Education: Certification Begins With NIGP

NIGP's Education team has produced an exceptional suite of products to assist candidates preparing for their CPPB and CPPO exams.  

Through Cert Prep Central, candidates can chart their certification preparation and purchase a range of products and services including Prep texts and classes, online self-assessment reviews and simulated exams.  All of these products have been specifically mapped to the revised Body of Knowledge contained in the computer-based tests that will be offered by the UPPCC in October 2008.

In addition to its classroom-based offerings, NIGP introduces a new online assessment tool to help candidates identify the subject matter areas they most need to review during their exam preparations.  Once the online assessment is completed, candidates can better identify the specific preparatory products that will best meet their studying needs.  Available through Cert Prep Central:

•  A self-study review session guides the participant through the ten domains identified in the UPPCC body of knowledge.  The review session is un-timed, offers references and expert contacts, and is available to the participant for a seven-day period.

•  A simulated exam is timed and provides the candidate with a raw score.   The candidate can re-take the simulated exam multiple times during a two-day period.  With each exam, the item bank of questions is modified.  This tool is designed to offer a realistic testing environment for practice.  This assessment consists of 100 questions that must be answered in a two-hour timeframe.

Another feature of Cert Prep Central is a recommended study timeline to help candidates plan ahead for their study activities.  Whereas in the past, candidates may have attended a review class the day before the exam; this is NOT the best method to prepare for the new computer-based certification exam.  The scope of the UPPCC exam covers an entire profession.  Preparation is not simply review.  This study timeline reflects NIGP's belief that preparation for the exam is best done over a six-month period and incorporates a variety of activities.

For more information about certification preparation or the products and services that will help you achieve your certification goals, visit Cert Prep Central or contact education@nigp.com.   

Hurricane Season: Emergency Support Through PREP

The mission of the NIGP PREP (Procurement Response and Emergency Preparedness) Program is to provide an emergency logistical support network and a partnership database that enables governments and other entities affected by an emergency to obtain needed operational support from pre-identified partners located outside the impacted area as well as quickly identify sources of supply and existing inventories.

What is PREP?

PREP is a highly organized national plan facilitated by NIGP to provide a reliable source of goods and services from one entity to another entity in case of an emergency.  PREP grew out of the heightened awareness of the need for careful preparation for emergency response to such situations as natural disasters, technological hazards, man-made disasters, civil emergencies, community disorders, insurgency or enemy attacks.

Participants partner with another willing participant who identifies suppliers of key items common to emergencies.  Both entities sign a Mutual Assistance Agreement outlining the methods of delivering materials and services between themselves when an emergency occurs.  The willing participant must be outside of the impacted area with a similar population and means of transportation.

Participating in PREP –  Three Levels Of Support:

Level One – Minimum Support

•  Access to the PREP Network
•  Access to information shared by the PREP Knowledge Community
•  Ability to broadcast a request for assistance message to the PREP network
   in the event of an emergency
•  Access to information on business continuity, sample bid documents for
   resources frequently needed during and after an event
•  Access to a list of suppliers and resources and assistance in connecting
   to these companies.  Other entities are also contacted within the PREP
   network to locate sources and suppliers to the impacted area

Level Two – Intermediate Support

•  Includes Level One along with the agency executing agreements
   on behalf of the partner entity

Level Three – Advanced Support

•  Includes support provided in Levels One and Two as well as providing
   staff support or other expanded agency needs.

To sign up for the Prep list serve and enroll in the PREP database visit  NIGP PREP Knowledge Community.

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In The News: Infrastructure Outsourcing A Reality

As reported in the New York Times, private equity groups such as the Carlyle Group, Credit Suisse, and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts have built funds estimated at $250 billion to finance infrastructure projects in the United States and overseas.

Privatization of roads, bridges and airports is becoming more of a reality as federal, state and local governments struggle with the crumbling infrastructure and deficits.

According to the article, Chicago's Midway Airport may become the first facility to be taken over by private investors.  In addition, a $1.9 billion public-private partnership is financing high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes outside of Washington, D.C.



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Upcoming Webinar: Being Ethical...

It's Not Always Easy
Thursday, September 11
1PM - 2:30PM (Eastern)
Registration Deadline:  Friday, September 5

Course Objectives:

•  Focus on discernment, discipline and effectiveness as vital elements
   of ethical decision-making
•  Analyze both moral and business considerations
•  Review case studies that reinforce presented concepts

                                          Presented by:
                                                
                                                  Rob Rickard, CPPO

                                        Register Today 

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Student Members: NIGP Has A Knowledge Community Just For You

"If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it."
                                                                Margaret Fuller

NIGP has created a unique community designed specifically for student members.  This student community offers a dedicated list serve, mentoring connections to help find the perfect job, direct links to NIGP’s career listings, educational opportunities, and online research tools. 

The student member community is comprised of leaders from NIGP membership, NIGP Board members and academia.  The leaders are committed to developing and enhancing the student community through increasing resources and benefits.  The volunteer leaders instrumental in the development of the student community are:

Cathy Barker
University of Missouri System
Kansas City, MO
barkerca@umkc.edu

Wendy Geltch, CPPO, CPPB, A.P.P., C.P.M.
Polk Community College
Winter Haven, FL
wgeltch@polk.edu

Marcheta E. Gillespie, CPPB, C.P.M., CPM
City of Tucson
Tucson, AZ
marcheta.gillespie@tucsonaz.gov

Lora Martin, FCPA, FCPM, CPPB
Polk County Board of County Commissioners
Bartow, FL 
loralester@polk-county.net

Darin L. Matthews, CPPO, C.P.M.
METRO
Portland, OR
matthewsd@metro.dst.or.us

Clifford P. McCue, Ph. D
Public Procurement Research Center - Florida Atlantic University
Davie, FL
cmccue@fau.edu

Students receive complimentary membership to NIGP so involvement in this community is an added benefit.  If you are aware of any students who have an interest in public procurement, please refer them to NIGP Student Community.

