InsIde ThIs Issue VAGP’s Fal l Elect ion ..............................................4Looking Sharp, VAGP! .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5VITA Star Award ................................................5Can Diversity be evaluated in Public Sector Procurement Processes? ........................6Committee Reports .................................................7

Upcoming Educational Offerings ..............................11Members in Mot ion ! .........................................12NACo Interns Support County’s Green Purchasing Efforts .........................13Reaching Out: Are You the Missing Piece of the Puzzle? ...15Contract Administration: What’s Our Part?................16What is it? .....................................................................17

Published for Members of the Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

September 2012

& News Views

67th Annual NIGP Forum & ExpoBy Kelly Okken, CPPB, VCO, VCCO

We’re back! Seattle was nice, the conference was good, and as usual, VAGP was great! We had approximately 38 VAGP members attending the 67th Annual NIGP Forum & Expo in Seattle, Washington. VAGP has many reasons to celebrate, as several of our members were recognized during this Forum. Please join me in congratulating all of these deserving recipients!

(above) VAGP accepting the award for Large Chapter of the Year NIGP Forum 2012, Seattle, WA.

(continued on page 2...)

LARGE CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD• Virginia Association of Governmental

Purchasing

OUTSTANDING AGENCY ACCREDITATION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS• Chesterfield County• City of Richmond• Loudoun CountyOA4 Accreditation certification is valid for three years. Visit NIGP’s website for a complete listing of all accredited agencies.

AEP RECIPIENTS• Loudoun County• Old Dominion University

NIGP DIVERSITY ESSAY AWARDKelly Okken, CPPB, VCO, VCCO, James Madison University

CERTIFIED AGENCIES (Fully UPPCC certified)• King George County• Old Dominion University

Page 2 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Officers

PresidentKelly Okken, CPPB, VCO, VCCO

President-ElectBill Lindsey, CPPO, C.P.M.

TreasurerJan Giffin, CPPO, CPPB, VCO

SecretaryStephanie Suter, CPPB

First Past PresidentLinda Wade, CPPB

Second Past PresidentJennifer Luchard, CPPB, VCO

First At–Large MemberGreg Scearce, VCO

Second At–Large MemberGinger Gordon, CPPB

Committee Chairpersons

ConferenceAmy Holschuh, VCO

DiversityMarvis W. Marshall, CPPB

EducationCindy Davis Smith, CPPB

MembershipMichelle Glass, VCO

Professional DevelopmentChristopher Cheney, CPPB

Public RelationsLeeAnne Beatty Smith, VCA

TechnologyJimmy MacKenzie, VCO

LegislativeJ. Kevin Beardsley CPPB, CPPO

Executive DirectorCrystal Anderson

News & Views

EditorLeeAnne Beatty Smith, VCA

Layout, Design & AdvertisingKim Breeding

News & Views is published quarterly andwas designed and created for themembersof theVirginia AssociationofGovernmentalPurchasing, Inc. (VAGP), byOrganizationManagementGroup,Inc.Viewsandadvertisingexpressedinthisnewsletterarenotnecessarilythose of, or endorsed by, VAGP. Sendcorrespondenceto638IndependenceParkway,Suite100,ChesapeakeVA23320; (757)609-3696; info@VAGP.org. Subscriptions areincludedintheannualduespaidbymembers.Advertisingratesandpoliciesmaybeobtainedbycalling(757)609-3696.

Copyright2012.Allrightsreserved.

During the Forum Awards Gala, NIGP also recognized new certified professionals attending the Forum. Certified Public Procurement Officers included Christopher Steele, CPPO, CPPB, C.P.M., CPCP, CMA of Norfolk Public Schools. Tim Moore, CPPO, CPPB of Chesterfield County and Dwayne Young, CPPO, VCCO, VCO of Old Dominion University. Certified Professional Public Buyers recognized included Lorie Newton, CPPB of Chesterfield County.

Congratulations again to all the award recipients and those recognized during the NIGP Forum! I am proud and honored to be a part of VAGP. You all have worked hard to make VAGP a true success! As said by Dr. Seuss, “I’ll bet you know a thing or two! You’re supersmart! I’m proud of you!”

(NIGP Forum, continued from page 1...)

(above) Plenary Session Speaker, Mark Scharenbroich, presented “Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on the Road of Life”

(below) Donnie Legg (Loudoun County), Ginger Gordon (City of Manassas), Lorie Newton and Tim Moore (Chesterfield County), Jim McConnell (City of Virginia Beach) at the Seattle Mariners baseball game.

(photos continued on page 3...)

(above) Matt Manion (Department of General Services) and Bill Lindsey (County of Gloucester).

(below) Forum Speaker, Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour.

(left) Donnie Legg accepting theAchievement of Excellence in Procurement Award for Loudoun County, VA.

Page 3 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

(NIGP Forum photos, continued from page 2...)

