News Views - Amazon Simple Storage Service · MBF Management ... Another topic enjoyed by the ... new techniques and most important than all, a new service attitude. Standing ovations

InsIde ThIs Issue From the Desk of the President .......................................2MBF Management .........................................................4Moving from Private to Public Procurement .......................5Recycling: A New Look at a Traditional Value .....................6Easy Ways to Give Back ..................................................7The Best (but Maybe Not the Easiest) Way to Negotiate a Multi-Million Dollar Complex Contract ......................8

Upcoming Educational Offerings .....................................10Mentor-Protégé Program ....................................................11Member Spotlight: Steve Miller ......................................12The Functional Warranty: Creature of Legend or Fact of Life? .........................13Where in Virginia? ............................................................14

2013 Fall Symposium was a Hit!With a theme of ‘Empowering Procurement Leadership in Virginia’, VAGP returned to Williamsburg on September 25-27 to participate in a comprehensive learning program. This upbeat and exhilarating occasion allowed participants to avail themselves to some of the most captivating speakers, both nationally and internationally, and to understand how they are empowered as leaders in delivering world-class procurement services to their clients.

With one of the largest member registrations for any Fall Symposium, the program began by identifying public procurement as a noble profession and concluded with an uplifting discussion of the similarities between procurement

and customer services in the workplace. Another topic enjoyed by the registrants included REALL procurement leadership that was revealed to be services that were Relevant, Empowering, Authentic, and Legacy Leaving.

By far, the most popular topic of the Symposium was ‘The Art of Disruption in the Sourcing Office’ where the speaker challenged the audience to ‘disrupt’ their work environment with new ideas, new techniques and most important than all, a new service attitude. Standing ovations were the order of the day as the Fall Symposium exceeded all expectations

Published for Members of the Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

December 2013

& News Views

(continued on page 3...)

The new 2014 VAGP Board (left to right): Jan Giffin, CPPO, CPPB, VCO - President; Stephanie Suter, CPPB - President Elect; Roxanne Ehardt, CPPO, CPPB, VCO - 2nd At Large Member; Etta Henry CPPB, VCCO,

VCO - Secretary; Donnie Legg, CPPO - 1st At Large Member; and Chris

Cheney, CPPB - Treasurer.

Newport News Public Schools receives VAGP’s Leading Light Award!

Joshua A. Makely (right) of Loudoun County

Water Authority receives the J. Brad Oakley scholarship award.

Ginger Gordon (right) receives a certificate of appreciation for

completing two years of service as At-Large

member.

Bill Lindsey (center) receiving thanks for his wonderful

leadership as President of VAGP for the past year!

Page 2 - December 2013

Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

VAGP HAS won LArGe CHAPter oF tHe YeAr For tHe

tHirD YeAr in A row!

BoArD oF DireCtorSOfficers

PresidentBill Lindsey, CPPo, C.P.M.

President-electJan Giffin, CPPO, CPPB, VCO

treasurerStephanie Suter, CPPB

SecretaryChristopher Cheney, CPPB

First Past PresidentKelly okken, CPPB, VCo, VCCo

Second Past PresidentLinda wade, CPPB

First At–Large MemberGinger Gordon, CPPB

Second At–Large MemberDonnie Legg, CPPo

Committee Chairpersons

ConferenceLorie newton, CPPB

DiversityMarvis w. Marshall, CPPB

educationCindy Davis Smith, CPPB

MembershipMichelle Glass, VCo

Professional DevelopmentGreg Scearce, VCo

Public relationsLeeAnne Beatty Smith, VCA

technologyJimmy MacKenzie, VCo

LegislativeJ. Kevin Beardsley CPPB, CPPo

executive Directoreric Hecker

News & Views

editorLeeAnne Beatty Smith, VCA

Layout, Design & AdvertisingKim Breeding-Mercer

News & Views is published quarterly and was designed and created for the members of the Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc. (VAGP), by Organization Management Group, Inc. Views and advertising expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of, or endorsed by, VAGP. Send correspondence to 638 Independence Parkway, Suite 100, Chesapeake VA 23320; (757) 609-3696; [email protected]. Subscriptions are included in the annual dues paid by members. Advertising rates and policies may be obtained by calling (757) 609-3696.

Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

From the Desk of the PresidentBy Bill Lindsey, CPPO, C.P.M.

At this point in the year, I guess my objective is to reflect on 2013 as yet another banner year for the growth and development of VAGP. Unquestionably, it has been my honor and privilege to serve as

your President during this period, but I feel that I’ve been nothing more than a traffic cop for such a dynamic organization where the true strength of our nationally awarded Association lies directly with the professional quality of our membership.

