUPPMA), Sandra has led impressive strategic transformation initiatives in her organizations. Through it all, working hand-in-hand with other Ontario universities has been a major strategic advantage, helping her team drive value, purpose, and impact — even with limited resources. On the podcast, Sandra joins Bonfire host Tuong La to talk strategic transformation and collaboration. Why is it important in procurement? What does it mean to be a good strategist? And how can collaboration supercharge your strategic power? We dive into these topics and more: Making the strategic shift from purchasing to procurement How to plan for an uncertain future The strategic advantage of co-opetition OUPPMA's model for working together and raising the profile of procurement  You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

If there's one piece of advice Marla Bossons has for public procurement professionals it's never get too comfortable.The philosophy has served her well over two decades working in the public sector for the District of North Cowichan. In fact, it's what kickstarted her career in procurement in the first place.In this episode, Marla sits down with Bonfire host Tuong La to chat about how her commitment to improving processes and delivering value to her community led her deeper into the world of public procurement — and how that same growth mindset fuels her work today.We discuss:Disrupting the stereotype of procurement as an “administrative cog”Driving efficiency gains with eProcurementEvolving from tactical to strategic partnersThe fine balance between accountability and efficiencyWhy “doing things the way they've always been done” will never doYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

If there's one piece of advice Marla Bossons has for public procurement professionals it's never get too comfortable. The philosophy has served her well over two decades working in the public sector for the District of North Cowichan. In fact, it's what kickstarted her career in procurement in the first place. In this episode, Marla sits down with Bonfire host Tuong La to chat about how her commitment to improving processes and delivering value to her community led her deeper into the world of public procurement — and how that same growth mindset fuels her work today. We discuss: Disrupting the stereotype of procurement as an “administrative cog” Driving efficiency gains with eProcurement Evolving from tactical to strategic partners The fine balance between accountability and efficiency Why “doing things the way they've always been done” will never do You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

When you're sitting in the office running bids and updating your playbook, it's easy to forget about the end user.Today's guest, Adam Stearns, Director of Purchasing at Magnolia ISD, always has his end users in mind: the students in his district. Adam talks with us about how his award-winning department — which grew from one to seven team members in the 20 months since it was founded — keeps customer service at the forefront.Join us as we discuss:What it was like for Adam to switch to procurement from the public sectorThe importance of focusing on your customers and end usersHow to thrive off of stakeholder feedbackThe search for new ways to utilize technologyYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

When you're sitting in the office running bids and updating your playbook, it's easy to forget about the end user. Today's guest, Adam Stearns, Director of Purchasing at Magnolia ISD, always has his end users in mind: the students in his district. Adam talks with us about how his award-winning department — which grew from one to seven team members in the 20 months since it was founded — keeps customer service at the forefront. Join us as we discuss: What it was like for Adam to switch to procurement from the public sector The importance of focusing on your customers and end users How to thrive off of stakeholder feedback The search for new ways to utilize technology You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

What does 25 years in procurement teach you? Maybe the better question is, what doesn't it? Just ask Carrie Roberts, Director of Procurement at Atlanta Public Schools. With more than two decades in purchasing-related roles, she's guided agencies through major transformation, earned multiple procurement certifications, and achieved national recognition from her peers. While it may be true, as Carrie says, that “little children don't dress up as purchasing agents for Halloween,” it's safe to say she's carved out an impressive career. Through it all, she's seen the profession evolve, processes change, and public purchasing come into its own. In this episode, she sits down with Bonfire CEO Omar Salaymeh to discuss the past, present and future of procurement, including: Learning the ropes with some of the country's strictest procurement laws The trouble with being “the department of no” and how to get a seat at the table Generational shifts and the evolution of procurement as a profession Navigating the eProcurement learning curve and why she'll never go back You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

What does 25 years in procurement teach you? Maybe the better question is, what doesn't it?Just ask Carrie Roberts, Director of Procurement at Atlanta Public Schools. With more than two decades in purchasing-related roles, she's guided agencies through major transformation, earned multiple procurement certifications, and achieved national recognition from her peers. While it may be true, as Carrie says, that “little children don't dress up as purchasing agents for Halloween,” it's safe to say she's carved out an impressive career.Through it all, she's seen the profession evolve, processes change, and public purchasing come into its own. In this episode, she sits down with Bonfire CEO Omar Salaymeh to discuss the past, present and future of procurement, including:Learning the ropes with some of the country's strictest procurement lawsThe trouble with being “the department of no” and how to get a seat at the tableGenerational shifts and the evolution of procurement as a professionNavigating the eProcurement learning curve and why she'll never go backYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Supplier diversity is a hot topic right now, seemingly born of the current cultural moment, which is why it may surprise you to learn that it was actually established in 1969 by Richard Nixon as a result of the civil rights movement. In today's episode, Sheena Fain, Contract Compliance and Supplier Diversity Officer at City of Akron, explains the roots of supplier diversity and how procurement professionals can invest in it today. We discuss: The history of the supplier diversity role Who should be considered a diverse supplier How you can support diverse suppliers How DEI leads to supplier diversity The steps for starting a supplier diversity program  You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Supplier diversity is a hot topic right now, seemingly born of the current cultural moment, which is why it may surprise you to learn that it was actually established in 1969 by Richard Nixon as a result of the civil rights movement.In today's episode, Sheena Fain, Contract Compliance and Supplier Diversity Officer at City of Akron, explains the roots of supplier diversity and how procurement professionals can invest in it today.We discuss:The history of the supplier diversity roleWho should be considered a diverse supplierHow you can support diverse suppliersHow DEI leads to supplier diversityThe steps for starting a supplier diversity program You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