(above, left to right) Lorie Newton (Chesterfield County) receives recognition for earning her CPPB; Tim Moore (Chesterfield County) receiving recognition for earning his CPPO; Dwayne Young (ODU) gets a high five for earning his CPPO.

(right, below) J.R. Cannon (HRSD) and his wife Margie boarding the cruise to Tillicum Village, where the Forum Opening Entertainment and Dinner was held.

(above) Gary Via (City of Danville), Kelly Okken (JMU),Bruce Harris (VWCC), Jan Giffin (DGS), Bill Lindsay (Gloucester County), Linda Wade (HRSD), Linda Via.

(left) Members pose in their new green VAGP shirts in Seattle.

Page 4 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

VAGP’s Fall Election - September 27 & 28Announcement of Candidates & Call for Nominations

By Linda Wade, CPPBVAGP First Past President

Elections for the 2013 VAGP Offices will take place a little earlier this year to align with the timing of VAGP’s Fall Symposium. VAGP’s Fall Election will be held online September 27 & 28, 2012. When electronic voting opens, VAGP members will receive an email announcement. To cast your online vote, you will need to log in to the members only section, Internet Member Services, on our website at www.vagp.org. Please test your

login and password soon to assure that you can log in when voting opens later in September. Please mark your calendars today and plan to cast your vote to elect VAGP’s future leaders.

It is my pleasure to announce the following candidates for VAGP Offices:

VAGP PRESiDENT-ELECT:

Jan Giffin, CPPO, CPPB, VCODepartment of General Services/Division of Purchases & Supply

VAGP TREASURER:

Stephanie Suter, CPPO, CPPBCity of Lynchburg

VAGP SECRETARy:

Greg Scearce, VCOVirginia Information Technologies Agency

VAGP 2ND AT-LARGE MEMBER:

Michelle B. Glass, VCO, VCACity of Charlottesville

Donnie Legg, CPPOLoudoun County

CALL FOR NOMINATIONSI am hereby opening the “floor” for nominations. Please contact me at lwade@hrsd.com if any member would like to place additional names up for nomination. Please be sure to get permission from the person being nominated before placing their name as a candidate for office. The deadline for submission of nominations is September 21, 2012. The nominee must meet the following criteria:

1. The member nominee belongs to NIGP, as required of all elected board members.2. The nominee must have been involved in this, or any other, professional association.3. The nominee has made contributions to VAGP in a volunteer capacity.4. The nominee has an adequate number of years of professional purchasing experience in positions of increasing responsibility

and complexity.

Bios for all of the candidates will be available on the VAGP website soon. Election results will be announced on October 4 at the 2012 VAGP Fall Business Meeting being held in conjunction with VAGP’s Fall Symposium in Roanoke, VA. Good luck, candidates!

Page 5 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

By LeeAnne Beatty Smith, VCAPublic Relations Committee Chair

I hope that everyone had a great summer! I can’t believe that it almost time again for the VAGP Fall Symposium. It seems like just a few weeks ago that we were all bowling in Fredericksburg at the last Fall Symposium! I can’t wait to see what adventures are planned this year in Roanoke…

Since I am sure that all of you will want to look sharp in Roanoke this fall, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that the VAGP website now offers online shopping through the IMS link. There, VAGP members can easily order dress shirts and polo shirts embroidered with the VAGP logo and receive their order in 10-12 business days. There are a variety of colors available, and the prices are great too, with short sleeve polos for only $15.00. Please take a moment to check out this new addition to our member services online and I will see everyone in Roanoke in my new shirt!

Looking Sharp, VAGP!

Kristy Apperson, Fairfax County, winner of the “Where Am I?” contest from the 2nd Quarter News & Views, proudly shows off her VAGP polo shirt prize!

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/VAGPofNIGPStay connected with your VAGP friends!

Twitter - http://twitter.com/VAGPofNIGPGet updates delivered in 140 characters or less!

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/e/n6js4j-gjohm1kw-13/vgh/3771217/eml-grp-sub/Name VAGP as an important part of your professional online presence!

Congratulations to Amy Holschuh, VCO, VAGP Conference Advisory Chairperson, on receiving the 2012 VITA Star Award! This award given by Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) is a huge honor as nominees are chosen by their peers as those who exemplify VITA’s four values:

Value add: Seeks to add value by strengthening and improving service delivery; is passionate about the success of our customers; constantly builds knowledge to stay current on the trends, issues and technologies that impact our customers’ businesses. Integrity: Keeps promises with dignity and reliability; provides an environment that fosters open communication; makes decisions in a fair and consistent way.

Teamwork: Works responsively and collaboratively on common goals; takes into account how actions and decisions impact other areas of the agency; is responsive to needs of colleagues and delivers on promises. Accountability: Steps up to tasks and makes the extraordinary ordinary; measures and monitors to ensure quality and cost control; addresses mistakes quickly, accurately and pleasantly.