Chapter Leaders

This is also a great resource for chapter leaders who may have students within their membership. Extend the invitation to take advantage of the added benefit of national membership to student members in your chapter.

Shaping Tomorrow

NIGP knowledge communities grew from the desire of NIGP members to connect with peers who work in areas of similar focus.  Through community-specific online discussion groups, members can reach out to one another for advice, share successful and not-so-successful experiences that provided support and a connection that is as unique as each member. 

If your agency offers an internship program, please contact membershipinfo@nigp.org




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Helpful Tips: What You Should Know About Buying Green Furniture

What constitutes an environmental product?  Recycled content matters but so do a variety of other attributes such as how a product is made, packaged, and shipped.  The following are key factors to consider when making your next green furniture purchase.

Built To Last

Durability is the foremost green criterion for office furniture purchases. What to look for? The best warranty you can find. There is no better indication of a product’s durability than the manufacturer’s confidence in it.

A word of caution: Beware of “lifetime” warranties that include conditions and qualifiers. A straightforward lifetime warranty that covers multi-shift usage and does not include exclusions is preferable.

Easy To Change and Reconfigure

Rule of thumb: If it is not easy to reconfigure and reuse, it is probably not worth considering. Modular systems furniture provides environmental responsibility in the workplace.  In the past, when an office had to be reconfigured, it meant demolishing fixed walls and filling up landfills with waste.

Cradle To Cradle

Since the onset of the Industrial Revolution, most manufacturers have assumed a cradle-to-grave life cycle – that is, you use a product until it wears out and then bury it. Instead, today’s progressive manufacturers are working toward a cradle-to-cradle approach, which assumes that a product eventually will be recycled rather than disposed of.

Cradle-to-cradle manufacturers develop products that are easy to take apart, easy to recycle, and generally easy on the environment – even to the point of evaluating the chemical makeup of raw materials to be sure they are earth friendly.

A Breath Of Fresh Air

Have you noticed how new cars, new construction, and new furniture all have a distinctive odor? That odor indicates harmful contaminants are evaporating into the air. Many government workplaces are subject to stringent regulations pertaining to the emission of these volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.

To help protect your employees, choose low-emitting office furniture that meets standards set forth by either the independent Greenguard Environmental Institute or the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association.

Recycled At The Beginning

Many furniture makers reveal the percentage of recycled content in their products, so it is relatively easy to narrow your choices in this regard. You may even see a breakdown comparing post-consumer to pre-consumer recycled content. Post-consumer is preferable because it encompasses materials that have completed their life cycle in the consumer market and otherwise would be discarded – plastic bottles, for instance. Pre-consumer materials consist largely of manufacturing scrap that was never used in the consumer market.

Recyclable At The End

Is the  furniture you purchased recyclable at the end of its useful life?  To answer this question, you will want to learn how the piece of furniture is put together – and how easy it is to take apart. If it is difficult to disassemble, its components will probably not be recyclable.

Let It Shine

Can your choice of office furniture reduce your electric bill? Absolutely. Consider glass tiles, translucent screens, low-height panels – anything that lets light reach interior spaces. The more daylight your workplace gets, the less artificial light it needs – and the happier your employees will be.

Wrap It Up

Bulky packaging can sideswipe the best intentions if it ends up in a landfill. Stay green by requesting returnable packaging (like shipping blankets) or recyclable alternatives – corrugated cardboard and polystyrene foam.

Meet The Maker

Consider how the furniture supplier you are evaluating does business, not just how they make products. Does the company still sound green after articulating its policies toward renewable energy, solid-waste recycling, water conservation, and air emissions? Also, are any of its facilities LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council? The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program promotes green construction practices and awards buildings that make the grade.

Given stricter environmental criteria, government buyers are examining the green characteristics of furniture from a broader perspective than ever before. Fortunately, the industry is ready with environmental practices that stand up to scrutiny. 

For more information about environmentally responsible purchasing, visit USCommunities.

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Research: NIGP Benchmark Study Shows Some Surprising Results

Did you know...

•  79.8% of purchasing departments handle construction contracting and 
   32.2% handle fuel futures contracting

•  85.1% of purchasing departments are responsible for surplus property
   disposal and 33.9% are responsible for printing and courier functions

•  26.1% of purchasing departments issued purchase orders/contracts 
   valued between $100 and $500 million in the past fiscal year and
   between 1,000 and 2,500 purchase orders

•  69.8% of purchasing departments have purchasing card programs with the
   majority reporting transaction limits between $1,000 and $5,000

•  49.6% of purchasing departments report to Finance; 19.9% report
   to the CEO; and 16.3% report to General Services or Administration

The NIGP Benchmark Study provides much more information, including competitive and award thresholds, purchases through cooperatives/consortia, cycle times, and purchasing-related revenue.

Members can download Benchmarking Survey Results for all the details. 

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U.S. Communities: New AutoZone Discount

Contract Update

All U.S. Communities participants can enjoy Tier #3 pricing on AutoZone automotive parts and accessories.  This represents a 15 percent discount off AutoZone's best zone pricing. 

U.S. Communities thanks everyone for contributing to the overall program volume which helped trigger the automated discount tier system for the new pricing.

For more information, visit U.S. Communities. 

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