Innovations shaping our future—that was the theme of this year’s NIGP Annual Forum hosted in Boston from August 21st to 24th. Getting together to share knowledge and experiences while tackling new challenges is something so fundamental to public procurement and we love to see the collaboration and passion for the profession at these events.

This year, we’re celebrating the (usually unsung) superheroes in public procurement and, between our booth and the events we hosted, we were able to truly showcase those superpowers at the conference. We hosted our first ever Bonfire Procurement Awards reception to honor our clients who are moving mountains in their organizations. Then in our case study session, we heard how public procurement teams are using Bonfire to drive their organizations forward and positively impact the communities they serve.

At the Bonfire booth, we had the pleasure of speaking with hundreds of attendees from all sides of public procurement. We asked visitors to participate in a poll and tell us what procurement superpower they’d like to unlock in their organization with 120 overall respondents. Digitization won by a landslide and that’s fitting considering procurement digital transformation was a large focus of this year’s conference.

Throughout all these conversations and sitting in on educational sessions, there were three points we heard over and over:

• The benefits (and trials) of procurement digital transformation
• Prioritizing vendor engagement and experience
• The future of work, and how to attract and retain new staff in today’s context

Keep reading for the details of what we learned from NIGP Annual Forum 2022.

Procurement digital transformation

The first common thread we encountered was frustration around digitizing procurement processes. A lot of people vented frustrations over paper-based manual processes, legacy or homegrown systems, and overly-complicated ERP procurement modules.

One session touched a lot on ERPs and asked the audience if they were satisfied with how they were performing. The answer was a resounding ‘no’. We talked with many attendees about challenging the idea that procurement needs to go through an ERP and the barriers to moving towards purpose-built solutions. Many of the tools procurement teams are searching for (contract management, evaluations, vendor engagement, etc.) simply don’t exist in ERPs.

One barrier that came up frequently was buy-in. Aversion to tech in the public sector is nothing new and reasons vary, but it’s becoming more painful to overcome. Challenging the “this is how it’s always been done” mentality can be incredibly frustrating. To frame procurement technology in a different light, in the session titled “What’s Next for Procurement”, Lisa Mehalko, Director of Procurement for Georgia Tech Authority, made a point to say that tech isn’t going to replace a procurement professional’s job. What it will do is free up time so procurement pros can understand the market better than anyone.

Prioritizing vendor engagement and experience

Building strong alliances with vendors has taken a front seat for many organizations and was a strong focus at NIGP this year.

One common topic was streamlining vendor experience and increasing vendor engagement through technology. Many stated a system that makes it easier for vendors to submit bids has increased engagement and vendor satisfaction.

As an added benefit, easier bid submissions removes barriers for small and diverse businesses—which is an emerging priority. The importance of engaging these businesses was summed up in our Innovation for Impact case study session by Glenn O’Steen, Manager, Procurement at Columbia County, Georgia: “Without small businesses, we wouldn’t have an economy. If we neglect this group of businesses, our economy would shut down.”

Watch the full session to gain more insights from Glenn and his co-panelists from diverse areas of public procurement.

Staffing and retention: The Great Realignment

The shift from the ‘Great Resignation’ to the ‘Great Realignment’ was an interesting topic. The term ‘Great Realignment’ comes from examining the needs and values of today’s workforce and adjusting to meet them. We attended a session that explored the ways different generations view their employment—including the disconnect between what older and younger generations value in a job.

Attracting and retaining talent has been a huge challenge for procurement. Many employees are retiring and younger employees are more selective when choosing jobs that fit their core values. Unsurprisingly, this theme ties closely with digital transformation. Younger employees are leaving in search of jobs that use more tech in procurement—citing efficiency frustrations and a more reasonable workload as reasons.

Gain insights for the future of public procurement

Public procurement teams are facing a host of new challenges in a post-pandemic world that’s forcing a lot of change all at once. Stay on top of things by getting insights into procurement technology, vendor engagement, and so much more in the 2022 State of Public Sourcing report. Get your copy here.