It happens in NIGP cities across the country, every fall, in the wake of another Annual Forum, to the attendees who bring back a fresh exuberance for their profession, a quiver full of new ideas, and the challenge to sharpen their craft for another year in preparation and celebration for the next forum waiting to shine on their horizons.
For those of you who have experienced the Annual National Forum, you may remember it for the thousands of peers, many of whom become more than just faces in the crowd; or you may remember it best for the myriad of presentations from highly acclaimed keynote speakers to some of our own CO-OPP members sharing stirring stories of everything from successful living to how to do our unique jobs a little bit better, a little bit differently, a little more efficiently than we have done it before. There are some who may remember the location... that faraway somewhere that you had never been before that kindled a flame or burrowed an impression you haven’t forgotten. Whatever the reason for remembering your own experiences at the National Forum, anyone who has been remembers the natural HIGH you brought back with you and the excitement for your profession that replaced a years worth of ups and downs, if only for a few short days and the few weeks that followed. It was real, it meant something to you, and it gave you a sense of accomplishment for what you have done in your profession and what you are doing in this organization. SO, WHERE IS IT ALL NOW?
While you are in my zone, join me in an exercise to demonstrate my point. For those of you who have ever been to a National Forum for NIGP (that includes the one we had in Columbus in 2001), write down 3 things that you will always remember about your experience; likewise, for those of you who haven’t experienced Forum, but, have heard your peers talk about it, write down 3 things you would hope to gain from your own future Forum experience. Fold the paper in half and write the words: RECHARGE, REENGAGE, and REDISCOVER on the folded half and thumbtack it to your bulletin board or wall. When you feel your joy fading, pull the thumbtack and fill yourself up by reading the contents, reviving yourself with your own emergency source, should you need to reclaim lost JOY. SO, HOW CAN WE MAINTAIN OUR FORUM HIGHS?
1. RE-CHARGE OFTEN Consider your current lifestyle, your workplace, your involvement in the organizations you belong to or to the schools and your community, your church and your family... What if we all ran on batteries? Would you be able to pick up and jump back into your schedule when you finally drained your energy from all the craziness and had to slow down to catch up? If you can’t answer YES to that question, it’s time to step away and RECHARGE. Take a much needed “ME TIME” day off and escape to the closest body of water to relax by or on. Finish that book you’ve been trying to finish for the last year. Call an old friend you haven’t talked to in years. Forgive someone you thought you never could/would. Clear your mind, your body and your soul of everything holding you back.
2. RE-ENGAGE YOUR VISION Forum is where we become one of many who share the same vision and are joining forces to recognize that effort and the home front is where we are one of a few who have a job to do and some new skills and networks to accomplish it with. How do we keep that fire from Forum ablaze after we return? We jump back into the fire, reengage, get involved and make things happen again. There’s a new CO-OPP year on the horizon and a new vote for officers and a quest for committee chairs. Get involved in a greater way than ever before.... CO-OPP needs your leadership.
3. RE-DISCOVER YOUR JOY We are challenged everyday with new opportunities to showcase our abilities and do a common good for those we serve. How we approach each situation is not only a testament of ourselves, but, a representation of our Agency that we care about our customers. Don’t let the routines and appointments of your day-to-day interrupt your opportunity to shine. Keep learning new skills, networking with peers from Forums and your CO-OPP involvement and using your contagious motivation as a springboard to help you find your niche to give back some of that JOY you’ve been storing up from Forum. Let your JOY blossom by giving it away in every opportunity. Increase your areas of service and spread some of those joy seeds around so we all can benefit from your discovery.
The key to maintaining your FORUM HIGH is to invest these new skills and ideas into your daily routine and GET INVOLVED. There is another mountain ahead that needs a climber. ~Steve Sammons
The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 1 2010 OFFICERS
PRESIDENT Joseph A. Lombardi, CPPO, CPPB City of Columbus, Department of Public Utilities Voice: (614) 645-6031 Fax: (614) 645-5424 [email protected]
VICE-PRESIDENT Gayle S. Blankenship, CPPB State of Ohio, Office of Procurement Services 4200 Surface Road, Cols., OH 43228-1395 Voice: (614) 644-5993 Fax: (614) 644-1785 [email protected]
TREASURER SEMINAR OPPORTUNITIES (*FC=Foundation Class) Carol Clingman, CPPB State of Ohio, Office of Procurement Services September 22-24, 2010 Voice: (614) 752-0032 Fax: (614) 644-1785 DEVELOPING & MANAGING RFP’S *FC* [email protected] State of Ohio DAS/GSD Purchasing 4200 Surface Road Columbus, OH 43228 SECRETARY Walnut Conference Room Lisa Koppin, CPPB 8am – 5pm Montgomery County Dept., of Job and Family Services Voice: (937) 225-4759 Fax: (937) 496-7608 Instructor: MR. KEITH I. ASHBY, CPPO [email protected] Purchasing Manager, Arapahoe County Littleton, CO
November 3-5, 2010 MEMBER-AT-LARGE LEGAL ASPECTS OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT *FC* Yvette M. Lewis, CPPB State of Ohio DAS/GSD Purchasing Columbus Regional Airport Authority 4200 Surface Road Voice: (614) 239-5064 Fax: (614) 238-7834 Columbus, OH 43228 [email protected] Walnut Conference Room 8am – 5pm Instructor: MR. TONY REED, CPPO, MPA PAST-PRESIDENT Elkton, MD Mark Hutchison, CPPO, CPPB, C.P.M. RETIRED January 26-28, 2011 PLANNING, SCHEDULING & REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS *FC* State of Ohio DAS/GSD Purchasing 4200 Surface Road Columbus, OH 43228 Walnut Conference Room "I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence; 8am – 5pm Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, Instructor: MR. PETER A. RIGTERINK, CPPO, CPPB, VCO I took the one less traveled by— VDEM Procurement Manager And that has made all the difference.” ~Robert Frost, Poet Virginia Dept. of Emergency Management Richmond, VA
The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 2 To say that we are living in an age of BUDGETARY RESTRICTIONS would be at best an understatement. All of us have felt and will continue to feel the crunch of our dollars especially for those of us working in the Government who have been entrusted to be fiscally prudent with the dollars we need to do our work.