Not to simply gloss over it, but I find it phenomenal that VAGP, for the third year in a row, won NIGP’s Chapter of the Year. Think about it, we are not just competing with a few mediocre procurement organizations scattered across the country, but rather we are going head-to-head with other large professional associations from all over the United States and Canada. Undoubtedly, Kelly Okken’s past leadership of our organization was the key to this recognition. And speaking of Kelly, she was also selected as one of the three finalists for NIGP’s coveted Manager of the Year award!

So, did we accomplish our objectives for this year? Well, let me take you back to my address to the Association when I was installed as your President. In this discussion, I stated that we had the following tasks:

• To promote professionalism in public purchasing through continued education and networking.

• To study, discuss, and recommend legislative improvements in governmental pur-chasing.

• To exchange ideas, experiences, and share expert advice on purchasing problems and procedures.

• To promote uniform purchasing laws.• To develop and promote simplified standards and specifications for governmental.

I think we have met and exceeded every one of these objectives this year. We have continued to grow our Association in ways that have further enhanced our networking opportunities, educational offerings and best yet, our scholarship presentations.

I know that I am leaving an energized and dynamic VAGP in the capable hands of Jan Giffin, your next President and traffic cop. She will surely foster and enhance our Association in ways that I never thought of and continue to grow the program. However, I am convinced that the overall key to this continuing progress of VAGP lies firmly with our organization that is member targeted and member guided.

I have experienced many situations in the last year where I could boast about my affiliation with VAGP and accept various accolades for the organization’s successes. By no means have I ever taken this for granted and always identified the strength of VAGP was within our membership. I strongly encourage you to engage, to network, and to participate with VAGP. If you have any questions about this program or any aspect of our Association, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].

Thanks for a great year!

mailto:[email protected]





and equipped the audience with strategies for enhancing their leadership potential. The Symposium was billed to be a fast-paced and fully engaging program that would return the participants to their offices with a revised and refreshed outlook. From all indications from the participant surveys, this objective was more than met!

Other highlights of the Symposium included the approval of the 2014 budget and the installation of the 2014 officers. Jan Giffin was installed as VAGP 2014 President, followed by Stephanie Suter as President-Elect. Chris Cheney ascended to Association Treasurer and Etta James was elected as Secretary. Also included in the installation was Donnie Legg who moved to First At-Large Member followed by the election of Roxanne Ehardt as Second At-Large Member.

Awards were also a highlight of the Symposium. Certification Scholarships were awarded to:

• Charles J. Baker, CPPO of the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority

• Elizabeth G. ‘Betsy’ Bratton, CPPO of the Virginia Depart-ment of Transportation

• Karen I-Nubia Reid, CPPB of the City of Richmond

In addition, Joshua A. Makely of the Loudoun County Water Authority received the J. Brad Oakley award in the amount of $750 and Patti Innocenti of the County of Fairfax received the VAGP Manager Level Scholarship for $750. A Certificate of Appreciation was given to Ginger Gordon of Manassas for completing her term as an At-Large member for VAGP and Newport News Public Schools received VAGP’s Leading Light Award.

Unquestionably, such a program could have never been accomplished done without the generous support of our business partners. Listed below are our 2014 Fall Symposium supporters:

GoLD SPonSor• Virginia Business Systems

SiLVer SPonSorS• Daly Computers • ESI• Old Dominion University • SHI • Xerox

Bronze SPonSorS• DVG• The Gordian Group• Honeywell• M H West & Co.• The Supply Room

Thanks for a GREAT Fall Symposium!

(Fall Symposium, continued from page 1...)



By Fred Marks, CPPO, VCOVAGP Lifetime Member

If you spend any amount of time in an airport bookstore or large chain bookstore you will quickly discover that the largest

growth industry in the United States (and some distant planets) is writing “How to” Management books. There are scads of people out there, some famous, some not so, who are giving you their “secrets” to a successful career, more money, more rewards, shorter work hours, and a house on a tropical island. You can tell which ones they are. They have a full face picture on the back page, they are prominently displayed, and you will overpay for the book. They are list priced and never discounted.

Sometimes they are ghost written, sometimes not. The authors are all characterized by having some accomplishment or degree of notoriety. In addition to the book you can also hire these authors to speak at your meetings or conferences for an outrageous fee (plus expenses for them and their staff) and if you are lucky, you’ll get to shake hands with them as they walk off the podium and collect their fee or stand in line to buy an autographed copy of the book after the speech. Just make sure they spell your name correctly. If you ask them a specific question about a problem you have at work they will give you a general answer like “It’s in Chapter 4 of my book” and you will go away, bathed in the glow of speaking to a famous person. Only when you read Chapter 4 of their book you will discover that it’s something you knew all the time, except that it’s phrased differently.