As we round the corner into 2022, procurement professionals are facing all the uncertainty of a post-pandemic world. How can you prepare to navigate the new priorities and challenges coming your way? In this recording of our live session at the recent NIGP annual forum, we dive into Bonfire's 2021 State of Public Sourcing Report to discuss how your peers are tackling shifting procurement priorities and challenges right now. Hear lively conversation and thought-provoking ideas from our three expert panelists: Michael Brinton, Assistant Director, Contract Compliance Manager, Metropolitan Transportation Commission Jennifer Frates, Chief Procurement Officer, Barnstable County Omar Salaymeh, CEO, Bonfire Together, we break down the major findings from the report and explore how public procurement opportunities and challenges evolved alongside the pandemic, impacting everything from project volumes to eProcurement adoption. Michael, Jennifer, and Omar share real talk about what they see coming next for public procurement processes, strategies, challenges and priorities in 2022 — and how you can be ready. You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

As we round the corner into 2022, procurement professionals are facing all the uncertainty of a post-pandemic world. How can you prepare to navigate the new priorities and challenges coming your way?In this recording of our live session at the recent NIGP annual forum, we dive into Bonfire's 2021 State of Public Sourcing Report to discuss how your peers are tackling shifting procurement priorities and challenges right now.Hear lively conversation and thought-provoking ideas from our three expert panelists:Michael Brinton, Assistant Director, Contract Compliance Manager, Metropolitan Transportation CommissionJennifer Frates, Chief Procurement Officer, Barnstable CountyOmar Salaymeh, CEO, BonfireTogether, we break down the major findings from the report and explore how public procurement opportunities and challenges evolved alongside the pandemic, impacting everything from project volumes to eProcurement adoption.Michael, Jennifer, and Omar share real talk about what they see coming next for public procurement processes, strategies, challenges and priorities in 2022 — and how you can be ready.You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Who should cover the cost of eProcurement? The suppliers who benefit from an easy, convenient online service or the buyers seeking the best vendor for the job?If you're rethinking your procurement process, you know the best way forward isn't exactly clear cut.In this episode, Craig Milley, founder and Principal Consultant at Wayfinder Consulting, tackles the debate around vendor-paid eProcurement head-on.We explore both sides of the issue and Craig shares insights from his time working with the City of Lethbridge, Cayman Islands government, and other organizations to improve procurement processes and results.We discuss:Making tough decisions about who should pay for eProcurementNegotiating the risks of a vendor paywallStrengthening (and repairing) vendor relationships through eProcurementImproving processes to keep stakeholders engaged and satisfiedChoosing the right procurement technology with Craig's “Amazon test” Reach out to Craig at wayfinder@telus.netYou can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Who should cover the cost of eProcurement? The suppliers who benefit from an easy, convenient online service or the buyers seeking the best vendor for the job? If you're rethinking your procurement process, you know the best way forward isn't exactly clear cut. In this episode, Craig Milley, founder and Principal Consultant at Wayfinder Consulting, tackles the debate around vendor-paid eProcurement head-on. We explore both sides of the issue and Craig shares insights from his time working with the City of Lethbridge, Cayman Islands government, and other organizations to improve procurement processes and results. We discuss: Making tough decisions about who should pay for eProcurement Negotiating the risks of a vendor paywall Strengthening (and repairing) vendor relationships through eProcurement Improving processes to keep stakeholders engaged and satisfied Choosing the right procurement technology with Craig's “Amazon test”  Reach out to Craig at wayfinder@telus.net You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast. Listening on a desktop and can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

You might think the world of private procurement differs greatly from the world of public procurement.But you'd be surprised to learn that there are far more similarities than there are differences. In fact, there are tons of lessons that public procurement can learn from the private sector.That's according to Jeff Houtz, Founder and Principal at Constructing Supply Change LLC, who joins the show to explain how private and public procurement compare and what they can learn from each other.Topics covered:Strategies for evaluating proposals that go beyond price and lead timeHow each approaches established project bidders listsThe universal value of ethics and fairnessBuilding a bridge between public and private procurement You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.