Biloxi Beckons Buyers with Balmy Beaches
The first cast iron tower built in the South, the Biloxi Lighthouse has been lighting the way for sailors since 1848.
Biloxi Beckons Buyers with Balmy Beaches
This summer, the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) will head to the Deep South, where hot procurement topics are the catch of the day
By Sandra J. Wimmer, Senior Editor
Fishing for fresh ideas in procurement practices? Set a course for Mississippi’s Gulf Coast and attend the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing’s (NIGP) 59th Annual Forum and Products Exposition, to be held Saturday, August 7, through Wednesday, August 11, at the Beau Rivage Resort and Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi, MS.
The conference, hosted by the Local Mississippi Planning Committee and the Mississippi Association of Governmental Purchasing/Property Agents (MAGPPA) Chapter of NIGP, is geared specifically to those involved in U.S. and Canadian public procurement. The meeting promises workshops, classes, and networking opportunities designed to help tackle issues purchasers face at every level of government.
The Products Exposition will include about 115 exhibitors representing boatloads of new products and services available to government. Show hours are Monday, August 9, from 1 to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, August 10, from 3 to 6 p.m. During the Products Exposition, visit NIGP chapters in the exhibit hall to see the new Chapter Showcase, a spotlight on chapter successes.
For those delegates who wish to get their feet wet before the Forum actually begins, review sessions for Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) and Certified Professional Public Officer (CPPO) designations will be held Thursday, August 5 and Friday, August 6 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pre-scheduled oral and written exams will take place on Saturday, August 7 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Two pre-Forum seminars, “Don’t Lecture Me— Creating Highly Interactive Training Quickly and Effectively” and “Allies in Diversity,” will be offered on Saturday, August 7 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Trolling for fun activities before the show? Join other early arrivals in a golf tournament at the Oaks Championship Golf Course, go deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, or tour Northrop Grumman Ship Systems’ Ingall Operations to see a highly organized supply chain in action.
Dive Into Procurement School
Public procurement officials control nearly a quarter of the U.S. gross national product through the annual acquisition of $1.4 trillion in goods and services. Yet, according to a recent NIGP survey, 59 percent of public buyers have not received formal schooling beyond a high school diploma.
To outfit purchasers with the skills and knowledge necessary to save tax dollars and better serve the public, NIGP has developed a program called LEAP (Learning and Education to Advance Procurement). The LEAP Program will offer Executive Certification in Public Procurement, as well as academic degrees in the field, moving procurement from an occupational to a professional status.
The first LEAP courses, which will lead to professional certification, are divided into six foundation “colleges” and will be offered at this year’s Forum.
Introduction
to
Public
Procurement
addresses
the
building
blocks
of
the
foundation
of
procurement.
This
college
provides
an
overview
of
public
procurement,
functionality
of
the
purchasing
cycle,
and
professionalism.
Legal
Aspects
of
Purchasing
introduces
the
law
of
contracts,
draft
development,
and
management
and
addresses issues such as software agreements and ethical professional obligations.
Planning,
Scheduling,
and
Requirement
Analysis
introduces
the
strategic
planning
process,
emphasizing
the
role
of
the
procurement
practitioner.
Sourcing
in
the
Public
Sector
delves
into
the
value
of
competition
in
governments
and
the
acquisition
process
in
the
purchasing
cycle.
Developing
and
Managing
RFPs
in
the
Public
Sector
provides
step-by-step
processes
involved
in
Requests
for
Proposal
(RFP),
including
evaluation
methods,
negotiations,
and
contract
writing.
Contract
Administration
introduces
contract
management
and
the
administration
thereof.
Because LEAP classes are offered concurrently with other Forum
participants will not be able to attend Educational Workshops and Networking Sessions. Advanced LEAP courses, which will lead to the Executive Certificate in Public Procurement, will be available beginning in early 2005.
Reel in the Benefits of Workshops, Networking
Delegates may choose from more than 40 educational workshops, which cover every angle of procurement. Workshops are divided into four tracks, allowing purchasers to concentrate on their areas of need.
The
Essentials track includes
seminars on a range of basic procurement topics, including
Ethics:
It
Matters
Not
If
You
Win
or
Lose,
It’s
How
You
Play
the
Game;
Construction Contracts: The Good, The Bad, and the Included; Obtaining the Best Bang for Your Bucks!; IT Acquisitions: Negotiations and Contract Management;
and Techniques for Bid Evaluation and Contractor Selection.