Here are my ten secrets to being a successful manager based on an undistinguished and understated career in public purchasing. It was not ghost written nor do I have a staff. The three year old computer on the old kitchen table in the basement is my spacious office. My files are neatly kept in a plastic milk carton from Smedley Dairies and there are hockey pictures on the wall. I am available to speak at your meetings and conference for a nominal fee and will autograph almost anything for you, except a blank check.

1. You were hired/promoted because someone has confidence in you. They think you can provide leadership and direction better than anyone else. They had enough confidence in you to give you your present job. Don’t let them down!

2. Have a clear vision of your job. Transmit the vision to your staff and have them buy into it. Be Professional! Learn your job and the job of everyone who works for you.

3. Make it enjoyable for people to come to work. You can’t

control the external factors like who they deal with or the problems they have to solve, but you can control how the office environment affects their job and productivity.

4. Talk to them frequently. Find out what they do, how they do it, what their successes are and what their frustrations are.

5. Start at the middle and work down. If you get those people on your side your job is more than half done. It’s the sergeants that run the army and the chiefs that run the navy. You need middle management on your side to accomplish your goals.

6. Learn people’s names. Nothing brings a smile to someone than to have you remember their name or a detail about their life or their work. Be sincere when you talk to them. If they are frustrated, encourage them to talk to their supervisor about it and follow up to see if it can be solved.

7. You can’t solve everyone’s problems or make everyone happy all the time. Do your best to have a better than .500 batting average. Understand there are people who don’t like you, your style, your socks, or anything about you. It’s their problem, not yours…as long as you do your best. Make your decisions consistent and sustainable. There is nothing worse than inconsistency in management and personnel decisions. You have to decide for yourself which are frivolous questions (“What is the speed of Dark?”) and which are legimate (Do our rules allow us to do this?). Treat each kind with the attention each deserves.

8. Make your boss look good, try to anticipate their questions. Keep them informed. There are some things they don’t want to hear. Learn what they are and stay silent. Remember Sgt Schultz in Hogan’s Hero’s? “I hear NOSSING!”

9. Be consistent in your dealings with people, your moods, your attitudes, and your general demeanor. It’s brutal for someone on your staff to try to figure out who you will be today.

10. Reward people! Even if it’s not money, people like to have a sense of worth. It can be a recognition of their accomplishments, a letter placed in a personnel file, a public acknowledgement, a trinket, a lunch, a better assignment next time, a bigger cubicle, make it something and make it of value to them, not you.

MBF Management



By Jacquelyn ComuzziCounty of Henrico

When I came to the County of Henrico as a purchasing officer in May of 2012, I was entering into a new world, a new way of thinking and a culture that I had not experienced before. The path that led me

here was a meandering one. Like many of my colleagues, I had worked in the business arena for exactly twenty years but I had never experienced a culture like this before. What is all this transparency and fairness? It’s so refreshing! What do you mean we love our suppliers? I thought the only way to increase profitability was for the sales reps to charm us with dinner and golf, hope that they send a few extra shipments so that I can get that bonus check at Christmas.

Like our ancestors before us, purchasing professionals from both public and private sectors will spar until the end of time as to which one is better or which one has the most difficult job. The private sector is in a constant state of change and uncertainty while the public sector professional sometimes laments the codes and laws sometimes go against the grain of best-practice techniques in today’s evolving purchasing world. The argument is fun but somewhat fruitless because the motive for each sector is completely different. Private sector businesses exist to make money while the purpose of public agencies is to provide services to the citizens while maximizing the funds available.

This explanation is exactly why I find myself so grateful to have been given the opportunity to enter this profession which I believe is my true calling and forever home. Public service has been the most professionally gratifying feeling in my short 20 year career. During that span of time I have been

the co-owner of a small business, I have worked in sales and I have spent half of that time in a private manufacturing environment. The things that drove me each day in the past roles are not the same things that drive me today. While I relished the accomplishments of landing that “big account” or watching that balance sheet grow year after year, nothing drives me like having the trust of the public or the faith from my end users to always do the right, fair and responsible thing. I have found the consistency in what we do here so, so, so honorable and although we don’t make everybody happy, we have their confidence that we will always be fair.

To the young professional who thinks government purchasing isn’t cutting edge or risky enough, I’ll say this. While there is some truth that there is more reward in private procurement for taking risks, there are also more negative consequences for making too many poor choices. In my experience, it’s a moving target that is exhausting to keep up with. On the other hand, government procurement is constantly getting more sophisticated with information sharing, procedures and specification writing. For one who thinks there aren’t enough challenges in government procurement, try specification writing for a product you have never purchased before! That is a challenge with tangible rewards.

