Getting Procurement Reform on the Legislative Agenda
Getting Procurement Reform on the Legislative Agenda
Getting purchasing initiatives on your entity’s legislative agenda requires a great deal of work. Dedication and commitment on the part of procurement professionals are what get noticed and acted upon in the form of legislative change. Do you have a group of individuals committed to change? If not, form a knowledgeable, bipartisan team of procurement professionals to support an initiative. Select a chairperson, or co-chairs and form subcommittees as necessary. Brainstorming sessions bring varying ideas to light and strengthen preparation. A group member playing devil’s advocate may better prepare the team for opposition. Work with legal counsel and ask others for review. Someone unfamiliar with the procurement process may add an overlooked perspective.
Develop a cohesive, detailed legislative platform. Changes must add efficiency to government and ensure accountability at the appropriate levels. Your working paper should state the issue, site current laws and regulations, associated problems, and the anticipated effect of the proposed changes. Decide whether to first remove outdated legislation and then work to pass the new platform, or launch both efforts simultaneously.
Once the platform is agreed upon, choose a representative. An acting “lobbyist” who displays confidence and possesses marketing skill will create a consistent image for the effort. The representative must know the legislative basics, the process, the history of like initiatives, and the audience. Does a good old boy’s network still exist? Well, use that to your advantage. If the representative is an unknown, he or she must become recognized and respected at the governing facility and the courthouse. As your representative gains visibility, familiarity, and respect, so does your agenda.
Networking opportunities exist with legislators, legislative liaisons and staffers, and committee chairs, as well as other like-minded groups and individuals. Target legislators who will listen to your concerns. Money issues dominate legislation. Because your group is presenting money-saving change, legislators may even campaign on your platform. Legislators need to be educated. To approach them, you must learn their agendas and how to best communicate your message. Remember to keep term limits in mind while targeting networking opportunities.
Community leaders, board members, lobbyists, and professional groups such as the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP), the National Purchasing Institute (NPI), and the National Association of Educational Buyers (NAEB) may further your cause.
Legislation in not a stop-and-start process, but rather a continuous one. During each session, hundreds of issues compete for attention and approval. If your legislation did not pass, be prepared to present again during the next session. Be persistent!
The new year is nearly upon us. Will 2005 be your year to update bid limits and preference laws?
Are you working toward legislative changes? E-mail a brief writeup of your platform to kfrisch@penton.com. All e-mails will be included in the Readers section of the February issue of Government Procurement.