Great job, Amy!

VITA Star Award

Page 6 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

By By Kelly Okken, CPPB, VCO, VCCOVAGP President

What do you think of when someone mentions diversity to you? If you would have asked me that question three months ago, I would have answered

with, race, gender, religion and age. I think that would be the majority of people’s responses, especially since procurement professionals have been increasingly urged and sometimes mandated to evaluate and increase diversity.

Recently I had the extreme pleasure of listening to Dr. Steve L. Robbins. His speech was entitled “Homie” Sapiens. I have also read his book entitled “What If? Short Stories to Spark Diversity Dialogue”. During his speech and in his book, Dr. Robbins takes a very different look at diversity. He shows how diversity is not just about race, religion, age or gender, but it is also about different perspectives and experiences. Dr. Robbins goes on to explain how our upbringing has influenced the way we think and react to our surroundings and to others. Dr. Robbins’ premise goes beyond the proverbial “it’s your parents’ fault.” The influences Dr. Robbins speaks about could have taken place during primary school, while hearing adults talking or many other situations experienced throughout our childhood years. Let me give you a scenario so that you can better understand.

Scenario 1: You are interviewing auditing firms. You are part of the interview panel. You look out your office door and see two auditing firm representatives waiting in the lobby area. At first glance, this is what you see:

• Representative #1: muscular man with arms covered in tattoos, long hair, dressed in a leather jacket, leather boots and is carrying a helmet.

• Representative #2: petite woman dressed in a tailored business suit, well groomed, carrying a briefcase.

What would your immediate reaction be to what you just saw? Where does that reaction come from? Everyone’s reaction may be a little different, but I’m guessing that many of you are thinking that Representative #2 will be the better candidate.

But what you don’t know about the situation is that Representative #1 has the degree, meets all the qualifications, and comes with numerous glowing references from several procurement professionals that you know and respect. Representative #2 has the degree and the qualifications, but she has not disclosed that she has been fired from her last two auditing positions and is currently being accused of embezzlement.

Somewhere in life, maybe through early experiences, we have been ingrained with how to evaluate and draw conclusions of others. Really, when you think about it, these are thoughts of diversity. Upon meeting someone, you are already thinking about how that particular person is different from our expectations or from our own standards of normal. It is very hard, and sometimes almost impossible, to change these ingrained thoughts from occurring. Therefore diversity can affect our choices and decisions even at times when we are unaware that it is happening.

As procurement professionals we sometimes evaluate diversity in our procurement processes, but are the evaluations always correct? I think our immediate evaluation of what we read in proposals is not always the correct one as compared to when we have had the opportunity to talk with, interview or negotiate with a potential contractor thus causing our final evaluation to change. What we thought to be reality within the

proposal is not always the true reality. The final evaluation can sometimes be better and sometimes it can be worse, but it will always be more educated.

Can Diversity be evaluated in Public Sector Procurement Processes?

(Congratulations to current VAGP President, Kelly Okken, CPPB, VCO, VCCO on winning the 13th Annual NIGP Diversity Essay Contest. Please enjoy her article below and look for it in the next publication of the NIGP magazine, “Go Pro”!)

Upon meeting

someone, you are

already thinking about

how that particular

person is different

from our expectations

or from our own

standards of normal.

(continued on page 12...)

Page 7 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

CONFERENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEEBy Amy Holschuh, VCOConference Advisory Committee Chair

We are only a month away from the VAGP Fall Symposium! We hope you can join in with other “Procurement Stars in the Valley” for an event not to be missed. VAGP will be in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in Roanoke for networking, education and professional development opportunities. There will be many new and exciting educational sessions along with a night of dinner and fun that is sure to

please. VAGP will also offer a new event to help connect members who are planning to sit for an upcoming CPPO or CPPB examination. On Wednesday afternoon, before the Symposium kicks off, members can sign up to attend a UPPCC study hall session. This study session will provide exam prep guidance and allow members to make connections for future study groups.

Our Fall Symposium fundraising event will benefit the Feeding America, Southwest VA Food Bank. Online participation for this charity fundraising event is now available to all VAGP members. All contributors will be entered into a drawing for chances to win great prizes even if you are unable to attend the Fall Symposium. Simply put “VAGP Fall Symposium” in the comments when donating on-line to make sure you are entered. Donate your gift online today through 11:00 a.m. on Friday October 5, 2012 at www.faswva.org. Activities in support of this charity will also continue throughout the Symposium. Please join together with other VAGP members to help make a difference!

The Fall Symposium Planning Committee has worked hard to ensure that this is an event like no other and encourages everyone to join us in Roanoke! When: October 4-5, 2012Where: Sheraton Roanoke Hotel & Conference CenterRegister today! http://www.vagp.org/events/fall.html Book your room by 9/12 to secure the VAGP rate, and be sure to register by 9/26.