If you have access to a computer and phone and can carve 90 minutes out of your work schedule for training, you are a prime candidate to take advantage of NIGP WEBINARS. These informative workshops that focus on a myriaid of current, relevant topics in the procurement field are served up as LIVE, interactive education on your desktop. Sept. 28: Does It Really Say That? The Law & Public Procurement. For a very economical $75.00, you can participate in an NIGP Webinar, a cost which can be even lower, if you take Oct. 14: Show Them The Money! Ways To Find Savings In advantage of the Webinars our own Education Committee Your Organization. offers throughout the year to the membership. For an added bonus, NIGP has added a REWARDS PROGRAM with Oct. 19: Do I Have To Take The Low Bid? Tools For Obtaining Webinars, which gives you a free Webinar with the purchase of five over a calendar year. WIN-WIN is good, right? Qualified Contractors.
So, now you’ve decided that this is the year you are going to get CERTIFIED and this time you are serious about adding four letters of designation behind your name... you’ve read all the propaganda, heard all the commotion, seen the good things that happen to certified people and you want your own slice of the pie... so, you started taking some of the classes as we have outlined in our CPPB/CPPO TRACK, you’ve read and re-read your text books and you’ve looked beyond and over and into and around everything you can get your hands on to get yourself in STUDY MODE with a target of the much talked about CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION. The experts say, give yourself a good 6 months to get ready, with a comfortable mix of classes, self-study, group study and prep time to pull it off with flying colors. For the next few issues, let’s talk to those who have already conquered the foe you are about to face head on... let’s learn a few tips from the CERTIFIED, and in the process, maybe we can grow a few more stars for our Chapter Galaxy... (and, for those of you contributing your secrets, remember this: recertification points come in all shapes and bylines). This month, YVETTE LEWIS, CPPB, Columbus Airport Authority, Columbus, Ohio, earns her own recertification points with her take on, “CONFESSIONS OF THE CERTIFIED... Getting Ready for the Exam.” ~Mary E. Lyles
My name is Mrs. Yvette M. Lewis, CPPB. I am married to Terrell E. Lewis and the mother of four (4) children, Antoinette, Candess, Terrell Jr., and Michael. For the last 16 years, I have been employed by The Columbus Regional Airport Authority. I am on the Employee Action Network at Port Columbus and hold the position of Member-At-Large on the Central Ohio Organization of Public Purchasers, Board of Directors.
In May 2005, I accepted the Purchasing Agent position at Port Columbus Airport. I began taking classes through the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council (UPPCC) and the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) in 2006 to improve my knowledge of public procurement.
I attended the following courses offered by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) and received 96 contact hours in purchasing seminars/courses: Introduction to Public Procurement, Legal Aspects of Public Purchasing, Planning, Scheduling and Requirement Analysis, Sourcing in the Public Sector, Contract Administration, Developing and Managing RFP's, and CPPB Prep Class.