It feels good to be an honorable customer to our suppliers. It feels good to be a resource to our end users. It feels great to add value to something every day. I feel confident and hold my head high when I answer that phone call because I know I’ve done the right thing. But the best part of my day? Never having to schedule that client dinner reservation!

Moving from Private to Public Procurement



recycling: A new Look at a traditional ValueBy Amy A Upson, CPPO, CPPB, VCOPublic Relations Committee Member

Recycling and green procurement are current topics, and some public bodies also track and report on their annual spend for recycled products. Procurement

professionals are a resourceful group who have always tried to do more with less, whether that is with time or resources. Although recycled products and green procurement are sometimes presented as new initiatives, ask anyone who lived through the Great Depression or World War II and they will know all about recycling any resource that could be obtained. I know of at least one member of VAGP who relates that during his childhood his mother would unravel his outgrown sweaters from the year before, add a small amount of additional yarn, and reknit the sweaters in a larger size. Now that is recycling 100% - not 30% post-consumer or any of the other vague definitions that constitute whether an item is recycled or not.

There are also cases when some procurements may not be reported as a recycled purchase but probably should be. For example, when a public buyer purchases a used vehicle, used textbook or any other used item – shouldn’t that count towards any reports of recycled purchases? Also, how about when an item is used as a trade in for a new purchase? Shouldn’t the trade in amount also be included in any reporting of recycled purchases? The items that are traded in are going to be used again by the company accepting them in some capacity, either in whole or in part. School buses that were traded in to at least one bus company are sent to third

world countries to be used to transport children. What about a remanufactured engine or transmission, or the purchase of recapped tires? And isn’t the sale of surplus property also a method of recycling? All of these are examples of recycling initiatives that probably do not “qualify” as a recycled product for reporting purposes.

And what about the items that do “qualify” as a recycled product? For example construction paper is considered to be a recycled product and many other papers are too because they contain 30% post-consumer recycled content. But is this really a recycled product or is it a raw material (the tree) that has undergone additional processing (the pulp). There is recycling that takes place in the production of paper, but not in the way that many would think – the steam generated during the manufacturing of pulp is used as an energy source for the paper mill.

Given these examples, it would be very difficult to accurately report a true total of recycled spend from an agency. And when people do present recycling as a new initiative, remember it is not, and that necessity is the mother of invention. When society needs a product or service and if that product or service becomes in short supply, people will either do without, do with less, or make a new product or service using alternative resources.



By Stephanie Suter, CPPBTreasurer

Have you ever thought of giving back to an organization that gives so much? Volunteering your time and becoming

involved with VAGP is a very rewarding experience. It provides an opportunity to engage, grow programs and services, and optimize the member experience as a whole not only for yourself but your colleagues as well. VAGP has become the largest chapter of NIGP thanks to 55 years of volunteers working to make sure our association continues to be a leader in professional development, networking, and advocacy. While it is true that some volunteer roles require a long term commitment, there are also ways to participate that don’t take much time at all.

That’s what so many people don’t realize. You don’t have to commit years of service to get involved. There are many special projects or committee tasks that have to be done every year, and even if you don’t want to commit to serving on a committee for an entire year, you can still lend a hand. It could be the perfect opportunity to give back and ensure VAGP continues to grow and thrive as an organization. A few examples…

ConFerenCe ADViSorY: You don’t have to volunteer to host a conference to contribute. If you are going to attend the Spring Conference or Fall Symposium, why not volunteer to work the registration table, or you could attend the Reverse Trade Show as an exhibitor and provide outreach and education to the vendor community. If you are unable to attend an event next year, help is always needed to market events to promote attendance and sponsorship opportunities.

ProFeSSionAL DeVeLoPMent: Did you know you didn’t have to be on the committee to host a class? What better way to offer a course for your entity than to host a low-fee seminar, and invite everyone, not just procurement staff. Are you a seasoned professional willing to share your knowledge with others? You could help develop a class, either a 4 or 8 hour curriculum.

MeMBerSHiP: Do you have connections in Higher Ed? You could work with the Membership Committee to promote student memberships and procurement as a career, which is a great way to provide outreach to the next generation of professionals.

PuBLiC reLAtionS: You could post a great picture from an event to VAGP’s Facebook page, or write an article for the News & Views.