DIVERSITY COMMITTEEBy Marvis W. Marshall, CPPBDiversity Committee Chair

WHy SUPPLiER DiVERSiTy?Minority suppliers are the country’s fastest growing business sector. According to the Bureau of the Census, by the year 2020, the minority population will represent 34.4% of the total U.S. population. As the minority population continues to grow, those corporations that are comfortable with cultural diversity and change and are responsive to their customers will be the ones that thrive. As the chief executives of

many of the country’s biggest companies see it, a diverse supplier base is no longer an option—it’s a business necessity.

The Virginia Minority Supplier Diversity Council (VMSDC) provides a direct link to qualified diverse suppliers and solutions to meet corporate and government supply chain objectives. This includes a database of certified diverse firms, as well as programs, training and services critical to achieve a successful supplier diversity program. VMSDC provides companies, universities, and government agencies with a starting point from which to move forward into the creation of minority business development programs that reflect and enhances their corporate culture.

The Virginia Council offers assistance in establishing and in improving corporate diversity programs. From its inception the Council has recognized the importance of establishing solid business relationships that lead to sustainable business opportunities. Known for its innovative spirit and talented team the Council is host to some of the best business networking on the East Coast. The annual Virginia Business Opportunity Fair (VBOF) connects the business community to hundreds of corporations, dozens of executives and a host of suppliers in Virginia.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

(continued on page 8...)

Page 8 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

The Council helps companies, institutions of higher learning, & state and local procurement officials through:

• Assistance in meeting their corporate directives with sourcing solutions• Opportunities to benchmark best practices with peer organizations • Facilitating introductions between corporate decision makers and principals at minority business enterprises• Being THE source for the search for qualified suppliers

Recognizing that continuous education is a key component in the success of supplier growth, the Virginia Council partnered with The University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business in designing the Minority Business Enterprises Executive Management Program. This program selects candidates from across Virginia to participate in an innovative leadership development program developed exclusively for chief executive officers of certified minority businesses. More information about this program can be found at http://robins.richmond.edu/executive-education/mbe.html.

The Virginia Council, with more than 100 corporate members and approximately 250 certified Minority Business Enterprises, ranks among the largest councils in the Mid-Atlantic with a diverse mix of corporate partners and suppliers. In 2012 the Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council celebrates 35 years of minority supplier development throughout the commonwealth of Virginia. For more information on how you could become a member of VMSDC please contact Jeff Conley, Corporate Services Director at (804) 788-6486 or jeff.conley@vmsdc.org.

Website: http://affiliate.nmsdc.org/vmsdc/Like VMSDC on Facebook or follow on Twitter: Twitter.com/VMSDC

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

By Cindy Davis Smith, CPPBEducation Committee Chair

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CPPB AND THE CPPO ExAMNow that I have your attention: News Flash! You already know most of what you need to know about taking the CPPB or CPPO exam. Most people are better prepared to take the CPPB or CPPO exam than they think as they have worked in the procurement field for most of their career. The “hands on experience” is

an invaluable part of what can help to translate into success when taking the exam. You just need to study and schedule a date to take the exam (http://www.uppcc.org).

NIGP provides a wealth of information concerning study groups and individual study aids (http://www.nigp.org). Another resource is The Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC) who provides a detailed analysis of how applicants perform after each exam (http://www.uppcc.org/). The table below represents areas of the Body of Knowledge (BOK1) where applicants scored well or poorly over the past three years. Clearly, all exam applicants should ensure that they are competent in all areas of the BOK. However, one may want to pay extra attention to areas where other applicants have not scored well.

1BOK – UPPCC http://www.uppcc.org/certified/2008-body-knowledge.aspx

(Committee Reports, continued from page 7...)

(continued on page 9...)

BOK PERFORMANCE ON ExAM

1. Administration Aspects of Purchasing 2. Procurement Request 3. Solicitation and Evaluation of Bids/Proposals4. Supplier Analysis 5. Negotiation Process 6. Contract Award and Administration 7. External/Internal Relationships 8. Material Management 9. Human Resources/Personnel 10. Forecasting and Strategies

CPPB

-----

Strong---

Poor

CPPO

---

Poor-

Strong-

Poor--

CPPB

-------

StrongPoor

-

CPPO

----

Strong--

Strong-

Poor

CPPB

-Poor

------

Strong-

CPPO

----

Poor-

PoorStrong

--

2012 2011 2010

Page 9 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

(Committee Reports, continued from page 8...)

This spring, Terri Smith, Contract Specialist with the City of Virginia Beach, and 151 others earned their Certified Public Professional Buyer certifications, and 57 individuals earned their Certified Public Procurement Officer certifications. Here is what Terri Smith had to say about her success in passing the CPPB.