To qualify to take the test I needed five (5) years total purchasing experience which must include three (3) years of public purchasing experience. In preparation for the test, I studied the NIGP Dictionary from cover to cover, more than any of the other course books or the notes I had taken from the classes. Studying the dictionary brought all of the information that was heard in each seminar, over the two (2) year time frame, back together. I have a weak memory, so I have to make up stories and apply the information I learned to the story and that helped me remember a lot of key factors that were asked on the test. I took the final exam which was four (4) hours long, with 240 multiple choice questions. On March 21, 2008, I received notification that I passed my exam and I am now a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB). ~Yvette M. Lewis
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The Intergovernmental Cooperative Purchasing 2nd Quarter I hope everyone enjoyed the summer break and are refreshed to take on the last Committee (ICPC) held its first “Service & Commodity part of the year. The forum I understand was big hit once again and well attended. Summit” in June and laid the framework for what they It’s too bad that CO-OPP did not receive any award in 2010. That brings me to the hope will bring them closer to achieving the goals and 2nd installment of my final 4 Coach’s Corner articles. I would like to speak about Adversity. purpose of the committee: to provide public entities with opportunities for cooperative purchasing and the ADVERSITY When you hear the word adversity do you think something negative? Most people resources to make the most of those opportunities. do. It is expected because the word is so often associated with negative The first Summit focused on Cellular Telephone Service connotations. I want to focus on how to face adversity head on and deal with it. All Contracting, as facilitated by Franklin County’s Director of us have faced one adverse situation or another in our life time, but how do you deal with it? There are many examples of great people who faced adversity in the of Purchasing Karl Kuespert, with a panel of presenters, lives but continued to move forward and not let the adverse situation stop them. consisting of Eric D’Huyvetter, OSU, Denise Freshly, Abraham Lincoln arguably the greatest President in our history overcame death of State of Ohio DAS and Rick Miller, City of Columbus, 2 children, losses in politics and a difficult childhood. Helen Keller too was an inspiration to many. How did they do it? Through hard work, determination and Purchasing Office. The Summit was a huge success belief in themselves. The question you have to ask when life seems unfair is not with both a good turnout and good feedback. “Why Me”?; but “How Am I Going To Deal With It”?
When we are faced with a set back it is so common to blame others, but individuals Due to a scheduling conflict, the Summit originally create their own success not others. Now we cannot control every circumstance scheduled for September 14th, was rescheduled for April that happens to us but we cannot blame everything on circumstance either, that’s th not healthy. First an individual should step back and understand their role and 13 , 2011. That Summit will be facilitated by Nappy responsibility in the situation. Did you prepare enough? Did you get lazy on your Hetzler, Procurement Manager, City of Columbus, work ethic? Did your attitude create the problem? Starting by asking yourself hard Purchasing Office and will cover Janitorial Papers and questions will help you understand not only your role but what lessons may be taken from the situation and how to move forward. Lamps/Bulbs and Ballasts. Adversity tends to make people doubt themselves, their efforts and goals. Is this A planning session was held on September 10th at MORPC what you do? Or do you have the mind set to face it and re-dedicate yourself? Companies have a tendency to change in tough times. But change can also lead to with a special presentation at the beginning of the inconsistency. It is no different for people. We tend to “tweak” our fundamentals meeting by the Ohio Soy Bean Council, who discussed and lose confidence in our goals, and begin down the road of self-doubt. Get off how Soy Ohio is trying to find inroads to making it easier that road and pave a road that continues the belief in yourself, your fundamentals and keep working on the basics. Golfers who are in slump so often change their for local governments to purchase soy based products. mechanics but can’t seem to break the slump. Same with us, don’t change your They wanted to create a “buying pool” for local mechanics but refine your fundamentals, keep faith in your abilities and be sure you have not gotten into bad habits. governments to become familiar with and take advantage of the nearly 14,000 different products they produce; Lastly and to me the most important aspect of handling adversity is to keep the everything from printer toner to cleaners, cups, paint, right attitude and learn from the situation. Don’t mope around feeling sorry for yourself or worse, have a bad attitude. A person must show integrity through these insulation, and the like. periods and stay the course. You must never quit and lose focus. I have coached for 20 years and one of the best seasons I had was being part of a 1 and 9 season. The next two (2) Summits will be facilitated by Jean That’s right 1-9. Why was this my best season? Because I had to keep myself and players motivated and at the same time I learned what I did wrong and grew from Stephenson, Manager, Cooperative Purchasing Program, those lessons. So keep motivated and keep a good attitude and learn in the State of Ohio/DAS. The next Summit will be held on challenging times of your life and success will follow. th October 13 from 8am – 10am at MORPC, on the subject So the next time you face adversity keep these thoughts in mind 1) what was your of “Get Road Ready”: Paint, Asphalt, Top Soil and role; 2) stick to your fundamentals and beliefs; 3) have the right attitude and learn Aggregates. Watch for details on that Summit in the from the situation and 4) NEVER QUIT, DON’T FLINCH ! coming weeks. REMINDER: ONLY 2 MORE MONTHS TO COLLECT THE POP TOPS FOR RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE and ONLY 3 MORE MONTHS UNTIL CHRISTMAS. Summit # 3 will be held on January 12th, 2011, at MORPC, on the subject matter: First Responder Supplies and The Coach Emergency Vehicles. “Adversity Does Not Build Character It Exposes Character.”
