BidNet to Host Educational Workshop "Transparent as Glass" at NIGP Forum
ORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 14, 2013) -- BidNet will be hosting an education workshop for attendees of the 68th annual NIGP Forum. The panel session titled 'Transparent as Glass: Transparency throughout the Procurement Process' is scheduled for Aug. 27 from 1:45-3:15 p.m. at the Orlando World Center Marriot.
With transparency vital to local agencies, BidNet's four-member panel will discuss how purchasing departments can be as transparent as glass throughout the bidding process. Tracking, audit and control will be discussed along with solicitation distribution, working with suppliers and other key points related to conducting agency transparently. Questions from purchasing professionals have been gathered in advance and questions are encouraged during the discussion from the audience.
BidNet's Marketing Director, Kim Cullen, will serve as a moderator during the discussion. Panelists include Colorado representative on the NIGP Board of Directors and Arapahoe County, Colo. Purchasing Manager, Keith Ashby, Purchasing Manager for the City of Arvada, Colo., Pete Toth, Eastern Suffolk, N.Y. Boces Purchasing Technician, Donna Ball and Government Relations Manager of BidNet, Janine Rossi.
The NIGP Forum is the largest North American conference exclusively for public procurement. More than 60 specialized educational workshops, including 'Transparent as Glass' and formal networking opportunities will be available. The forum is exclusive to the public procurement profession.
Topics to be discussed at the 'Transparent as Glass' panel session will include:
- Obstructions to a transparent bid process
- Supplier questions and Agency answers to a bid made public
- Transparency in an Internal review or audit
- Lowest total value option education to suppliers
- Proactive versus reactive information requests
BidNet offers government purchasing officials comprehensive and configurable software as a service (SaaS) procurement solutions. The procurement solutions enable public agencies to increase their transparency to suppliers, the buying organization as a whole and taxpayers. BidNet's procurement tools are currently used by over 900 government agencies and thousands of vendors across 12 states. Government agencies continue to move their entire bidding process online, while still maintaining full control and security over their supplier database and the distribution, tracking and reporting of bid information released and responses received using BidNet's procurement solution.
"The 'Transparent as Glass' panel discussion at the NIGP 2013 Forum will be an informative and educational session allowing attendees the opportunity to learn how agencies throughout the country are handling the importance of transparency," stated Cullen. "We hope that attendees will learn a great deal from the panel discussion and that the conversation of transparency will continue long after the Forum has ended."
Government agencies can contact BidNet to learn more about transparency within the purchasing process or to request a demo of its procurement solutions. Visit the 2013 NIGP Forum's official website for more information on the five-day conference, including registration and workshop information.
