Workshop Description:
This workshop provides a comprehensive overview of the public procurement lifecycle, also known as the Procurement Cycle. Participants will learn the foundational principles of government purchasing, key regulatory considerations, and industry best practices for planning, soliciting, evaluating, and awarding procurement. The training combines instructor-led discussion with practical examples, interactive exercises, and group activities designed to reinforce real-world application.

Who Should Attend:

• Purchasing professionals new to public procurement who need a structured overview of core functions and responsibilities
• Auditors, Finance Directors, or managers who oversee or review procurement activities
• Departmental staff or stakeholders who interact with purchasing and want to better understand procurement processes and requirements
• Anyone seeking a foundational understanding of how government purchasing supports organizational operations and compliance

Course/Workshop topics:

• Ethics and standards of conduct in public procurement
• Organization and authority of the procurement function
• Procurement laws and transparency requirements, including the Public Information Act
• The Procurement Cycle: planning through closeout
• Purchasing methods and solicitation types
• Source selection strategies and market research
• Solicitation receipt, tabulation, evaluation, and award
• Cooperative purchasing strategies
• Receipt of goods and services, and payment processes
• Property disposal procedures
• Sole and single-source procurements
• Emergency purchasing requirements
• Procurement cards (P-Cards)

Benefits of Attendance – participants will:

• Explain the key phases of the Procurement Cycle
• Identify when to use IFBs, RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs
• Locate and apply NIGP commodity codes
• Use cooperative contracts appropriately
• Apply source selection techniques to identify qualified vendors
• Appropriate use of sole source, single source, and emergency procurements
• Evaluate bid responses and prepare bid tabulations
• Support award decisions using evaluation criteria
• Understand the elements of a “three-way match” for payment processing
• Identify essential documentation required in a procurement file