Get involved in ICPC... we’re making things happen. “You Must Learn To Lose To Learn How To Win” ~Aerosmith from the song “Dream On”
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CPPB/CPPO TRACK for SPRING Examination 2011 5 mo. 4 mo. 3 mo. 2 mo. 1 mo. ACTIVITIES B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 Test and DEADLINES test test test test test Date Certification Prep. Timeline DEC ‘10 JAN ‘11 FEB ‘11 MAR ‘11 APR ‘11 MAY ‘11 BODY OF KNOWLEDGE REVIEW X (UPPCC) NIGP PREP CLASS X NIGP FOUNDATION CLASSES X -Contract Administration -Developing & Managing RFP’s -Intro. to Public Procurement -Legal Aspects of Public Purchasing -Planning, Scheduling & Requirement Analysis -Sourcing in the Public Sector CHAPTER STUDY GROUP X X ONLINE ASSESSMENT TOOL X NIGP VIRTUAL PREP X NIGP PREP WEBINARS X CONTACT AN EXPERT X (Members Only) PERSONAL STUDY TIME X Spring Exam Application Deadline 1/31/11 Spring Exam Deadline (LATE) 2/14/11 Spring Exam Registration Deadline 3/28/11 TESTING DATES May 2-14 (Spring Examination) May 2011
“Success is not a destination; it is a journey. The happiest people I know are those who are working toward specific objectives. The most bored and miserable people I know are those who are drifting along with no worthwhile objectives in mind.” ~Zig Ziglar
“You can do what you want to do, accomplish what you want to accomplish, attain any reasonable objective you may have in mind -- not all of a sudden, perhaps not in one swift and sweeping act of achievement -- but you can do it gradually, day by day and play by play, if you want to do it, if you work to do it, over a sufficiently long period of time.” ~William E. Hollar
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CPPB/CPPO TRACK for FALL Examination 2011 5 mo. 4 mo. 3 mo. 2 mo. 1 mo. ACTIVITIES B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 Test and DEADLINES test test test test test Date Certification Prep. Timeline MAY ‘11 JUN ‘11 JUL ‘11 AUG ‘11 SEP ‘11 OCT ‘11 NIGP PREP CLASS X NIGP FOUNDATION CLASSES X -Contract Administration -Developing & Managing RFP’s -Intro. to Public Procurement -Legal Aspects of Public Purchasing -Planning, Scheduling & Requirement Analysis -Sourcing in the Public Sector CHAPTER STUDY GROUP X ONLINE ASSESSMENT TOOL X NIGP PREP WEBINARS X CONTACT AN EXPERT X (Members Only) PERSONAL STUDY TIME X Spring Exam Application Deadline 7/18/11 Spring Exam Deadline (LATE) 8/01/11 Spring Exam Registration Deadline 9/12/11 TESTING DATES Oct. 17-29, (Spring Examination) 2011
“When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people.” ~Chinese Proverb
“Discipline is not something I impose on you so I can control you. Rather, it is something you must develop within yourself so you can become the best person you can be, not the one who could have been.” ~Timothy F. Hough
The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 6 The Procurement Edge is a publication of the Central Ohio Organization of Public Purchasers (CO-OPP), a chapter of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP). CO-OPP is an organization that promotes the public procurement profession and it’s members. As such, we often photograph our members and display those pictures electronically (such as on our website) or in hard copy (such as in our newsletter.) By becoming a member in our organization, the As we near the close of member thereby permits COOPP to use their image as described above. another year of CO-OPP
and move into still another, Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are provided let us not forget the great by Harry Graham, staff photographer. opportunity to change a life with the gift of a canned All articles and or information presented within are good ... and then give 2... written and/or compiled by the Public Relations WE CAN DO IT ! Committee, as follows:
Steve Sammons-Chairman, Jean Stephenson, Co- Chair, Jack Hill II, Geri Berry, Teri Wilkinson, Mary Lyles, and Harry Graham, members. We also just added a new member to our family: Lori Bells. Anyone who is interested in our committee, contact me and I’ll put you to work.
The Procurement Edge is produced during the months where General Membership Meetings are
held: January, March, June, September and November. As of this printing confirmation had not been determined yet, but, as far as any of the veteran minds of this organization can recollect the feat has never been completed successfully in the history of this Chapter... until now.
DUAL CONGRATULATIONS are extended to William Pettway who not only sat through a week long training session for his CPPB certification, but, also took the Those of you who have been diligently collecting Pop-Tabs test and passed it... then stayed a second during the year in response to our effort to “give back” to a week to dust off the CPPO certification worthwhile charitable organization still have a little more than while he was at it and took the test and 2 months to collect those shiny snaps of alloy for contribution passed it too.. to the Ronald McDonald House. Agencies involved are asked to bring their collections to the November luncheon Talk about DEDICATION, DRIVE and where we will be pouring the metal into a larger hopper for COMMITMENT!!! Congratulations our contribution. Which agency has collected the most? We William!! You are an inspiration to all of shall see.... all in the name of these special children and their us who aspire to be certified as well. A families and a very special place that is their temporary home. fantastic effort !! See you and your goods in November.
The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 7
Barbara Jean Lane, 62 of Columbus, Wednesday, August 25, 2010. Preceded in death by parents and two brothers. Survived by life partner Linda Walker; children, Lance (Becky) Lane, Robert Lane, Ken (Julia) Walker, Chris (Jayme) Fair; grandchildren, Charlet (Phillip), Crystal, Austin, Toby and Elizabeth; great-granddaughter Emma; sisters, Margie (Ron) Genheimer, Annie (Terry) Jester; brothers, Fred and Billy Sutherland; many nieces and nephews.
