Greetings Region 8

Hi Region 8!

Classes are being scheduled around the country for 2007.

Please visit NIGP Seminars for updates.

The following is planned for Region 8 and surrounding states:

CPPO Review
February 12-13
Detroit, Michigan

CPPB Review
February 13-14
Detroit, Michigan

Legal Aspects of Purchasing
February 19-21
Madison, Wisconsin
February 21-23
Jackson, Michigan

Fundamentals of Leadership and Management
March 14-15
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Sourcing in the Public Sector
June 13-14
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Watch for additions to this list in future editions of the Buy Weekly or the NIGP website.

Wisconsin Association of Public Purchasers Chapter of NIGP
www.wapp.org
Minnesota Chapter of NIGP
www.mnnigp.org
Midwest Association of Public Procurement Chapter of NIGP
www.mapp-nigp.org
Illinois Association of Public Procurement Officials
www.iappo.org

Signing off until next time. . .

Patti Huth, CPPO, CPPB
Region 8 Representative
630.271.4134 (voice)
phuth7@comcast.net 

Gateway Lands Illinois Education Work

By Ethan Butterfield,
Washington Technology

Sixth-graders and teachers in several Illinois school districts will get Gateway
notebook PC’s as part of a pilot project using technology to improve education.

Terms of the $2.2 million contract call for Gateway, Irvine, Calif., to supply
Gateway M285 convertible notebook PCs, training and support services to
teachers and sixth-graders at five Illinois school districts.

The convertible PCs, which can be changed from notebook to tablet-mode by
swiveling and folding down the display, will be used as a teaching tool to
support daily instruction and student testing. Tablet mode allows students to
use a digital pen for solving mathematical equations, drawing diagrams, editing
documents and taking notes directly on a widescreen display.

The laptops, which will be distributed as part of a technology immersion pilot
project for students, are equipped with science and math tutorials, word
processing, note taking and spreadsheet software.

Teachers will get professional development training, and schools will receive
assistance to aid in developing a school-based laptop network.

Gateway has about 1,800 employees and had annual revenue of $3.9 billion in
fiscal 2005. The company ranks No. 88 on Washington Technology’s 2006 Top
100 list of the largest federal IT contractors.

For more information, visit www.washingtontechnology.com.

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Statewide Radio Interoperability Could Cost $7 Billion

By Alice Lipowicz, Contributing Writer
Government Computer News

According to a new survey published by the National Emergency Management Association, state emergency managers estimate it will cost $7 billion to achieve statewide interoperable communications for first responders.

The group also believes it will cost $1.5 billion to build, retrofit and upgrade emergency operations centers nationwide, which includes expenditures for equipment, software and personnel. These are nerve centers where emergency managers, police, fire and medical supervisors gather to coordinate their activities in responding to a disaster. Nearly $400 million is needed for urgent improvements to state operations centers, and $1.1 billion for local operations centers, the report said.

The NEMA survey is the basis for the 2006 Biennial Report issued by the association highlighting major concerns and trends in the field. It is a professional group representing state emergency managers, who plan and direct state response to disasters and major incidents. The survey collected information from state emergency managers in 46 states.

State emergency managers have taken on significant homeland security duties since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. In 32 states, the state emergency managers are also in charge of implementing the National Response Plan, National Incident Management System and National Preparedness Goal.

State emergency management spending totaled $1.2 billion in fiscal 2005, with 43 percent going for response, 25 percent for preparedness, 21 percent for recovery and 10 percent for mitigation. Historically, such spending tends to be lopsided from year to year, reflecting increases during a period of major disasters.

Six states have achieved certification from NEMA's Emergency Management Accreditation Program, while New York, Utah and Massachusetts have received conditional accreditations. Managers in 26 states said their states would be seeking the certification within three years.

For more information, visit www.gcn.com.

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Welcome Addition: Public Procurement Courses Now Online

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is now accepting registrations for on-line graduate courses in public procurement.  Each on-line course is ten (10) weeks long and can be accessed from the convenience of your computer. Classes are taught by a qualified practitioner and a full professor with FAU.  The first graduate course starts in January and the second in March. Classes will be offered throughout the academic year. For a full list of classes go to: Registrar. Undergraduate online courses are planned for the Fall of 2007.

Graduate Course tuition is $1,100.00 per graduate course (3 semester credit hours). Please note that the current out-of-state tuition is $2,740.00 per graduate course.  NIGP members will receive a savings of 60% from the out-of-state tuition fees.

Registration Deadline January 6, 2007      (TBD by FAU)

Course Dates January 8, 2007 – March 16, 2007  March 19, 2007 – May 25, 2007

Course Number and Title PAD 6855: Introduction to Public Sector Procurement PAD 6857: Public Sector Procurement Law and Ethics

Professors Dr. Khi V. Thai School of Public Administration Mr. Glenn R. Cummings, CPPO Director, Purchasing Department Broward County Board of County Commissioners Dr. Khi V. Thai School of Public Administration Mr. David A. Drabkin Acting Asst. Commissioner for Acquisition - General Services Administration

Course registration is limited. The University requires a minimum of 10 students per class and a maximum of 20. It is important to register early to ensure your acceptance into the class.  Graduate classes are available to anyone holding a Bachelor’s Degree while undergraduate classes are available to anyone working toward a degree or anyone with an interest in the subject.

