If you work in public procurement, chances are you are familiar with NIGP and all the great education and networking opportunities they create for buyers around the nation. This time, they need our help. 

 

With pandemic-induced budget cuts, governments are trying to find ways to save money. Decreasing investment in memberships and associations like NIGP are (unfortunately) often a way to do so. That's why NIGP has partnered with Procurated to create the NIGP Member Scholarship Program, whose funds will be used to offset at-risk agency memberships. Click to learn more about how writing a review on Procurated can earn money to help at-risk NIGP memberships. 

To tip our hat to all the great work done by NIGP, we've gathered a list of Decisions That Matter podcast episodes featuring guests we've met through NIGP's sphere of influence. Each of these interviews is a welcome reminder of the power of community to solve interesting challenges and inspire career growth. We hope you enjoy these interviews as much as we did: 

Co-hosts Alex Stonehouse and Bernadette Launi are joined by procurement rockstar, Stacy Gregg, from the University of South Carolina. Stacy does a wonderful job of pairing her years of procurement experience with her compelling storytelling ability, to give listeners seemingly endless anecdotes to learn from and act upon. She details the idea behind Procurement being hurdle, not a roadblock, that stakeholders and end users should look forward to working with because the relationship can and should be mutually beneficial. Stacy also discusses a range of other ideas, from the important of procurement ethics and doing what you know is right, to details on how the University of South Carolina has approached opening school in the fall for faculty and students in the COVID-19 era. Listen to the episode.

Jenn Myers, NIGP-CPP, CPPB  has been with the City of Tucson for 8 years, currently in the role of Procurement Manager. She was selected as the 2020 Young Professional of the Year Recipient.  On this episode, Jenn Myers discusses her start in procurement and the path she took to rise to her current position. She shares lessons learned through her participation in Arizona's local NIGP chapters, and she also emphasizes the importance of the experience she has gained through NIGP's national programs. The procurement community is a collaborative one where people lift each other up, and Jenn is a great example of what can happen when you take the advice of others to heart. Jenn also goes into detail about how she found and fostered her relationship with her mentor, a story full of lessons that we can all benefit from. Listen to the episode. 

On this week's episode of Decisions That Matter we are joined by Brooke Smith for a discussion about women in government, advancing their careers through education and mentorship, and advice on conquering imposter syndrome. Since recording this episode, Brooke has accepted a new role as City Recorder at Murray City. Listen to the episode.

Kara Daniel, along with her colleague Dave Pelletier, are two purchasing leaders at the School District of Springfield in Missouri. In this episode, Kara and Dave share their stories from the last year, including details on topics like implementing an e-bidding system, handling the initial pandemic response for their district and surrounding areas, and reopening public classrooms from K-12. Listen now.

On this episode, Procurated's founder and CEO, David Yarkin, sits down with Lourdes Coss, the former Chief Procurement Officer of the City of Houston and Cook County, IL. Both David and Lourdes have dedicated their careers to public procurement, and this great conversation shines a light on how you can learn from their journeys and make lasting change in state and local government. Listen now.

On this episode it is our pleasure to be joined by author, director, consultant, podcaster, and all around great procurement mind, Darin Matthews. On this episode we have a great discussion about nurturing and hiring the next generation of procurement leaders, the future of procurement technology, and much more. In addition to being a great guest, Darin is also a great podcast host on his show, The Evolution of Procurement. Listen to the episode.

This episode of Decisions that Matter features a wonderful interview with Jason Stienmann about adding value to supplier relationships by collaborating and working toward long term relationships that foster growth and innovation for both parties. Listen to the episode.

The NIGP Member Scholarship Program offsets membership costs for members who otherwise may not be able to afford to join NIGP. Visit ratings.procurated.com/nigp to write a supplier review on Procurated and earn $5 (or more!) to the scholarship.