New technology can be scary to a lot of people which is why digital transformation can be a huge deal in an organization—especially in public sector agencies where tech is notoriously lagging. Leading a new software implementation doesn’t start with technical things, it starts with the very human elements. Getting people on board with change is one of the hardest parts of the implementation process and involving your team in the transition right from the beginning is a winning strategy. On...

What do public procurement professionals and superheroes have in common? More than you’d think. While we don’t know many procurement pros with super strength or laser vision, we do know a ton who are the driving force behind their agencies and their communities. Every year, we at Bonfire dig through our databases and gather third-party information to create the State of Public Sourcing report. This report uncovers emerging priorities and trends as well as how outside factors are influencing...

What do public procurement professionals and superheroes have in common? More than you’d think. While we don’t know many procurement pros with super strength or laser vision, we do know a ton who are the driving force behind their agencies and their communities. Every year, we at Bonfire dig through our databases and gather third-party information to create the State of Public Sourcing report. This report uncovers emerging priorities and trends as well as how outside factors are influencing...

The mere mention of the word “audit” can cause the collective palms of public procurement to sweat. The reality is, audits are stressful and it’s not a question of if you’ll get audited, but when. Since there’s so much money that flows through public procurement, it’s high on the auditor’s list of risky activities. With a lot of hands in the pot, external pressures, and an increased chance of mistakes and fraud, it’s no wonder public procurement is under such tight scrutiny. So, when the...

The mere mention of the word “audit” can cause the collective palms of public procurement to sweat. The reality is, audits are stressful and it’s not a question of if you’ll get audited, but when. Since there’s so much money that flows through public procurement, it’s high on the auditor’s list of risky activities. With a lot of hands in the pot, external pressures, and an increased chance of mistakes and fraud, it’s no wonder public procurement is under such tight scrutiny. So, when the...

How can we build more relationships with small, diverse and historically underutilized organizations? It’s a question many procurement teams are acting on as they realize that supplier diversity isn’t just a social responsibility — it’s a smart business strategy. Whether you’re launching a vendor diversity program, already have one, or don’t know where to start, this is one episode you don’t want to miss. In a pre-recorded session with Robert Tatum of the Cayman Islands Government and Sheena...

How can we build more relationships with small, diverse and historically underutilized organizations? It’s a question many procurement teams are acting on as they realize that supplier diversity isn’t just a social responsibility — it’s a smart business strategy. Whether you’re launching a vendor diversity program, already have one, or don’t know where to start, this is one episode you don’t want to miss. In a pre-recorded session with Robert Tatum of the Cayman Islands Government and Sheena...

Purpose and priorities. They’re two things employees got serious about during the pandemic. Millions walked away from jobs that didn’t reflect their core values and, as the Great Resignation grinds on, employers are still feeling the pinch — procurement included. With a growing appetite for purpose-driven work — and so many myths about careers in procurement — how can under-resourced teams attract the best talent? According to Chris Sheel, Manager of Procurement for the City of Vernon, public...

Purpose and priorities. They’re two things employees got serious about during the pandemic. Millions walked away from jobs that didn’t reflect their core values and, as the Great Resignation grinds on, employers are still feeling the pinch — procurement included. With a growing appetite for purpose-driven work — and so many myths about careers in procurement — how can under-resourced teams attract the best talent? According to Chris Sheel, Manager of Procurement for the City of Vernon, public...

If you’re responsible for managing and allocating federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), you know it’s an incredible opportunity for communities — and also a massive burden for under-resourced procurement departments. Between the funding structure, the timelines, and the stringent reporting requirements attached to the money, there’s a lot to juggle. And yet, our latest guests say there are plenty of worthwhile reasons to leverage ARPA funding. Joel Neaveill and Ken...

If you’re responsible for managing and allocating federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), you know it’s an incredible opportunity for communities — and also a massive burden for under-resourced procurement departments. Between the funding structure, the timelines, and the stringent reporting requirements attached to the money, there’s a lot to juggle. And yet, our latest guests say there are plenty of worthwhile reasons to leverage ARPA funding. Joel Neaveill and Ken...

“You can’t make a sandwich without going to the grocery store,” says Latanya Figueroa. And if you want it to be especially delicious, you need to know where to find the best ingredients. That’s something procurement professionals do really well. And while sandwiches may be low on their priority list, collectively, public procurement teams source hundreds of thousands of goods and services for their communities. Finding solutions that deliver the best value for taxpayers takes a special set of...