You will need to register as a non-degree seeking student. Information regarding application, tuition, and registration is available at Non-degree seeking student. 

Please direct any questions you may have about these to Mr. Todd Hedrick at thedrick@fau.edu.

If you are interested in taking undergraduate courses from FAU, please contact Mrs. Leigh McFarland at mcfarland@fau.edu. 

NIGP recognizes FAU as a higher education associate in the area of research and educational programs that benefit the public procurement profession.

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There's A Doctor on the Team

NIGP is proud to announce that Donna McCarthy, CPPO, CPPB, C.P.M., NIGP Director of Research and Technical Resources recently received her Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. 

Dr. McCarthy has been a member of NIGP since 1988 when she joined the staff of Martin County, Florida as a Contract Administrator.  She has served in both public and private sector purchasing organizations, and joined NIGP 's senior management team in 2002.  Donna is the 2006 recipient of the Hans Ovelgonne Award by the International Federation of Purchasing and Materials Management (IFPMM), which recognizes outstanding contribution to research and development in the field of Purchasing, Supply Management, and Logistics.

As Director of Research and Technical Resources, Donna is responsible for all NIGP research initiatives including the Public Procurement Research Center at Florida Atlantic University.  She also is Program Manager for the Procurement Management Assistance Program, which provides consulting services to public agencies in all areas of public procurement and systems management.  As a former practitioner, Donna brings rare and practical insight into her research initiatives which helps ensure that the trends and benchmarks identified are relevant to our profession.

Congratulations Dr. McCarthy!  [ return to top ]

SW Arizona Moves To Become National Chapter

Excitement and opportunity were in the air in Southwestern Arizona as members gathered for the first organizational meeting to create an NIGP Chapter in the Southwest Region of Arizona. A lively gathering of 39 attendees from almost every local government entity and practically every level of the supply chain met to review the steps leading up to becoming an NIGP National Chapter.

A Call for Nominations was made for the positions of Chapter Formation Chair,  Vice Chair, and Recording Secretay Pro Tem.  The next task is creating a name for the new chapter .  Requests for suggestions were made and include everything from Southwest Arizona Chapter to Golden Ridge to Sandstorm. Attendees will vote electronically on their favorite name.  Look for the 'winning name' in a future Buy Weekly.

Special thanks to:

Formation Chairperson
Rocky Brannan, C.P.M, CPPB
Purchasing and Contracts Manager
City of Yuma, AZ

Formation Vice-Chairperson
Larry Weeks, MBA, CPPO, CPPB
Director
Yuma Educational Materials Management Consortium
Yuma, AZ 

Formation Recording Secretary
Peggy Hayes
Buyer
City of Yuma, AZ 

We share in your enthusiasm and look forward to welcoming this new Arizona chapter to the NIGP family. [ return to top ]

Welcome New Members - November 2006

Agency Members

Beaufort County School District
Representative:  Sandra Amsler, CPPB
Beaufort, SC

Broward County Children’s Services Council
Representative:  Judy Jones
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

City of Ruston
Representative:  Michelle Blackwell, CPPB
Ruston, LA

City of Santa Ana
Representative:  Bruce Perret
Santa Ana, CA

East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff
Representative:  Reginald Tooley
Baton Rouge, LA

Jackson Municipal Airport Authority
Representative:  Karen Hatten, CPPA
Jackson, MS

New York City Department of Citywide Purchasing Services
Representative:  M. Karen Allen, CPPB
New York, NY

New York State Correctional Services
Representative:  Nannette Ferri
Albany, NY

Washington State Department of Ecology
Representative:  Laura Lowe
Olympia, WA


Individual Members

Luis Anguiano
Enid, OK

Edwing Canaca
Perth Amboy, NJ

Dennis Fountain
New Brunswick, NJ

Theodore Johnson
New Brunswick, NJ

Lori MacGinnis
Portsmouth, NH

Yvonne Miranda
Piscataway, NJ

Mary Radtke
Los Angeles, CA

Pauline Toevs
Santa Fe, NM


Student Members

Sheryl Bass
Wayne State University

Patricia Ludlow
Strayer University


Retired Members

Gloria James, CPPB
College Park, GA

Leon Ridley
Dayton, OH

Lynne Russell, C.P.M., CPCM
Las Vegas, NV

 
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UPPCC Announces New Exams in 2008

The Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council (UPPCC) announces it will introduce new examinations for its public procurement certifications - Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) and Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) in 2008.