The
Leadership track is targeted to procurement managers and includes courses such as
Managing
Diversity
with
Minimal
Bias,
Useful
Chapter
Web
Sites—Get
the
Best
Value,
Creating
and
Using
Power-Point
as
a
Visual
Aid
(As
Opposed
to
Your
Notes!),
Are
Performance
Measures
a
Mistake?
No!, and
Recruiting
High
Level
Procurement
Staff.
The
Solutions track provides case studies and “from the trenches” inprograms,
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENTAL PURCHASING
E x h i b i t o r
B o o t h
E x h i b i t o r
B o o t h
3M Office Supplies
AAA Environmental, Inc.
Achilles Information, Inc.
Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
734
American Forest and Paper Association 224, 226 ATD-American Co.
122
BidNet Procurement Systems
406
Bleachers International, Inc.
506
Blind Industries and Services of Maryland 613 Boise Office Solutions
819
Bretford Mfg.
623
Brother International Corp.
523
Burke Corp.
812
Calhoun Bend Mill, Inc.
222
Carlyle Financial Services
821
CDWG
301
CellularSouth
529
Child Turf by Childforms
328
Chromcraft Furniture
609, 611
806
Clarin, a Div. of Greenwich Industries 817 ColorID
605
Cover-All Building Systems
500, 502
227
428
316
125
505
Dixie Chopper
Drucker Co.
Durham Auctions, Inc.
Duron Paint and Wallcoverings
eBid Systems
Fifth Third Bank
FleetCor Technologies
Ford Commercial Truck
Ford Motor Co.
FP Mailing Solutions
Fuji Photo Film USA, Inc.
GE Corporate Payment Services
501
326
822
229
124
110
332
114
200
208
123
329
225
General Services Administration (GSA) 323 Global Industrial Equipment Co.
324
Global Industries
233
GM Alternative Fuels
411
GovDeals (Informs)
426
Grainger
129, 131
403
706
726, 728
827
716
723, 725
801
H-GAC Cooperative Purchasing Program 617 Hicks Communications
826
High Line Corp.
813, 815
Allsteel
American Express
Ecolab
Grasshopper Co.
Graybar Electric Co., Inc.
GTSI Corp.
Hasler, Inc.
Haworth, Inc.
Herman Miller, Inc.
Hertz Equipment Rental Corp.
Cingular Wireless
Citi Group
607
Custom Products Corp.
DemandStar by Onvia
112
118
405, 407
Dell, Inc.
formation. This track includes titles such as
Strategic
Sourcing:
A
Model
for
Supplier
Evaluation
and
Selection,
Using
the
Cooperative
Purchasing
Program
to
Meet
You
Mission,
Presidential
Citations
for
Best
Practices
in
2004,
Dealing
Effectively
with
Difficult
Vendors
and
Contractors, and
Maximizing
Value
through
Performance-Based
Contracting
for
Services.
The
Technology track offers the latest information about electronic procurement tools and includes seminars on
Selling
Surplus
on
the
Internet:
Turning
Your
Surplus
Into
Instant
Cash,
Keeping
Your
PCard
Program
Out
of
the
Headlines, and
Managing
Risk
in
Contracts:
From
Threat
to
Opportunity. Other technology workshops are
When
Implementing
E-Commerce,
You’ve
Got
to
Have
a
Plan;
Enhanced P-Card Reporting and the NIGP Commodity Code; and Eliminate Your Warehouse Using an Electronic Supply Ordering System.
Attendees will have an opportunity to attend daily networking sessions, as well. Agency-Based sessions are geared to particular entity types at all levels of government. Topical and Special Issues sessions include subjects such as
Controlling
Contract
Pricing
in
Volatile
Markets,
eProcurement
Trends:
Where
Are
We
in
2004?,
MBE/WBE
Best
Practices:
Sharing
Success
Stories, and more.
Come Aboard in Biloxi— The Schooner the Better!
With daytime temperatures in the mid-90s, Biloxi promises to be a hot Forum destination. The Gulf Coast
shrimping town boasts 26 miles of white sand beaches, 22 golf courses, 12 resort casinos, and a wealth of cultural and historical attractions.