HOW LONG DiD yOU STUDy BEFORE yOU TOOK THE ExAM? “I studied for roughly a month. I do better on things if I don’t dwell over it. My test was on a Friday, so I really studied every day at lunch and at night the several weeks before the test.”

WHAT TOOLS DiD yOU USE THAT WERE HELPFUL? “The CPPB Prep course was the best thing for me. The week of my exam, I reread the whole CPPB Prep book that I received during the course. I also read back over the test from each of the NIGP courses.”

WHAT ADViCE WOULD yOU GiVE SOMEONE WHO iS PLANNiNG TO TAKE THE TEST THiS OCTOBER? “I would give them the same advice that Ron King gave me: ‘Don’t be over confident—remember to study—don’t go in thinking that you can pass without studying.’ Remember that the answers are based on NIGP not what you do in your office. Don’t over think the questions and don’t read anymore into the question, just read what’s there.

If stuck, use the process of elimination; get rid of the obvious answers that are wrong and go from there. When you answer questions, go with your gut feeling—usually that’s right. After I checked in for the exam, I sat down and took a deep breath and said to myself ‘You’ve Got This.’ Stay focused and don’t let your mind start to wonder.”

WHy DiD yOU PURSUE THE CPPB? “Although receiving the CPPB is more of a professional endeavor, I did this for personal reasons. I feel that passing this exam and becoming certified shows that no matter what age you are or how long you have been with an organization, there’s always room to better yourself. You just have to have the courage to take the first step.”

Achieving your CPPB or CPPO designation is not any different than Gabby Douglas or Michael Phelps achieving their gold olympic medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games. All achievements start with a goal. You can achieve your goals by taking small but dedicated steps towards them each and every day. Good luck in all your future educational and certification goals!

VAGP’S NEWLY CERTIFIED MEMBERS

Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) Ms. Yu Zhu, CPPO, C.P.M., Montgomery Community College, HerndonMr. Dwayne Aldon Young, CPPO, CPPB, VCCO, VCO, Old Dominion University, Norfolk Mr. Adam P. Manne, CPPO, Prince William County, Prince William County Ms. Angela C. White, CPPO, Prince William County Service Authority, Woodbridge Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) Ms. Rebecca C. Hoffman, CPPB, Fairfax County Government, Fairfax Ms. Tiffany M. Evans, CPPB, Fairfax County Public Schools, Falls ChurchMr. Christopher L. Bresley, CPPB, Loudoun County, Leesburg Mr. Michael J. Marzullo, CPPB, Loudoun County, Leesburg Ms. Wanda R. Farmer, CPPB, M.B.A., City of Newport News, Newport News Ms. Terri Anne Smith, CPPB, City of Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach Mrs. Rose M. Weaver, CPPB, City of Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach

REGISTER FOR A FALL SEMINAR TODAYEarly registration helps to ensure the class you want will not be cancelled. See the full list online at www.vagp.org/education/ or on page 11 of this newsletter.

(continued on page 10...)

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Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

By Michelle Glass,VCOMembership Committee Chair

As the Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing’s 2012 Membership Committee Chairperson, I want to take this time to thank you for your membership and say welcome to all of our new members! With over 1,000 members representing nearly 300 public entities, VAGP represents a significant voice, and as a group we make a positive difference. VAGP members have a long history of commitment to

the procurement profession and a continuing desire for professional development. Be assured that VAGP will continue to advocate for each of you and make your VAGP and NIGP chapter membership even more valuable.

While the economy still recovers, the need to justify membership remains constant. However, you can be confident that there is a return on investment with your membership. VAGP represents its members through legislative advocacy, providing educational tools necessary to receive certification, and opportunities to network with peers whether in person or through List Serv. Please don’t forget to visit our website at www.vagp.org to receive up-to-date information regarding our activities.

Again, thank you for your membership. I look forward to seeing everyone in October at the Fall Symposium in Roanoke. While at the symposium please be sure to stop by the First Timer’s Reception and say hello to our newest members. As always, please let us know how we may serve you better and continue to make VAGP a success!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (ProD) COMMiTTEEBy Christopher Cheney, CPPBProD Committee Vice Chair

Please consider joining the VAGP Professional Development Committee. You will work to help your fellow procurement professionals and yourself obtain practical knowledge at a reduced fee. We cannot make this happen without you! Please do not hesitate to ask me about the committee at Christopher.cheney@fairfaxcounty.gov or at 703-324-3276.

If you are interested in attending seminars or need information about future seminars, registration information can be found at www.vagp.org.

PRO D COMMITTEE MEMBERS Christopher Cheney, CPPB (Chair) - 703-324-3279 - christopher.cheney@fairfaxcounty.govVernice Grooms, VCO (Vice Chair) - 434-970-3860 - groomsv@charlottesville.orgIvy Crawford, VCA - 757-514-4015 - icrawford@city.suffolk.va.usMaureen Daniels, CPPO CPPB VCO - 804-786-0266 - maureen.daniels@dgs.virginia.govLynn Enders, VCO - 804-367-0268 - lynn.enders@dmv.virginia.gov

(Committee Reports, continued from page 9...)

iNTERESTED iN JOiNiNG A COMMiTTEE?