“You can’t make a sandwich without going to the grocery store,” says Latanya Figueroa. And if you want it to be especially delicious, you need to know where to find the best ingredients. That’s something procurement professionals do really well. And while sandwiches may be low on their priority list, collectively, public procurement teams source hundreds of thousands of goods and services for their communities. Finding solutions that deliver the best value for taxpayers takes a special set of...

Every day at University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, some of the most innovative patient care and health research in the world happens. While researchers and clinicians make history, procurement professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all possible. Juli Smyth, Senior Strategic Sourcing Specialist at UHN, is one of those people. Her innovative approach to procurement supports cutting-edge healthcare and research — and that’s no easy feat in a space that tends to play it...

Every day at University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, some of the most innovative patient care and health research in the world happens. While researchers and clinicians make history, procurement professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all possible. Juli Smyth, Senior Strategic Sourcing Specialist at UHN, is one of those people. Her innovative approach to procurement supports cutting-edge healthcare and research — and that’s no easy feat in a space that tends to play it...

A tale as old as time in public agencies: stunted communication between departments, barriers to collaboration, and a lack of transparency. When it comes to being a part of decisions, the procurement department doesn’t always get a seat at the table. Being left out of those conversations can have a chain reaction of consequences both internally and externally. This coupled with lagging technology can really throw a wrench in dreams of a collaborative, efficient, and transparent public...

A tale as old as time in public agencies: stunted communication between departments, barriers to collaboration, and a lack of transparency. When it comes to being a part of decisions, the procurement department doesn’t always get a seat at the table. Being left out of those conversations can have a chain reaction of consequences both internally and externally. This coupled with lagging technology can really throw a wrench in dreams of a collaborative, efficient, and transparent public...

We’ve learned a lot over the last two years: for one, that responding to a global public health crisis depends on strong strategic sourcing partners; and on the flipside, that supporting urgent, high-impact projects is next to impossible with a procurement process that lives in filing cabinets and email inboxes. Procurement teams have had to ask some tough questions and strategize about how to respond faster and stronger to the next big challenge. In this episode of Inside Public Procurement,...

We’ve learned a lot over the last two years: for one, that responding to a global public health crisis depends on strong strategic sourcing partners; and on the flipside, that supporting urgent, high-impact projects is next to impossible with a procurement process that lives in filing cabinets and email inboxes. Procurement teams have had to ask some tough questions and strategize about how to respond faster and stronger to the next big challenge. In this episode of Inside Public Procurement,...

Every profession has its superpowers and public procurement has more than a few. But there’s one hidden talent that’s especially handy: being resourceful. It’s part of the reason Gary O. Chavez, Bureau Chief, Chief Procurement Officer in the Human Services Department at the State of New Mexico, has found so much success in his career. 17 years ago, he transitioned from a career in education to what he calls a “second life” in public procurement. In just a few years, he climbed a steep...

Every profession has its superpowers and public procurement has more than a few. But there’s one hidden talent that’s especially handy: being resourceful. It’s part of the reason Gary O. Chavez, Bureau Chief, Chief Procurement Officer in the Human Services Department at the State of New Mexico, has found so much success in his career. 17 years ago, he transitioned from a career in education to what he calls a “second life” in public procurement. In just a few years, he climbed a steep...

You’ve seen it happen time and again. Procurement is brought into a project too late. And the timeline is all but impossible. You drop everything to address urgent needs, compromising other project timelines in the process. But more one-off requests keep coming up. Now multiple internal clients, projects, and constituents are negatively impacted, and your team is overburdened by the impossible task of keeping everyone happy. It’s unsustainable and ineffective. So how do you break the...

You’ve seen it happen time and again. Procurement is brought into a project too late. And the timeline is all but impossible. You drop everything to address urgent needs, compromising other project timelines in the process. But more one-off requests keep coming up. Now multiple internal clients, projects, and constituents are negatively impacted, and your team is overburdened by the impossible task of keeping everyone happy. It’s unsustainable and ineffective. So how do you break the...

Strategic procurement has the power to radically transform an organization — especially, says Sandra Nelson, when it involves rubbing elbows with the competition. As Director of Strategic Procurement at Carleton University and Chair of the Ontario University Professional Procurement Management Association (OUPPMA), Sandra has led impressive strategic transformation initiatives in her organizations. Through it all, working hand-in-hand with other Ontario universities has been a major strategic...

Strategic procurement has the power to radically transform an organization — especially, says Sandra Nelson, when it involves rubbing elbows with the competition. As Director of Strategic Procurement at Carleton University and Chair of the Ontario University Professional Procurement Management Association (OUPPMA), Sandra has led impressive strategic transformation initiatives in her organizations. Through it all, working hand-in-hand with other Ontario universities has been a major strategic...