Attendees and their guests may wish to participate in optional MAGPPA-sponsored tours throughout the week. These include a shrimping expedition, as well as trips to a Louisiana Cajun swamp, Old Town Bay St. Louis, MS, Bellingrath Gardens and Home in Mobile, AL, New Orleans’ French Quarter, and Stenos Space Center, the nation’s largest rocket test complex.
For more information about the Forum and Products Exposition, call Carrie Rawn at NIGP headquarters in Herndon, VA: 800-FOR-NIGP, ext. 251, e-mail forum@nigp.org, or visit NIGP online at www.nigp.org.
PRODUCTS EXPOSITION 2004 EXHIBITORS LIST
E x h i b i t o r
B o o t h
E x h i b i t o r
B o o t h
HON Co.
Howard Computers
Hughes Supply
The ID Group
IKON
Imagistics
InCircuit Development
Indiana Desk
Infinity Technology, Inc.
Integratise, Inc.
Interface Flooring Systems
International Laser Group
Ion Wave Technologies, Inc.
John Deere Co.
Knoll, Inc.
Landscape Structures
Lanier Worldwide
Lawson Software
Lees Carpets
Little Tikes Commercial
Maintenance Warehouse
Mayline Group
MiCTA
Milliken
Missco Contract Sales
Mity-Lite
N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide
Neopost, Inc.
NIGP Code
505
816
711, 713
232
231
804
322
528
327
429
733
230
625
504
702
729
631
818
634
722
626
808, 810
800
708, 710
809
108
803
133
318
Nissan North America
Office Depot
OFS, The Business Doctors
Orbis Online, Inc.
People Soft, Inc.
Periscope Holdings
Philips Electronics
Savin/Ricoh
School Specialty, Inc.
SitOnIt Seating
Sorcity.com Reverse-Auction
313
730, 732
401
408
223
307, 309
423
824
717, 719
701, 703, 705
526
823
SOS Computers, LLC dba Technology Express,TX 802 Southern Aluminum Mfg.
120
Spectrum Industries, Inc.
116
Sportime
707
Steelcase, Inc.
731
Stihl Southwest
427
Superior Uniform Group
527
SVM, LP
228
Tier
127
Toro Co.
117
University Loft Co.
630
UPPCC
603
U.S. Communities
700
U.S. EPA—Environmentally Preferable Purchasing 219 Virco
718
Zep Manufacturing
704
Paoli, Inc.
NIGP 2004 FORUM PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE
Thursday, August 5 – Friday, August 6
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CPPO
Review
Session
Friday, August 6
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CPPB
Review
Session
Saturday, August 7
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pre-Forum
Seminars:
“Don’t
Lecture
Me—Creating
Highly
Interactive
Training
Quickly
and
Effectively”
and
“Allies
in
Diversity” 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
UPPCC Certification Written and Oral Exams
8
a.m.
to
10
a.m.
NIGP Committees/ Board Debriefing/Breakfast
10
a.m.
to
12
p.m.
NIGP Committee Meetings
6
p.m.
to
7
p.m.
First-Timers Meeting
7
p.m.
to
10
p.m. Welcome Event: Margarita Mike and the Mangos
Sunday, August 8
8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Opening
Breakfast
and
Keynote
Presentation:
“Kicking
the
Big
‘Butts’
of
Life,”
Speaker:
Rick
Butts 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
LEAP Classes begin
12:30
p.m.
to
2
p.m. Networking Sessions
2:15
p.m.
to
3:45
p.m. Educational Workshops
4
p.m.
to
5:30
p.m. Educational Workshops
Monday, August 9
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
LEAP
Classes 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Networking
Sessions 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
NIGP
Annual
Business/Awards
Luncheon 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Ribbon Cutting and Opening of Products Exposition
1:30
p.m.
to
5:30
p.m.
LEAP Classes
Tuesday, August 10
8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
LEAP
Classes 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Educational
Workshops 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Networking
Sessions 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Products Exposition
6
p.m.
to
12
a.m. Main Social Event: “Barefoot in the Park”
Wednesday, August 11
9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
LEAP
Classes 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
General Session, Speaker: Frank Abagnale
10:45
a.m.
to
12:15
p.m. Educational Workshops
2
p.m.
to
5
p.m.
LEAP Classes
2
p.m.
to
3:30
p.m. Educational Workshops
3:45
p.m.
to
5:15
p.m. Networking Sessions
7
p.m.
to
12
a.m. Presidential Banquet and Dance