VAGP is always looking for enthusiastic volunteers with fresh ideas to help on the various association committees. Your efforts are essential to moving VAGP into the future.

Learn more at www.vagp.org/about/committees.html

Page 11 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

Upcoming 2012 Educational Offerings

NIGP SEMINARS

NIGP seminars are taught by NIGP approved instructors and can assist those aspiring to achieve their CPPB and/or CPPO certifications. These are the standard training courses for entry-level to experienced purchasing professionals. Please visit www.VAGP.org for a list of all 2012 courses offered.

SEMINAR TITLE DATES LOCATION

Developing & Managing RFPs in the Public Sector Sep. 19-21 VSPC

Contract Administration Sep. 26-28 FCPS

Contracting for Construction Services Oct. 2-3 Chesterfield

Effective Management of Construction Contracts Nov. 2 FCPS

Strategic Procurement Planning Nov. 14-16 Richmond

Introduction to Public Procurement Nov. 28-30 COM

Effective Contract Writing Dec. 6-7 MC

Sourcing in Public Procurement Dec. 10-12 COS

LOW-FEE SEMiNARS

Low-fee seminars are designed to offer VAGP members continuing education through courses designed to meet their particular needs. These courses are taught by instructors familiar with both the subject and Virginia Procurement Law. These courses can provide CPPO, CPPB and VCO recertification points (earn one point for a full day—eight hours of instruction time). Please visit www.VAGP.org for a list of all 2012 courses offered.

SEMINAR TITLE DATES LOCATION

Understanding the PPI/CPI Sep. 7 COM

How to Award to the Best Vendor Sep. 14 COS

Virginia Public Procurement Act Sep. 17 HQ

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Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

As you can see in the scenario I provided, we don’t always have all the information. We tend to jump to conclusions in our first evaluation without first having all the information. Perhaps now you can see, as Dr. Robbins showed me, how different perspectives and experiences are also pieces of the diversity puzzle. The diversity puzzle contains not only gender, age, religion, and race, but is also made up of other pieces such as the way one dresses, the language one uses, or the piercings and tattoos or the lack thereof...and the list goes on. There are so many things that make up who we are and what we convey to others about who we are.

Clearly, we try to put others in our normal box when evaluating proposals, but maybe what we should be doing is expanding our box or even breaking down the walls of our box. By doing so, our environment becomes more adaptive to others so that we can become more open to change and embrace diversity. So, thanks to Dr. Robbins and all the unique people I meet each day, my view and evaluation of diversity has become more diverse! I am continually working hard to break down the walls of what I consider normal and do my part to embrace diversity and all of the wonderful new ideas, processes, and contractors that diversity can bring.

(Diversity, continued from page 6...)

By Elizabeth Baum, CPPOPublic Relations Committee Member

VAGP is pleased to announce Dianah Kelly as our spotlight member this quarter. Dianah has worked at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) since 1998 and started her public

procurement career in 2001. In her current role as Procurement Officer, Dianah is the eVA Lead Person and the SWaM Champion for VMI. She has 23 departments for which she purchases all commodities and is also responsible for all printing procurements for VMI. When asked what she likes most about public procurement she responded, “Every day is different, so it is not boring! Because I deal with so many different vendors and attend these conferences, I have met so many people from all walks of life that I consider my friends. I love attending the conferences and networking with these people.”

You too will have an opportunity to network with other members at the next VAGP event, the Fall Symposium in Roanoke on October 4-5. Dianah is currently serving on the planning committee, and with her involved the conference is sure to be a hit! She guarantees great speakers, classes, and good food and entertainment.

She highly recommends this symposium and other VAGP events to our new members. “You will have the opportunity to meet many wonderful people and make new friends. The events that VAGP puts on are very informative and I always

learn new and exciting things.”

During the few moments when Dianah is not working or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She recently vacationed in North Myrtle Beach with her two children, Jonathan and Brooke, and their families including her four grandchildren. They had a blast and she’s counting the days till her next family vacation.

But for now it’s back to work. When you see Dianah in the hallways at the Fall Symposium, give her a pat on the back and thank her for her hard work and dedication in making this event top notch. She deserves it!

If you’d like to contact Dianah she can be reached at KellyDA@vmi.edu.

If you would like to recommend a VAGP member to appear in the next News & Views publication please contact smith2lb@jmu.edu.

Members in Motion!

DIANAH KELLY(BELOW, HER GRANDKiDS!)

Page 13 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

The following article was issued as a press release on July 5, 2012 by Fairfax County, Virginia. VAGP joins Fairfax County in celebrating their successful green purchasing program! Please contact Patti Innocenti, Deputy Director of Fairfax County DPSM Patricia.Innocenti@fairfaxcounty.gov with any questions or comments.

