Government Procurement articles from August 2008

Government Procurement archives from August 2008

'We have a great show for you tonight ...'.(CABLE VISION)
August 1, 2008... It never fails: When late-night talk-show hosts are doing their monologues, they always assure you that it's going to be a great show. Some hosts do this better than others. My favorite living talk-show host is Conan O'Brien (I say "living"...

Reprise: Vision. Drive. Winner's Circle.(THE BIG PICTURE)
August 1, 2008... Before completely laying to rest the NIGP Forum of 2008, I feel compelled to pay homage one more time to the show's tagline that worked its way into the vernacular of NIGP staff. The litany captures the essence of what it takes to succeed and...

GO PRO reader feedback: more reaction to GAO report.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
August 1, 2008... After reading the article in the April edition on P-card abuse ["GAO report: P-card waste, abuse rampant"], I couldn't help but think that the instances of abuse detailed in the GAO report and in other reports on federal agencies discourage...

You had to ask.(PERSPECTIVES)
August 1, 2008... When it comes to driving change in the organization, every purchasing manager should be prepared to answer two questions. These two questions are similar in phrasing, different in implication and equal in importance. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

The signs of our times: "and the sign said long-haired freaky people need not apply. So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why. He said you look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do. So I took off my hat, I said imagine that, huh, me working for you".(ESSAYS)(Reprint)
August 1, 2008... The cultural revolution of the 1970s inspired the Five Man Electric Band's hippie anthem against the "Greatest Generation" and society as a whole. Their stinging words simplified the reality of the cultural climate of the time: If you don't...

A 'partner in procurement'.(ESSAYS)(Reprint)
August 1, 2008... All procurement professionals must deal with the occasional attempt to subvert the competitive process. Lean budget years tend to exacerbate the issue of trying to avoid the competitive process, as departments typically have a larger than usual...

Growing the profession through student knowledge communities.(IN THE KNOW)
August 1, 2008... NIGP recently announced the creation of a unique community designed specifically for student members. This community provides a support network that includes a student list serve, mentoring connections to help students find the perfect job,...

'Shaping the Future'.(IN THE KNOW)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... NIGP's "Shaping the Future: A Career in Public Procurement" information kit is available to students, career centers and agency human-resources departments. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The kit is a multimedia presentation offering: an...

Improve your bid specifications - and love life - with these principles.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2008... According to Eileen Youens, assistant professor of public law and government at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Government, the active voice is important in love and in bid-solicitation documents. [ILLUSTRATION...

Gas prices fueling cost-cutting creativity among counties.(FLEET MANAGEMENT)
August 1, 2008... From fuel hedging to four-day workweeks to anti-idling policies, all options are on the table for counties that are feeling the pinch of the high price of gasoline and diesel fuel. Hennepin County, Minn., which has seen its fuel...

Fuel for thought: procurement professionals explain how they are drilling into their repertoire of sources and strategies to generate cost-efficient buys.(ENERGY PROCUREMENT)
August 1, 2008... P-cards, collared futures purchases, carefully timed fuel procurements, hedging - these are some of the tactics that public-sector purchasers are using in the face of skyrocketing energy prices. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In Naperville,...

Going green ... cooperatively: purchasing cooperatives can make it easier to buy green.(GREEN PURCHASING)
August 1, 2008... Purchasing volume drives down costs. The easiest way to increase purchasing volume is by collaborating with other like-minded organizations. These two simple concepts, which assume a sufficient supply of products, are the founding principles of...

NIGP members welcomed into the winner's circle at awards luncheon.(AWARDS RECAP)(National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.)
August 1, 2008... With ears still ringing and hearts still racing after the social event at Lowe's Motor Speedway the night before, more than 1,000 NIGP members gathered at the NIGP Annual Forum Business/Awards Luncheon July 28 in Charlotte, N.C., to celebrate...

UPPCC June 2008 certifications.(MEET THE PROS)(Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council)
August 1, 2008... The Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council (UPPCC) is an independent entity formed to govern and administer the Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) and Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) certification programs. The...

