The theme for the 64th annual OPBA Professional Development Conference was Together Towards Tomorrow, with182 amazing procurement professionals in attendance, including 42 first-time attendees – Yay!
This virtual event would not be such a success if it weren’t for the enthusiasm of our attendees, who interacted throughout the two days of incredible sessions.
I would like to recognize three extraordinary ladies who have dedicated over two years of service to the conference committee and made invaluable contributions to the conference content:
- Sherri Dillon – Bruce County
- Sharon Melville – Grey County
- Serena Wilgress – Town of The Blue Mountains
Special thanks also to Marie Kavanagh, Board Director; Tina Iacoe; President; and Rozalyn Werner-Arcé, Executive Director.
Diane Mihalek from DCM Event Planning outdid herself by working tirelessly to make this event a success.
Our emcee, Roger Haskett, did not disappoint; his humour and energy propelled us through the two-day event.
Sponsorship played a vital role in supporting our event, and I would like to sincerely thank the following sponsors:
- Bids and Tenders
- Blakes
- Intact Public Entities
- Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of Ontario
- Stitt Feld Handy Group
If you could not attend the conference below is a summary of what you missed.
Day 1:
OPBA board members met with first-time attendees before the official start of the conference, and following that, Tina Iacoe conducted the opening ceremonies.
Stage left for Roger Haskett who came out all guns blazing and took us through his keynote address, “The Power of Play” – the GIFs in chat went wild!
First up – The Great Debate – 2 Pay or not 2 Pay: led by our sensational procurement professionals Scott Agnello, Tanya Gaudet, Carl Bonito, and Marina McLaughlan! The discussion was lively and informative, and different perspectives were shared on what to do when contractors are asking for more money or walking away from their contractual obligations.
Jo-Anne St. Goddard, Executive Director of the Circular Innovation Council, led us through practical steps to achieve and advance government social and environmental goals. (Interested in a deeper dive? Register now for ‘Demanding a Circular Economy Through the Power of Procurement Join’, a virtual session hosted by OPBA and facilitated by the Circular Innovation Council, on Nov 29 – 30.)
Day one included our AGM, led by Tina Iacoe, who delivered a very informative presentation that included, but not limited to the following:
- Approval of the Minutes – 2020 Annual General Meeting
- Introduction of the Board
- Review of Vision and Mission
- Update on Current Strat Plan
- Selection of Officers
- Financials
- Approval of by-laws
- Look ahead to 2023 Conference
Be sure to read the next issue of the Caveat e-news for a complete update!
Michael Burjaw led a discussion on managing escalating prices and included strategies that public agencies might use to address this pressing issue.
Throughout the day, we enjoyed a wellness yoga session led by Margo Sage, and Chef Matt DeMillo walked us through how to create the perfect charcuterie board! Kudos to all the participants who posted pics of their charcuterie board. Michelle Palmer… what can I even say about yours!! You rocked it!
Day 2:
Tracy Eso from IPE gave an in-depth presentation on construction clauses and coverages, how they relate to construction contracts and how we need to consider the appropriate insurance requirements in the RFx drafting stage.
Tori Williams, from Buy Social Canada, introduced the evolving area of social procurement and things your agency can do to achieve its objectives.
Rob Kennaley shared his expertise on construction procurement and demystified the tools we all use, such as holdbacks, cash allowances, contingencies, and routine disclosure.
Penny Owens, our NIGP Chapter Ambassador, shared the latest NIGP initiatives and educational offerings.
Dr. Sabrina Saunders led us through a session to acknowledge the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and the story behind the orange shirts. Dr. Saunders asked that we educate ourselves on “who” the stewards of the land are where we reside. Peace, Friendship and Respect.
The Mock Trial was a lively session and there was no lack of courtroom drama with the panelists Kristy Varda, Lynda Allair, Carl Bonitto, Nathan Dawson, Bobbie Tolston, Victor Leamer and Barb Johnson. You be the judge, as they will be invited back live and in person at the 2023 Conference!
The Discussions cafes offered participants four topics to participate in: MFIPPA Routine Disclosure, Non-Binding RFP’s, Equity & Inclusion, and Insurance.
Judy Wilson was the last presenter of the day. She took us through a case study on one of biggest procurement issues coming our way in the next ten years, the introduction of the “Development Phase” and stages of procurements (bid or don’t bid – we don’t care) and closing the door on the bidder community and their input and value into the bid process.
Fun stuff on Day 2 was the lunchtime chocolate-tasting experience led by Jacqueline Jacek, who took us through six varieties of chocolates and explained how to identify flavour notes! YUM
This year, participants received a gift box with a charcuterie board (courtesy of Intact Public Entities), chocolate-tasting kits, Norfolk popcorn and other goodies!
Proceeds from the sale of this year’s Conference t-shirt will be donated to The Women’s Centre Grey Bruce. We appreciate you supporting this wonderful organization of caring leaders who provide secure shelter, crisis intervention, safety planning, counselling and transition services for women and children affected by abuse in Grey and Bruce Counties.
The presentations are posted on the website and canbe found by clicking here.
OPBA Awards:
The 2022 Dick Brimmell Award winner was Rahu Kulkarni for his article entitled, “Procurement Tips and Renegotiating Legacy Software Contracts”
The honourable mention this year goes to the Regional Municipality of York for the article “York Region’s Steep climb toward procurement modernization – a journey not a destination”
Recipients who earned their Principles of Effective Public Purchasing Certificates and/or their CPPB/CPPO designation in 2022 were also recognized for their achievements. Congratulations to all! You’ll notice that these successes will be posted on our e-news platform as well.
As in previous years, the gamification challenge was a lot of fun, and as always, the competition was fierce!
- Our first-place winner was Linda Lee (City of Kawartha Lakes) who received a complimentary registration to next year’s conference.
- The second-place winner was Ashley Wykes (City of Kawartha Lakes) who received a WM replica truck.
If you could not attend the 2022 OPBA Conference, don’t worry, you have another chance to experience incredible education and networking. Mark your calendar for October 4-6, 2023, for next year’s 65th OPBA Conference in Niagara Falls.
Finally, please convey your thanks to your agency sponsors for their support of our OPBA Professional Development Conference. Without their support, your attendance may not be possible.
Yours in Professional Development,
Jackie Osti
OPBA Conference Advisor