The term “green” has two meanings for the Fairfax County Department of Purchasing and Supply Management (DPSM) – being environmentally friendly and saving taxpayer money. To promote and support the county’s green purchasing efforts, DPSM is hosting two interns this summer through a partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo).

The two Fairfax County interns are among 15 deployed by NACo this summer. Christie McCloud, 25, is a graduate student at Old Dominion University, studying sustainable purchasing. Krista Duhaime, 22, is a recent graduate of Keene State College in New Hampshire with a background in sustainable business.

“The county’s green purchasing program is a unique and powerful tool that not only reduces the costs of running the county government, but also reduces our impact on the environment,” explained DPSM Director Cathy Muse. “We are really excited to host the NACo interns. They will be researching green product options and looking at ways to encourage county vendors and the business community to develop greener solutions.”

According to Muse, the most recent green purchasing effort took effect on July 1 when the county switched to remanufactured print cartridges in county government printers. The switch will reduce a significant amount of waste

and is expected to save the county $200,000 annually. Green purchasing includes products that are recycled, biodegradable, less toxic, locally sourced or energy efficient.

In addition to Fairfax County, other counties participating in the NACo Green Purchasing Intern Program include: Caddo Parish, Louisiana; Durham County, North Carolina; Franklin County, Ohio; Harford County, Maryland; King County, Washington; Los Alamos County, New Mexico; McHenry County, Illinois; Montgomery County, Ohio; Multnomah County, Oregon; Santa Barbara County, California; Skagit County,

Washington; and Ulster County, New York.

Please share any of YOUR green news with the VAGP membership by contacting LeeAnne Beatty Smith, PR Chair at smith2lb@jmu.edu.

NACo interns Support County’sGreen Purchasing Efforts

The switch will

reduce a significant

amount of waste

and is expected

to save the county

$200,000 annually.

Page 14 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

Page 15 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

By Ginger Gordon, CPPBVAGP Second At-Large Member

I am reaching out to all of our past VAGP Officers: we are in need of mentors for the Mentor and Protégé program! If you are not familiar with this program, it partners

a past VAGP Board Officer (the Mentor) with a VAGP member who is newer to the profession or to volunteerism for the association (the Protégé). So I ask you, are you a current or past VAGP Board Officer? If you answered yes, we need your help!

This is a very important program and to keep it successful we need active participants to come forward. Please take a few minutes and go to www.vagp.org/education/mentor.html to review more information on this program and consider becoming a mentor for VAGP. Following is a testimony from one of our long-standing Mentors:

“The VAGP Mentor-Protégé Program provides opportunities for emerging public procurement leaders to develop organization management skills and gain information necessary to be successful in their professional lives. The Program provides opportunities for existing leaders to not only share their knowledge but to continue their involvement in the future of procurement by listening, guiding, supporting and encouraging their protégés to keep challenging themselves and to volunteer.

For a big part of my Procurement career, little seemed to change. The CPO’s in all the Counties, Cities and Towns were in place and everything seemed to stay status quo. Not so over the last 5+ years. We Baby Boomers are quickly following those Traditionalists into retirement, and the face of the public procurement world is now changing more quickly than ever. Fortunately, the VAGP Mentor-Protégé Program has evolved into a very strong leadership development program that provides one on one training and skill development for up and coming leaders. The success of the program is in the

number of graduates that have become VAGP volunteers; approximately 89% of them went on to serve VAGP in some capacity.

I believe that this program is an integral piece of the future of VAGP. As a mentor of several graduates, I can tell you that the time spent getting to know an up and coming procurement leader was well worth it. Putting the time commitment into perspective might help you take the step to volunteer. My current protégé and I set a fixed, one half hour, monthly date and time for a teleconference. During that call, we get to know a bit about each other both personally and professionally. We discuss her progress and work to pick the right topics to write about, the committee that was of interest, special projects, VAGP Governance, VAGP meeting issues or whatever hot topics are on our minds or our desks that day. We also attend many of the VAGP teleconferences. Then there is the daunting task of reporting. A very high estimate of time for this task is that it takes about 1 hour/year to track accomplishments and report to the program chairperson. Meeting at conferences or tradeshows has always been our objective, but has yet to work out. So, as you can see the minimum time commitment as a mentor is really only about 7 – 10 hours per YEAR.

I challenge you to read the Mentor qualifications and then call me with questions, or call Ginger Gordon to volunteer. Be part of the future of VAGP. Dare to continue to make a difference!”- Kathy S. Elgin, CPPO, CPPBVAGP Mentor

If you have any questions please contact Program Coordinator Ginger Gordon, CPPB, at ggordon@ci.manassas.va.us.

Reaching Out:Are you the Missing Piece of the Puzzle?