UPPCC 2008 100% certified agencies.(MEET THE PROS)
August 1, 2008... IN 2008, 42 public entities championed the value of professionalism by ensuring that 100 percent of their professional purchasing and contracting staff achieved and retained their CPPO and CPPB designations. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Brunette proud to serve the profession that 'chose her'.(PROFILES IN PROCUREMENT)(Micheline Brunette)
August 1, 2008... The number of females occupying professional positions in the public sector continues to increase. Currently, NIGP's membership is 61 percent female, and according to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, females comprise 54 percent of the...

New NIGP members.(NEW MEMBERS)(National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Your efforts and membership have contributed to NIGP's legacy... building a world in which public procurement practitioners are highly regarded members of a respected professional order. Established in 1944, NIGP is an international...

Seminars.(CALENDAR OF EVENTS)(Calendar)
August 1, 2008... September [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Contract Administration Date: Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Location: Chesterfield, Va. Instructor: Avon Thompson, CPPO, CPPB, MPA Hosted by: Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing Inc....

Webinars.(CALENDAR OF EVENTS)(Brief article)(Calendar)
August 1, 2008... September Communication - It's Not About You... It's About the Message! Date: Sept. 9 Instructor: David Dise, CPPO October Preparing for the New CPPO Computerized Exam - What to Expect Date: Oct. 2 Instructor:...

Government supplier course schedule.(CALENDAR OF EVENTS)(Calendar)
August 1, 2008... The Business of Government Sales: What Makes it so Different? Date: Sept. 3 Location: Lafayette, La. Instructor: Leslie Vallie, CPPO Hosted by: Louisiana Chapter of NIGP Registration contact: Elizabeth Kunjappy, CPPB,...

Government contractor certificants.(CALENDAR OF EVENTS)
August 1, 2008... The Government Contractor Certificate (GCC) program is specifically for government contractors who desire a greater awareness and understanding of public procurement processes and the government purchasing environment. The GCC program...

Snowthrowers deliver no-clog performance.(PUBLIC WORKS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Even in deep or heavy, wet snowfalls, these 48- and 60-in. models clear paths efficiently. Discharge spout controlled from the operator's seat rotates 180[degrees] and delivers snow up to 30 ft. away. High-speed 12-in.-diameter auger and...

Repair tool delivers patch material in a wide swath.(PUBLIC WORKS)
August 1, 2008... FP5 flameless pothole patcher has a swing auger that delivers asphalt material in an 8.7-ft. swath. Swing covers a wide range, from the driver's-side wheel track past the passenger's-side wheel track. Small crews can precisely place patch...

Manhole cover features rotating lid.(PUBLIC WORKS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The rotating lid on the REVOLUTION model pivots away from the hole opening. This eliminates the need for manually raising or lowering the lid for routine access and maintenance. Cover rotates on a stainless steel pin that keeps cover attached...

Use zero-emissions work truck for light-duty jobs.(PUBLIC WORKS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... AC motor ZX40ST has a power plant that the manufacturer says provides 50% more power and 30% more torque than a traditional DC motor. Regenerative braking, combined with a 72-volt, absorbed-glass-mat battery system, yields a 50-to 60-mile...

Inspection system simplifies underground analyses.(PUBLIC WORKS)
August 1, 2008... K2 portable unit is ideal for assessing conditions in underground infrastructure. System can be set up to operate from a variety of vehicles or trailers. Also can be used as a stand-alone system. Choose from a selection of ergonomic handheld...

Confined-space gas detector is compact, easy to use.(PUBLIC WORKS)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... GasAlertMicroClip multisensor model simultaneously displays [O.sup.2], [H.sub.2]S, [CO.sub.2] and %LEL (lower explosive limit). Manufacturer states that the unit offers the ease-of-use of a disposable detector. Unit weighs 160 g (5.6 ozs.), and...

Five out of four customers said ...: be wary of numbers.(BACK PAGES)
August 1, 2008... As professionals, we consider numbers every day. However, it's not the process of arriving at a particular number that's important to us - it's what the number represents. The simple fact is that numbers are made up of other numbers. ...

Profundities.(BACK PAGES)
August 1, 2008... ACROSS [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Misleading purchasers about the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service 8. Document used to initiate a purchase request 10. Hawaiian bird ...