Employed by City of Columbus for 25 years. Barbara was an active member of both the Central Ohio Organization of Public Purchasers (CO-OPP) and the National Management Association (NMA), including past service on the Board of Director’s with NMA. Of her many admirable traits, she will be most remembered for her sense of humor and willingness to share her extensive knowledge of procurement with others. Those who had the pleasure of knowing her have lost a dear friend.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, www.komen,org.
“Perhaps they are not stars in the sky,
But rather openings where our loved ones Shine down to let us know they are happy.”
Author Unknown
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DATE / TIME Wednesday, September 15, 2010 / 8:30am – NOON LOCATION STATE OF OHIO DAS/GSD Purchasing, 4200 Surface Road, WALNUT/WILLOW Conference Rm. SPEAKER(S): Bonny Rickerson, CPPB, is the Chairperson of the newly revamped BONNY Intergovernmental Cooperative Purchasing Committee (ICPC) and RICKERSON, has been instrumental in getting the new SUMMITS off to a running CPPB COTA, Supply start. The ICPC Commodity and Service Summits are sessions Management where some of the more widely utilized commodities are being CHAIRPERSON, ICPC presented by our agencies with a panel of buyers from various entities all of which creates lively discussion and information
exchanges. Don’t miss these very informative events.
She comes to us without a need for introduction, one of our most beloved and celebrated personalities, Barbara Johnson, CPPO, BARBARA CPPB, MPA, is now in a highly esteemed position on the NIGP JOHNSON, CPPO, CPPB, MPA Board of Directors, as the Director of Region 3, in the seat vacated Procurement with the appointment of Ken Koester to President of NIGP. With her Manager, Columbus Regional election victory. Barbara is now responsible for Ohio, Indiana, Airport Authority Kentucky, West Virginia and Michigan. Barb came to us with an NIGP Board of interactive presentation entitled, What Principles Guide Your Directors DIR., Region 3 Public Procurement Practice? With class input from six groups, she sought and has collected our input to take back to the Board of NIGP and make things happen.
TOPIC “ICPC COMMODITY & SERVICE SUMMITS” and
“YOU MADE ME A DIRECTOR, NOW, LOOK OUT REGION 3”
The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 9 The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 10 2010 CO-OPP COMMITTEE CHAIRS Standing Ad-Hoc If you would like to be a Committee Member, contact the respective Chairs below: Committee Committee EDUCATION PROGRAM MEMBERSHIP Walter Schneider Maureen McGuire, CPPO, CPPB Diane Ford, CPPB State of Ohio, DAS/GSD Off. of Ohio Attorney General’s Office RETIRED Procurement Svcs. 30 E. Broad Street, Cols. OH 43215 Voice: (614) 238-9648 4200 Surface Road, Cols. OH Voice: (614) 466-2860 Fax: (614) 238-9648 43228-1395 Fax: (614) 752-6448 Email: [email protected] Voice: (614) 644-5151 Email: Fax: (614) 644-1785 [email protected] Email: [email protected]
FINANCE & BUDGET PUBLIC RELATIONS LEGISLATION Gayle Blankenship, CPPB Steve Sammons R. Fred Myers, CPPO, CPPB State of Ohio, DAS/GSD Off. of City of Cols., Department of Public Utilities City of Columbus, Purchasing Procurement Svcs. 910 Dublin Road, 3rd Floor, Cols. OH 43215 Office 4200 Surface Road, Cols. OH Voice: (614) 645-5951 50 W. Gay Street, 1st Floor, Cols., 43228-1395 Fax: (614) 645-5424 OH 43215 Voice: (614) 644-5993 Email: [email protected] Voice: (614) 645-8518 Fax: (614) 644-1785 Fax: (614) 645-7051 Email: Email: [email protected] [email protected]
ICPC AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS NOMINATING COMMITTEE Bonny Rickerson, CPPB David C. Newcomer Yvette M. Lewis, CPPB Central Ohio Transit Authority RETIRED Columbus Regional Airport (COTA) Email: [email protected] Authority 33 N. High Street, Cols., OH 43215 4600 International Gateway, Cols., Voice: (614) 275-5875 OH 43219 Fax: (614) 275-5892 Voice: (614) 239-5064 Email: [email protected] Fax: (614) 238-7834 Email: [email protected] COMMUNITY AFFAIRS CODE OF REGULATIONS & OUTREACH Philip Murray MARCH IS PURCHAING MONTH Amy Lowe State of Ohio, Dept. of Natural Gretchen Adkins, CPPO Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Resources State of Ohio, DAS/GSD Off. of Commission 2045 Morse Road, Bldg., D-2, Cols., Procurement Svcs. 111 Liberty Street, Suite 100, OH 43229 4200 Surface Road, Cols. OH 43228-1395 Cols., OH 43215 Voice: (614) 264-6794 Voice: (614) 421-3685 Voice: (614) 233-4135 Fax: (614) 447-1145 Fax: (614) 644-1785 Fax: (614) 233-4235 Email: Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] [email protected] CONFERENCE COMMITTEE STRATEGIC PLANNING Brenda Luke, CPPB Barbara Johnson, CPPO, CPPB, State of Ohio, Dept., of Aging MPA 50 West Broad St., 9th Fl., Cols., OH Columbus Regional Airport 43215 Authority Voice: (614) 644-8431 4600 International Gateway, Cols., Fax: (614) 728-6802 OH 43219 Email: [email protected] Voice: (614) 239-4088 Fax: (614) 239-7834 Email: [email protected]
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SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS are in order for DAS/GSD Procurement Services, the 2010 recipient of the GEORGE CRONIN BRONZE AWARD for Procurement Excellence by the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) during a ceremony held in Washington D.C., Tuesday, August 24, 2010. The award was for the local print consolidation program which Procurement Services administers for participating State agencies, boards, commissions and political subdivisions. The Print Consolidation Program is administered by Tommy Linley, a procurement manager who oversees media contracts. Also helping with the project were Jean Stephenson, who manages Procurement Services’ Cooperative Purchasing Program and Mark Hollingsworth, purchasing assistant. Especially now, with more public scrutiny on the way Government agencies have been utilizing the public dollar, it is refreshing to see the flip side of the coin where a real effort at efficiency and cost savings has been rewarded for a job well done. Congratulations!!