I believe that this

program is an integral

piece of the future of

VAGP.

Page 16 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

By Bill Lindsey, CPPO, C.P.M.VAGP President-Elect

Certainly, the procurement office has an important part in the contract administration process. However, the key to this function must rely on a team

approach with the purchasing official having a vital, but maybe not a lead role in the process.

When I think back on the number of complex and not so complex procurements that I have had responsibility for over a number of years, the complex ones always had an associated difficulty related to the administration of the contract. This difficulty ranged from issues related to evaluating the quality and performance of the items received, to managing conflicts between users and vendors, to monitoring the timely performance of the contractors, to probably the most challenging, which involves personality clashes between all parties involved. We can certainly count and certify the number of widgets that were ordered and received, but getting everyone to ‘play’ well is an extremely daunting task.

Over many years, I have enjoyed purchasing everything imaginable. However, I can tell you that lightening does strike twice and I find myself buying these complex things over and over again. Every time that I re-purchase these items, I attempt to make the procurement process more efficient and certainly try to resolve any of the problems from recalling any lessons learned from the previous procurement cycle. I find that in the majority of these ‘lessons learned’ cases, the difficulties generally occur from the contract administration phase of the project. Better yet, it appears that the problems can be generally associated with a sole member of the contract administration team. Again, someone is not playing well.

Probably the most important role the procurement official has as it relates to contract administration is participating in the selection of the contract administration team. Such a team must have an open and unfettered line of communication between

members and be affected by the successful administration of the contract. In other words, team members must have some ‘skin in the game’. Such a team, which would at least consist of the contract officer and the ultimate user, should have a clear understanding of what is to be received from the supplier and what can be expected to be full satisfaction of the contract deliverables. Also, team members should have a full grasp of their level of authority. For example, who is overseeing the daily management of the contract and who is ultimately responsible for making final decisions. Finally, it is

imperative that the contract officer ensure that all stakeholders have a copy of the final contract—not a draft. This may seem to be a ridiculous point, but I can’t begin to tell you how many disputes that I have been involved with to find that the end user did not have a copy of the contract.

The next steps of contract administration can literally take on a life of their own when you reflect on managing and accessing various stages associated with realizing a successful resolution to a contract. You can find yourself monitoring contractor performance, product or service quality, change order requests, schedules, payments, various types of data, completion submissions and in some cases, risks associated with project failure. Unquestionably, Contract Administration is a cardinal aspect of our supply chain management strategies and is fully recognized by our profession as a core responsibility.

NIGP offers a 3-day class on Contract Administration that includes a dedicated text and materials regarding the subject. This class is taught by seasoned procurement officials from around the country and is targeted at the process and best practices that apply to the various applications and statutes governing the subject. I highly recommend this class to any VAGP member, and also would like to offer you any assistance that I can provide regarding this subject. Feel free to drop me a line at blindsey@gloucesterva.info.

Contract Administration: What’s Our Part?

Team members

must have some

‘skin in the game’.

Page 17 - September 2012

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

We want your news...and views!This is your Association and your publication—make your voice heard! All VAGP members are encouraged to send articles, press releases and photos. Published articles on purchasing-related topics may help members earn recertification points. For eligibility requirements, please verify directly with the certifying agency.

Only one issue left for 2012! Materials are due on November 5 for publication on December 1. Submit articles to LeeAnne Beatty Smith at smith2lb@jmu.edu.

9 Industry News 9 Best Practices 9 Photos 9 Book Reviews 9 Education Opportunities 9 Event Recaps

9 New Certifications 9 Tips and tricks

By Mary Pennington, CPPBPublic Relations Committee Member

CAN yOU NAME THiS ViRGiNiA LANDMARK?

Come visit this Virginia landmark anytime of the year in the Star City of the South! This landmark, built in 1949, is considered the

World’s Largest Man-made Illuminated Star and sits on a mountain above a Virginia city.

The star stands 88.5 feet tall and uses 2000 feet of neon tubes and 17,500 watts of power, so it puts out a pleasant little hum. It’s visible for 60 miles from the air and it sits 1,045 feet above the city where it lives.

Originally an all-white star, this star now turns red, white, and blue on Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July, September 11, and Veterans Day as a demonstration of its home city’s patriotism. It was the largest star ever assembled until the El Paso Star was completed in El Paso, Texas. However, this Star still holds the claim to world’s largest illuminated man-made free-standing star, as the El Paso Star lies flat on the ground.

It is best to see the star at night, but before midnight, because that’s when the town goes to bed and turns the star off.

Got a guess? Think you know Virginia? Visit us on Facebook and be the first person to name the star and the city where it can be found! The first person to comment on VAGP’s Facebook page with the correct answer wins a VAGP goody. Send a suggestion for another Virginia landmark to feature in the News & Views to smith2lb@jmu.edu.

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