I could go on and on—what interests you? There is something for everyone, so don’t hesitate to contact me or anyone else involved with VAGP, especially any of the Committee Chairs, and we will find a way for you to get involved! I look forward to hearing from you all!

easy ways to Give Back

intereSteD inJoininG A CoMMittee?Have a voice in your association! VAGP is always looking for enthusiastic volunteers with fresh ideas to help on the various

association committees.Your efforts are essential to moving VAGP into the future.

Learn more at www.vagp.org/about/committees.html

www.vagp.org/about/committees.html



By Ellen H. Wills, MBA, CPPB, VCOPrince William County

I do understand that Purchasing can sometimes be a real snooze to read about, but hopefully my recent experience will help other Contract

Specialists seek or explore different avenues to negotiating a complex high dollar contract.

The County had a need to replace the 10-year old Computer Aided Dispatch (C.A.D.) system that had come to the end of it useful life. The current system had been customized and enhanced to meet the current needs of the Police Department, Department of Fire and Rescue, and Public Safety Communications Center (PSCC) for operations and to meet County, State, and Federal reporting requirements. This set the goal for the minimum requirements the new system would be expected to meet upon full implementation. To begin with, several work sessions were called to determine the needs and the best approach to take. An initial contract was done with a consultant to help guide the County through the process of writing the requirements based on the current technology. This was used to complete the Request for Proposals (RFP) that would ultimately determine a Contractor.

Once the consultant was hired there were teams formed to create the requirements part of the RFP. There were some 5,000 requirements identified that touched the Radio Communications Group, Department of Fire and Rescue to include the Fire and Rescue Association, Police Department, Public Safety Communications Center, and the Department of Information Technology (DoIT). To try to get an idea of what new systems were on the market, it was decided to do a Request for Information (RFI). Now, at this time I had been doing purchasing under the State of Virginia guidelines for 20+ years and had only done two RFIs, and both were exactly that, information was being sought and was provided by several vendors. The committee decided to do a different type of RFI. It was more of a vendor exposition for our region and product demos for end users and potential purchasers. Notices regarding the “Vendor Days” went out through various public safety professional venues, such as the NENA (National Emergency Number Association) and APCO (Association of

Public Safety Communications Officials) list serves. Several surrounding jurisdictions, as well as other localities in the state attended. We were lucky to have twelve interested vendors in attendance to showcase their systems. This was done over a two-day period so that all of the interested parties would have ample time to view each vendor’s product and to ask questions. A secured facility owned by the County was used so that the vendors could leave the equipment used

to showcase the software set up and not be concerned about the safety of the equipment. This allowed the vendors to be able to bring whatever was necessary to do a complete showing of their product. Five months later and the RFP was complete and ready to be published. To give the prospective vendors adequate time to respond effectively, the RFP was left out “on the street” for sixty days. All twelve vendors who attended the vendor day were sent personal notifications that the RFP was published so that they could begin their review and note questions for the pre-proposal conference. The pre-proposal conference was held (required attendance for any vendor who wished to participate), and again twelve vendors were represented that showed interest in answering the RFP. Three addendums were done to address their questions and to make changes to parts of the solicitation that were deemed necessary by the committee. Three vendors submitted their responses by the due date and time. A review committee of fifteen was formally assembled. This

committee, including GIS Staff that represented all sections that would be affected by the new Computer Aided Dispatch/Records Management System, was guided through the process by myself and the hired consultant. Once the initial individual evaluations were complete, the committee met and discussed the pros and cons of each of the three vendors. It was then decided to bring all three in for oral interviews to further discuss/clarify their submissions to the RFP. In order to understand the full capabilities of each system it was decided to bring the top two vendors in for a full week of live test demonstrations (LTD). Both companies were given the same information and a set of expectations

the Best (but Maybe not the easiest) wayto negotiate a Multi-Million Dollar Complex Contract

The most time

consuming part

came later once the

committee decided

to move forward

with their vendor of

choice.

(continued on page 9...)



for the demonstration of the required functionality. The entire committee sat through all parts of the demos and invited actual end users of the products to come and view a short demo on the last day that each vendor was on site. This process was done over a three week time period with one week in between each vendor. Every County participant was required to sign a Conflict of Interest/Non-Disclosure so that the RFP process would not be compromised. The only information that was made public at that time were the names of the three vendors: Intergraph, Tiburon, and Motorola Solutions.