It’s back to our old stomping grounds for the annual November Luncheon, as this year’s venue will take us back to the CONFLUENCE PARK, 679 W. Long Street. The Luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, November 17th, 2010 from 9am – 1pm (a formal invitation is forthcoming). In addition to a recap of the 2010 CO-OPP year, our bi-annual elections will be held, so you don’t want to miss this important and entertaining closure to 2010. This year, our speaker is Jon Petz, a motivational speaker from Columbus, Ohio, who will bring us a high energy presentation that will inform and entertain us. Jon’s belief that “life is a magical endeavor that has no set path” was the springboard to BORE NO MORE! which is his motto and guarantee. With such corporate clients as AOL, AT&T, Borden, The Children’s Miracle Network, The Ohio State University, JP Morgan Chase, T-Mobile, the US Air Force, Make-A-Wish Foundation and many others, it’s no wonder that audiences rave about the enthusiasm that Jon adds to their corporate events. At press time, the topic for Jon’s presentation had not been finalized, but the end result will be the same... you will leave refreshed to change the way you do what you do best. MARK IT DOWN... ANNUAL CO-OPP LUNCHEON, NOVEMBER, 17th, 2010... Don’t Miss It.
It’s that time again... time to fill the soon to be vacant seats on the CO-OPP Board of Trustees for the terms beginning January 1, 2011 through and including December 31, 2013. If you have a voice that needs to be heard, a passion for this organization or a desire to make a difference in the direction CO-OPP will go in the coming years, then you are who we are looking for! Nominate yourself or someone you support for any of the following positions: VICE-PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, TREASURER and MEMBER-AT-LARGE. Contact Yvette M. Lewis, CPPB, Member-At-Large, Board of Trustees and Chairperson for the Nominating Committee for more information on these opportunities at 614/5064 or [email protected].
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“I have always enjoyed the opportunities to go to NIGP Annual Forum. The venue is usually a place of interest which I am sure is a big drawing point for many of the attendees. This year was no different. San Antonio, TX is packed with history and fun things to do. The stay at the Marriott Rivercenter was a perfect location. Attached to the hotel was a three-story mall complete with a food court and two theaters. The hotel was adjacent to the famous River Walk just below the city. It was a wonderful place for a morning stroll, take a boat ride along the river, or just go shopping. Within a minutes walk from the hotel you could visit the Alamo, historical downtown and many other sites, not to mention delicious Mexican food at every corner.
Outside of the venue, for me, are the people. Over the past few years I have made some connections with people from other states. Sometimes we click because of personality (charming and pleasant!), and sometimes we click because of similar contracts or issues we face as Public Procurement employees. Regardless, I have been able to use these very resources in many of my contracts. The NIGP List Serv is a tremendous tool for more information, but the ability to pick up the phone and call a colleague in Indiana, Washington, Florida, Kansas, etc., is even better. I believe that it makes my job not only easier, but the quality of my work better than if I was doing this with more limited resources.
After the people, the benefit of the sessions is amazing. There is a menu of classes to choose from and you go to the class of interest to you. How many of us have attended a workshop and it did not really relate? Well, at Forum you can pick ones that relate to your job! They categorize things by type of agency (state, city, town, etc), topic, such as negotiation skills or networking, and Chapter related issues such as doing Reverse Trade Shows and how to be successful. As a result of the Chapter sessions, I believe I am able to bring back some new ideas of making the Reverse Trade Show a continued success in the future, without burning out the resources we have to work on the event.
In another session, people discussed the various cost-savings measures in their agency. Most all were familiar with the furlough days that are big this year. Here in our office we have to take 10 days per year. However, California workers are taking 36 days per year, or 3 per month. It’s all a matter of perspective. I can feel angered by the 10 days, or blessed by only being 10 days. Another session dealt with rewarding employees with no money in the budget. Although there were still issues with doing some of the things, it was an open door to throw out ideas that may work here at home. These things and many more of just some of the things discussed at Forum this year.
