March is Procurement Month, and OPBA has been celebrating with a series of weekly educational sessions designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of procurement professionals. With three insightful sessions completed, we have one final session left—don’t miss your last chance to join us!
Recap: Weeks 1 – 3
Week 1: Basics and Beyond – Exploring Evaluation Methodologies and Unique RFP Strategies
Victor Leamer, Stéphanie Dion, and Mike Thornton—known as the #RFPDreamTeam—led an engaging session on evaluation methodologies and unique RFP approaches. Drawing from real-life examples, they shared success stories, highlighted common pitfalls, and explored various strategies to improve procurement outcomes.
Week 2: Transforming Government Procurement – Leveraging Category Management and Group Purchasing for Smarter Buying
This session explored how Category Management and Group Purchasing are revolutionizing public procurement, providing streamlined, cost-effective solutions. Attendees gained insights into how these strategies enhance purchasing decisions and deliver greater value for money.
Week 3: Beyond the Basics – Advanced Strategies for Verifying References
Reference checks can be a valuable tool in procurement—but they also come with challenges. This session examined advanced techniques for verifying vendor references, balancing transparency with privacy considerations, and ensuring a fair and effective evaluation process.
Final Session: March 26 – Don’t Miss Out!
Week 4: Critical Thinking – A Critical Skill
March 26, 2025
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM ET
Virtual Event
Registration closes March 24, 2025
March is Procurement Month! Join us for the last session in our 4-part educational series.
We’ve been told that our ability to think is what separates us from the animals. “I think, therefore I am,” proclaimed René Descartes in the 17th century. Every day, we encounter situations, problems, and opportunities. How we handle them is key to long-term success.
Simply reacting isn’t a strategy. Critical thinking helps us analyze assumptions, evaluate evidence, and assess conclusions. This workshop will explore key aspects of critical thinking and provide practical tools for applying it effectively in procurement.
Presenter: David Nash
David was a certified instructor for NIGP for over 14 years, teaching more than 100 courses. He also served on the Evaluation Committee for the National Procurement Institute’s Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award and has helped thousands of procurement professionals prepare for their CPPB, CPPO, and NIGP-CPP exams through his online “Question of the Day” initiative.