Once the demonstrations were completed, the committee met and discussed the next steps in the process and shared their notes. They reviewed and compared the functionality of each system against our requirements and national standards. The next step was to contact references of each vendor and to also set up site visits of at least two County Governments that were using the vendor’s products. Not all committee members were available to go to the site visits, but the committee did reconvene following the visits to brief those that had not been available to attend. While all of this was very time consuming, the most time consuming part came later once the committee decided to move forward with their vendor of choice. Keep in mind that this was a non-professional services solicitation, so negotiations were kept open to the two remaining vendors. Once the top ranked vendor was decided, the committee requested that we bring them in for yet another round of demonstrations. This was limited to two days and involved a much abbreviated LTD to clarify some issues that were still unclear to the technical experts of the committee. This time was also used to determine that the software did in fact function the way it was presented with little or no customization required. The committee and the vendor both developed a schedule of negotiations with allowances for time where they felt was most needed to get to a good contract. The negotiation committee asked the vendor to do something a little unconventional. All committee members felt strongly that they needed to make the decision on who the vendors’ Project Manager would be for this project. The County wanted to ensure that the Project Manager was a person whom could work under the high expectations set by the County and the County Project Managers. They asked the vendor to supply resumes of possible Project Managers, and the committee would make the decision. The committee interviewed three proposed Project Managers and went back to the vendor with a recommendation for the one the committee felt made the best fit to the project. To the vendor’s surprise the recommended manager was not who they had initially proposed. The committee felt that this was crucial to the success of the project and wanted to make sure the right person would be leading the Contractor’s project team. This project manager

was also required to attend contract negotiations to ensure understanding of all of the agreed upon contract components. Once the negotiations began with the vendor of choice, the County negotiation team was reduced to five members; down from the original core team of fifteen. The contract specialist was also in attendance to be sure that the procurement process was done correctly. The tri-chairs (Police, Public Safety Communications and Department of Fire and Rescue) were part of the team with the two other members having expertise in their respective fields from DoIT and the Police Department. The remainder of the committee members were briefed throughout the process and were kept up to date on the areas that were being addressed so that if they felt the need to attend in order to protect their interest they were able to do so. The negotiations lasted a total of nineteen days and were done at a remote location so that the team would not be interrupted. Ample breaks were given and sometimes working lunch was even used if necessary to take care of other work. Every County employee had a laptop so that they were easily accessible via emails and so that work on any other urgent matters could continue. The negotiations started by going through the 5000 functionality requirements one by one. There was further discussion on the ones that were still considered enhancements, did not meet requirements or partially met requirements. This step by step review provided an opportunity for the vendor to understand the meaning behind each and every line, which was then discussed until the County group and the vendor had a full and complete understanding of each issue and the plan for resolution or work around. By doing it this way both the vendor and the County knew what to expect from each other and what enhancements would be necessary to get the product to function in order to continue to meet the needs of the County. Pricing was not discussed until the final week of negotiations. The full budget was not disclosed to the vendor until the first best and final amount was revealed. Of course the budget was in public documents, but spread between three different departments. Once that amount was revealed, the vendor was asked to go back and “sharpen their pencil” for their best and final offer. The bottom line was that by doing the intense negotiations and having things defined at this point, the County was able to save over $7 million dollars on this project and come in at the final budget costs with the required enhancements. The new system will be installed and implemented over a three to three and half year phased schedule and only during this time will the real fruits of the labor put into this process be known. The goal is for few or no change orders and to have a system capable of performing the same as the current system or better.

(Complex Contract, continued from page 8...)



upcoming 2014 educational offerings

niGP SeMinArS - ProPoSeD SCHeDuLe

SeMinAr titLe DAteS LoCAtion Developing and Managing RFPs in the Public Sector Jan. 22-24 Arlington

Tools for Ensuring Effective Contractor Performance Jan. 31 Manassason Public Construction Projects

Contracting for Construction Services Mar. 10-11 Christiansburg

CPPB PREP Apr. 21-22 Richmond

CPPO PREP Apr. 23-24 Richmond

Get What You Need Through Successful Negotiations May 1-2 Virginia Beach

Legal Aspects of Public Procurement May 14-16 Chesterfield

Risk Management in Public Contracting May 21-22 Christiansburg

Adding Value to the Procurement Process May 9 Falls Church

Contract Administration Jun. 4-6 Manassas

Effective Management of Construction Contracts Jun. 12-13 Virginia Beach

Legal Aspects of Public Procurement Jul. 16-18 Falls Church

Contract Administration Jul. 21-23 Henrico

Ethics A Survival Kit Sept. 15 Christiansburg

Strategic Procurement Planning Sept. 17-19 Arlington

Performance Based Request for Proposals Sept. 23-24 Richmond

Get What You Need Through Successful Negotiations Oct. 16-17 Chesterfield

Effective Contract Writing Oct. 23-24 Arlington

Developing and Managing RFPs Nov. 5-7 Manassas

Contracting for Construction Services Nov. 13-14 Henrico

World Class Procurement Practices Dec. 8-9 Arlington



By Ginger Gordon, CPPB1st Member At-Large

Wow, it’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since I started my term as At-Large Member. How time flies when you are having fun! What an experience it has

been and an honor serving in this position. Thank you VAGP Members for putting your trust in me! I am appreciative of all the experiences and knowledge that I have gained along the way. Also, I want to thank the VAGP Board for their support, encouragement and guidance throughout these two years. I have so enjoyed working and volunteering for this great organization that I will continue to stay on as the Public Relation Chairperson for this upcoming year 2014. As many of you know, LeeAnne Beatty Smith of JMU has done an amazing job with this committee and I hope to continue to work toward the mission and the goals of VAGP in my role with public relations.