I hope you think about getting more involved this year. The opportunity is yours to meet new friends and broaden your horizons. I believe we are all placed here to leave a positive impression in the world we live. If given the tools to help in the quest, I trust that each of you would use them. Sign up for Forum; become more involved in the Chapter; help more in your office. Get involved. Make everyday an opportunity, not just a job.”
Gayle Blankenship, CPPB Vice-President, CO-OPP
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“So far this evening quite a few individuals have been recognized, but there are few other recognitions that I want to make as well. So let me finish the job.
First is Rick Grimm. Rick goes out of his way to make sure that there is no doubt that the forum is about us, the members. He is a consummate professional, always deflecting praise away from himself and onto his staff, but is willing to accept the responsibility when things don’t go as planned. As an Institute, NIGP is fortunate to have him as its CEO.
The City of San Antonio for the hospitality it has shown us all this week. What a beautiful city. The citizens of Texas and in particular San Antonio should be very proud.
The members of Region 3 who elected me to be their board representative.
The Unified Purchasing Cooperative Board of Directors for their support.
Even though they couldn’t be here this evening, my children Katie and Laurie and last but surely not least, my lovely wife Beth. She is truly the nicest person I ever met.
There have been numerous challenges facing this Institute the past few years that more than likely will continue for the next couple of years as well. Not the least of which is the economy. Just as the poor economy has placed tremendous pressure on agency budgets, the Institute is also feeling the effects. As a result, difficult decisions have had to be made. Even so, I can assure you that the Board of Directors along with Rick and his staff are taking proactive measures to keep the Institute moving in the right direction and to continue offering the quality services you deserve and have come to expect even during these trying economic times.
But tonight is not the time for business. It’s not a time to discuss regional re-alignment, how seminar attendance can be increased, whether enough consulting contracts are being generated, how instructors will be impacted by the advent of on-line seminars, or if our investment strategy is sound for that matter. While these are some of the real issues facing the Institute, we will continue dealing with those tomorrow. Tonight is a time to celebrate another successful forum, and a chance to spend some time with friends we might not see for another year.
However, before we begin the party (and by the looks of things I think I’m a little late on that one) there is one topic that I would like to spend a few minutes talking about, that is stewardship. Not the typical “time, talent and treasure” stewardship you hear about in your church, synagogue, mosque or temple, just the time and talent part. The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 14
For those who have heard me talk about this before, I apologize, but please indulge me for a few minutes if you would.
NIGP is a great organization. We would be hard pressed to find anybody here this evening that would dispute that simple statement. In fact, we all know it is “the” premier public procurement organization not only in North America, but one that is becoming more recognized and respected around the world every year. While we should be rightfully proud, the truth of the matter is that NIGP didn’t get to this point by accident. Successful organizations never do and NIGP is no exception. They just simply don’t happen. It’s not that easy.
Invariably, an organization starts as the brain-child of a group of highly motivated individuals, but that in itself is not enough to ensure success. In order to be successful, organizations need to be nurtured and developed through vision, hard work and dedication. That is how NIGP got to be where it is today.
The tricky part is, once an organization becomes successful, or in NIGP’s case “the best”, how does it maintain that status? How can NIGP continue to be recognized as the premier public procurement organization in North America, if not the world? The organization public entities worldwide, ever increasingly, come to for answers, guidance and training. In all actuality, as the Institute continues to expand its sphere of influence, it will be very difficult, if not impossible without the “buy-in” of all its members.
You know, I think that is why some of our chapters struggle. While they obviously have talented members, there doesn’t seem to be that consistent “buy-in”. There are too many members with too much talent who are willing to simply be members. They don’t want to take the next step. I’m not talking about members that can’t because of work constraints or family issues, I’m talking about members who don’t want to leave their comfort zone. (If you are one of those individuals, I can assure you that standing up here tonight is not comfortable.) When board members make chapter visits one of the things we are encouraged to do is find out what are some of the pressing issues the chapters are facing. What I have discovered during my visits is that there seems to be a common thread. That is, officers, board members and committee chairs are constantly recycled because not enough potential leaders are stepping up to the plate. In short, the same few individuals seem to do the work year in and year out for the benefit of all the members. That is not healthy for an organization and in the long term; it is not a sustainable practice.
That is exactly where stewardship comes into play. Every organization runs the risk of complacency, becoming stagnant, if you will. NIGP and its chapter affiliates are no different. In order to remain on the cutting-edge there is an on-going need for those new leaders with new and innovative ideas. As I look at all of you this evening what I see is a room filled with some of the best and brightest this profession has to offer. That being the case, the question then becomes, “If you’re not already engaged, how does an organization get you to become engaged?” What does it take to get you to volunteer, to leave your professional and personal comfort zone?” The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 15
The question becomes even more critical when put in the context that nearly 40% of NIGP members will be eligible to retire in 5 years or less. Before I began my term as Governance Committee Chair last year, Rick Grimm gave me a book to read titled, “The Decision to Volunteer”. The book is filled with numerous charts, graphs and tables. While I usually prefer my books to have pictures, I did read it. In one section titled “How do Association Members Become Volunteers?” there was a fact that I thought was very interesting.