The announcement comes on the heels of UPPCC’s first Item Writing Workshop attended by over 100 certificants in Tampa, Florida on August 5.  Through their participation,  600 new examination questions were created. The UPPCC plans to offer question writing workshops on a regular basis to current certificants who are interested in contributing to the on-going success of the certification programs. Questions produced during these workshops will be used to build new exams.

Workshop participants receive specialized instruction on how to develop high-quality, situational test questions. Among testing professionals, the situational-type question is the preferred method for assessing a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities for the purposes of professional certification. Situational questions require candidates to use a combination of skills which includes practical on-the-job experience and textbook preparation/study.

“The UPPCC is committed to continuously upgrading the content and the quality of our examinations as we strive to become the globally accepted certification(s) for public purchasing professionals” said UPPCC Council Chairman Don Buffum, CPPO. “We’ve consulted with the best in the professional credentialing field and will be building the new exams and enhancing the overall programs based on best practices in certification.”

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UPPCC Certifications - November 2006

Congratulations to the following individuals for successfully completing the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council (UPPCC) certification requirements!


New CPPOs  

Alberta
Joan Smith, CPPO, CPPB
Contracting Coordinator
Capital Health Authority

Arizona
James Cooper, CPPO
Commodity/Contracts Officer
Pima County Government - Procurement

South Carolina
Robert Hardison, CPPO
Director
Richland County School District One

Texas
Jo (Maxine) Carden, CPPO, CPPB, C.P.M., CTP
Purchaser III
Texas Department of Transportation

Edward Matthews, CPPO, CPPB
Purchasing Manager
City of Irving

Earla Pallette, CPPO, CPPB
Purchasing & Materials Admin.
Texas Department of Transportation

Virginia
Lisa Cumming, CPPO, CPPB, VCO, C.P.M.
Procurement Manager
City of Hampton

New CPPBs 

  

Arkansas
Robin Rogers, CPPB
Team Leader
Arkansas Office of State Procurement

Thomas Richard Smith, CPPB
Buyer III
Arkansas Office of State Procurement

Arizona
Edith Barrera, CPPB
Buyer
City of Phoenix

Colorado
Lynn Baca, CPPB
Purchasing Agent
City of Thornton

David Everson, CPPB
Materials Management Specialist
Town of Estes Park

Christi Kelly, CPPB
Buyer
Jefferson County Public Schools

District of Columbia
Denise Carter, CPPB
Contract Specialist
DC Child and Family Services Agency

Robert Mann-Thompson, CPPB
Contract Specialist
DC Child and Family Services Agency

Florida
Lawrence Chester, CPPB
Support Services Manager
Lake County Clerk Circuit Court

Charles Covington, CPPB
Interim Director of State Purchasing
Florida Department of Management Services

Andrea Garland, CPPB
Procurement Contracting Officer
Jackson Health System

Delores Harper, CPPB
Purchasing Analyst
Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Francis Kavanagh, CPPB
Senior Procurement Specialist
City of Sarasota

Marilyn Prater-Rivers, C.P.M., CPPB
Buyer
City of Boca Raton

Lois Salton, CPPB
Business Diversity Specialist
School District of Palm Beach County

Christopher Thompson, CPPB
Senior Clerk
Lake County Clerk Circuit Court

Georgia
Ann Maize, CPPB
Contracting Officer
State of Georgia

Keith Nixon, CPPB
Process Improvement Auditor
State of Georgia

Kansas
Donna Conner, CPPB
Procurement Officer I
Wichita State University

Jeri Graniewski, CPPB
Assets Management Supervisor
City of Olathe

Maryland
Melvin Burley, CPPB
Purchasing Agent
Baltimore County Public Schools

Tammy Conrad, CPPB
Associate Buyer
Carroll County

John Gibala, CPPB
Program Manager II
Montgomery County Government

Penny Perrus, CPPB
Procurement Specialist I
Montgomery County Government

Judith Sherman, CPPB
Purchasing Agent
Montgomery Community College

Jeffrey Steed, CPPB
Procurement Specialist I
Montgomery County Government

Melanie Webster, CPPB
MBE Officer
Baltimore County Public Schools

Tomiesenia Wiles, CPPB
Purchasing Agent
Montgomery Community College

Ontario
Claire Graham, CPPB
Senior Buyer
City of Barrie, ON

Tina Iacoe, CPPB
Purchasing Analyst
City of Hamilton- ON

Robin Nechelput, CPPB
Buyer
City of Hamilton- ON

Colleen Selkirk, CPPB
Buyer
City of Hamilton- ON

Pennsylvania
Mya Toon, CPPB
Grants Administrator/Purchasing Agent
County of Lycoming

South Carolina
Bryan Ostrower, CPPB
Purchasing Agent
Rock Hill School District Three

Texas
Sandra Talbert, CPPB
Purchasing Assistant
City of Round Rock

Utah
Mark Blanch, CPPB
Purchasing Agent
Washington County

Virginia
Gigie Button, CPPB
Procurement Specialist II
City of Chesapeake

All certified and recertified CPPOs and CPPBs may be found at www.uppcc.org. 
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