“VOLUNTEERISM proves that: In every straining, there is a training; in every training, there is a learning; and in every learning, there is an earning.” - Chris Ebenezer

I would like to take a moment to reflect on what I have worked on for the past two years as At-Large Member, as you are aware my main focus was the Mentor and Protégé Program. Currently we have three individuals in the Protégé program; Kristina Jones, City of Richmond, Jacquelyn Comuzzi, County of Henrico, and Richard Budaji, Virginia Retirement System. Also during my term, two protégé’s received their Certificate of Completion of the Mentor and Protégé Program: Maureen Daniels, Department of General Services and Michelle Glass, HRSD. It was a privilege to work with such a valuable program, it is a great tool for VAGP members!

In closing, I say good-bye to one adventure and hello to another. I look forward to continuing to work alongside the VAGP Board and members.

“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.” - William Feather

Mentor and Protégé Program

Improve career opportunities with an online certificate in

Public Procurement & Contract Management

Learn more: dl.odu.edu/vagp



Member Spotlight - Steve Miller, CPPB, VCo

By Amy A Upson, CPPO, CPPB, VCOPublic Relations Committee Member

This quarter we meet fellow VAGP member Steve Miller, CPPB, VCO. Steve began his purchasing career at Old Dominion University; however, like many of us in public purchasing, this was not the initial career path that Steve thought he would be pursuing.

Steve had majored in Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin with a minor in Journalism. Steve’s original intent when he accepted a temporary position at ODU was to work his way into television programming. The temporary position was providing administrative support to the Director of Materiel Management. While doors did not open in television programming, opportunities did open up in the Office of Materiel Management at ODU and in 1993, Steve became a buyer at ODU. Doors continued to open for Steve in the procurement field, and in 1998 he became a buyer at Virginia Beach City Public Schools.

After coming on board with Virginia Beach Schools, Steve’s career continued to flourish and his personal life was right in step too. Steve met his wife, Victoria, and they have been married for four years. They share their home with their dog, a Bichon Frise, named Dillon. Dillon is a special dog and has been trained by Hearing Dog International in Denver, Colorado specifically for hearing impaired individuals. Victoria is partially deaf and so Dillon has been trained to assist Victoria. Steve and Victoria are also looking forward to welcoming their first grandchild in February.

Steve still works for the Office of Purchasing Services at Virginia Beach Schools but today he is a Procurement Specialist II. He has been certified as a CPPB since 2001 and he has been a member of VAGP throughout his purchasing career. His area of specialty in purchasing is in technology purchases. When Steve is not working, he enjoys fishing, boating, shooting, carpentry, and playing X-box. Another hobby of Steve’s that his coworkers really enjoy is his cooking—Steve is a great cook!

If you would like to contact Steve, his email address is [email protected].

Save the Date!THE CONFERENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS HOSTING THE

VAGP SPRING CONFERENCE & VENDOR EXPO MARCH 19-21, 2014Mark your calendars and plan to join us!

When: March 19-21, 2014

Where: The Mason Inn and Conference Center4352 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030

Further details to follow!