It was this; when surveyed about volunteerism, less than 3% of the respondents indicated they took the initiative and offered to volunteer. Less than 3%. The remaining 97+% were recruited in some fashion. While I don’t have the chapter percentages in front of me this evening, I was surprised to learn that the percentage of members that make up NIGP volunteer pool is identical, 3%. That being said; let me make myself perfectly clear, consider yourselves recruited.
This evening I am asking you not to simply be members of NIGP or your chapter, but to “buy- in”, take ownership. I realize that budgets are at best tight, but when you get back to your entities, take a hard look at your budgets, schedules and staff and see if there is anyway you can volunteer some of your time to make a difference. I know you have the talent. Get involved either locally or nationally whichever fits your current professional situation. I challenge you to become a little uncomfortable. You don’t need to sit on a board of directors or be a committee chair for that matter. It can start simply as serving as a committee member or a task force volunteer.
But, before you make the decision whether or not to become engaged, keep one thing in mind, your profession needs you. So I encourage you to look within yourselves and be open to the possibility of sharing that limitless pool of talent you possess because, as I said a minute ago, you are indeed the best and brightest this profession has to offer.
In closing, I know I speak for all the presidents that preceded me when I say that we have been truly blessed to have all of you as friends and that we are honored and humbled to be given this unbelievable privilege to serve this Institute.”
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THE ALBERT H. HALL MEMORIAL AWARD Rick D. Berry, FNIGP, CPPO Executive Director for Construction and Procurement Old Dominion University, Virginia
THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD DR. LULA BANKS, CPPO, CPPB, ED.D, FCPA, FCPM RETIRED, Purchasing Director Hillsborough County, FL
ANNE DEATHERAGE MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD CAROL DEBISH, CPPB Fuel Accounts Specialist Austin, TX
PROFESSIONAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARD LORA MARTIN, CPPB, FCPA, FCBM, FCCM Polk County Board of County Commissioners Bartow, FL
PROFESSIONAL BUYER OF THE YEAR AWARD MELISSA HALA’UFLA, CPPB Pima County, Tucson, AZ
CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARDS SMALL Chapterless than 80 MEDIUM Chapter 81-200 LARGE Chapter 200+ Copper Chapter of NIGP Mid-America Council of Public Oregon Public Purchasing Purchasing Chapter of NIGP Association
The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 17
RANDY DUBLIKAR
Procurement Specialist Nowadays, they just refer to it as the X Factor, or the power of the X... and it appears to be making an CITY OF COLUMBUS PURCHASING OFFICE impression on the fans and the teams they support. Xavier University, in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the home of the Musketeers, a perennial powerhouse in Collegiate athletics, most notably, Men’s and Women’s Basketball. It is a Jesuit Catholic school with about 6,000 students and a rich tradition. It is also the alma mater of our Spotlight Member, who made a mark of national recognition himself, when he and a fellow Musketeer won a Euchre Tournament at Xavier University and then went on to compete for National Honors at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, finishing as National Runners Up.
From there, he completed a degree at The Oho State University Moritz College of Law and in 2007, Randy Dublikar, our Spotlight Member, accepted a position as Procurement Specialist with the City of Columbus, Purchasing Office, with charge over Apparel and Public & Personal Safety commodity areas. Somewhere in the mix of his three (3) years in that position, Randy branched out and was responsible for a bid resulting in the purchase of various species of fish for stocking select City ponds. Randy is also active with the Vendor Services vendor registration and bidding website, answering questions that come into the help inbox and speaking at outreach functions about the process of doing business with the City of Columbus.
Randy and his wife Jessica enjoy their home life with the company of two young daughters, Madeline, 2 ½ and Jillian, 16 months. When he has some free time, Randy enjoys running and following his favorite sports teams, which include all professional Cleveland teams, (the Cavaliers, the Indians and the Browns and maybe even the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League), and of course, his beloved Xavier Musketeers basketball team.
Something tells me that sometime in the harsh Ohio winter of January, when the Browns are licking their wounds from a season past, the Indians are wishing it was Spring, the Cavaliers are proving what life is like without LeBron (who?), and even the Monsters are hoping they can maintain a charge and somehow sneak into the AHL Calder Cup Playoffs, Randy won’t be concerned with his allegiance to all things Cleveland, because he’ll be getting immersed in the Crosstown Shootout, an annual war between the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and the Xavier Musketeers, two of the fiercest college basketball rivals in the NCAA, a mere 2 miles apart, which makes it the closest rivalry in the country... and a great warm- up to another March Madness just around the corner.
One of the most widely preached lessons of successful living has to do with the company we keep... the idea that successful, positive people... surround themselves with successful, positive people, simply reminds us that the go-getters are usually out go-getting in the same venues. Might explain why our spotlight member can absorb a year of all things Cleveland and still arrive victoriously at the summit, marked with an X.
Randy Dublikar is someone you should know. The Procurement Edge – News for the Professional in Public Purchasing 18