By Jeff Moyer, CPPBPublic Relations Committee Member

Webster defines a warranty as “an engagement or undertaking, express or implied, that a certain fact regarding the subject of a contract is, or shall be, as it is expressly or impliedly declared or promised to be. In sales of goods by persons in possession, there is an implied warranty of goods, the rule of every sale is, caveat emptor, or “let the buyer beware.” So when we procure goods or services, how do we get the warranty that we expect? For that matter, just what are our expectations? And what should we beware of? Perhaps a good place to start in the quest for a workable warranty is to step back and look at that proverbial big picture; all the parts of the process that the product and its warranty will impact, all those who may have a stake in it, and what the outcome could be, should it be called into play. A proper warranty could almost be considered as first cousin to an insurance policy in that its purpose is to cover damages and expenses in the event of the unthinkable. Using car insurance as an analogy for a moment, if your vehicle were to blow out a tire and you should wreck, it’s assumed (implied?) that your policy will cover all the damages or injuries incurred to the vehicle and its occupants, but what about that valuable or irreplaceable object in the trunk that got broken as a result of the impact? Does your policy clearly cover that item in the event of a claim (expressed) or do you assume that it does by way of common sense (implied)? Now let’s transfer this concept to the workings of a government entity. If an electrical component in a traffic control cabinet, for example, fails while under warranty, the provider will likely replace the faulty part at no cost to the owner, but what if mayhem ensues (gotta like those Allstate commercials), resulting in traffic accidents, electrical fires, overtime pay to the responders, equipment costs to make the repair, or any of a dozen other expenses relating to such things? The provider will still cheerfully replace the part at fault, but will he stand behind his product and help to cover all the other expenses your entity has incurred as a result of that product failure? Obviously this is a slightly exaggerated scenario as related

to the purchase of the myriad small items involved in municipal workings, or is it? We fully expect the provider to hand us new product to replace the failed one, but did we express in writing our full expectations of that product, the customer service behind it, and all of the many facets of our operation

or task that the product is involved with? Is it unreasonable to expect the provider to help us to pay for all of our associated expenses, right down to rebuilding the irate home owner’s flower bed after someone drove through it as a result of the traffic lights not functioning? It’s our traffic light, but the provider supplied us with a faulty product so he should be helping too, right? Not necessarily, unless we expressed in detail our expectations of the vendor and his product, the customer service behind it, and the possible implications in the event of product failure. Again, a bit of exaggeration was brought into play here to make the point; it is likely not practical or feasible to expect an elaborate or extensive warranty in support of small and inexpensive items used in day to day operations, but we should still have some level of understanding with the provider as to what our expectations are and how he intends to meet those expectations. Having said that, when those little things come into play in a large project involving contractors,

public expectations, possible interruption of services, or safety issues, then we should assume nothing and outline in writing our expectations of the product in question and all the possible implications, request a written warranty from the provider outlining how he will respond in equal detail, and support the process by a binding contract. I know, this should all be second nature to those of us in procurement and its related pursuits, but sadly, we can seldom depend on common sense anymore so expectations must be clearly expressed and the response examined at length, before mayhem strikes again. As he says, “don’t let this happen to you.”

the Functional warranty:Creature of Legend or Fact of Life?

Is it unreasonable to

expect the provider

to help us to pay for

all of our associated

expenses?



By LeeAnne Beatty Smith, VCAPublic Relations Committee Chair

CAn You nAMe tHiS VirGiniA LoCALe?

The land that this Virginia botanical garden sits on was once used by the Powhatan Indians as hunting

grounds. Years later, after passing hands several times, the land and existing structures were willed to its home city by Grace Arents to be used for the creation of a botanical garden. The botanical garden today comprises more than 50 acres of spectacular gardens with more than a dozen themed gardens including the Sunken Garden, the Asian Garden, the Children’s Garden, and Victorian Garden. This botanical garden also contains a visitor’s center and conference center and is host to more than 400 weddings, private events, and meetings annually.

At Christmas time, this botanical garden begins celebrating the season the day after Thanksgiving with the annual Gardenfest of Lights. This event features more than half a million twinkling lights, caroling, holiday trains, hot cocoa, roasted marshmallows and more throughout the month of December.

Think you know Virginia? Visit us on Facebook and be the first person to tell us the name of this botanical garden and the city it’s in! The first person to correctly comment on VAGP’s Facebook page underneath this article’s thumbnail wins a VAGP goody! Send a suggestion and picture of another Virginia landmark to feature in the News & Views to LeeAnne Beatty Smith at [email protected].

we want your news and views in 2014!This is your Association and your publication—make your voice heard! All VAGP members are encouraged to send articles, press releases and photos. Published articles on purchasing related topics may help members earn recertification points. For eligibility requirements, please verify directly with the certifying agency. Suppliers and contractors are also encouraged to submit purchasing-related articles for publication. Limited opportunities are available and offered at no cost!Submit your contributions to LeeAnne Beatty Smith at [email protected].

Production Schedule 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th QuarterDeadline Feb. 5 May 7 Aug. 4 Nov. 5Available Mar. 3 Jun. 2 Sep. 3 Dec. 1

9 Industry News 9 Best Practices 9 Photos 9 Book Reviews 9 Education Opportunities 9 Event Recaps 9 New Certifications 9 Tips and tricks

where in Virginia? MAKe A GueSS...

win A Prize!



Documents

News Views - Amazon Simple Storage Service · MBF Management ... Another topic enjoyed by the ... new techniques and most important than all, a new service attitude. Standing ovations