Inside Public Procurement: Heroic Stories from the Frontlines

Latest Episodes:

Balancing Creativity and Compliance in Procurement Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

Creativity in procurement — to some, it might not sound attainable.

After all, there are strict sets of rules and regulations that guide public procurement practices, and as a buyer, you don’t want to be responsible for your agency becoming the subject of a news headline.

But Darren Tompkins, Manager of Purchasing at City of Kelowna, believes that creativity is integral to maximizing the effectiveness of procurement. Creative thinking in procurement doesn’t need to come at the expense of compliance; in fact, it’s crucial to attaining the outcomes you’re trying to achieve.

We discuss:

How to get the most out of procurement
Bringing more creativity to the industry
Leveraging feedback loops with bidders
Social procurement

Want to connect with Darren on the topics covered on this episode of Inside Public Procurement? Email him at dtompkins@kelowna.ca.

You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Optimizing Public Procurement Through Collaboration Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

The public procurement landscape can be very fragmented. Different departments and divisions use different processes and different systems. In short, everyone has their own way of doing things.

In this episode, Carol Izzio, Director of Procurement at Sheridan College, explains why sharing best practices and collaborating is the best way to improve public procurement for the future.

We discuss:

- Why optimization matters

- How technology can support public procurement

- Why sustainable procurement needs to evolve

Reach out to Carol at carol.izzio1@sheridancollege.ca.

You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Why Welcoming Innovation is Key to Procurement Success Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

Business as usual just doesn’t cut it anymore. With so much change happening around us, new ideas, tools, and processes are needed to improve the procurement industry.

Amanda Burton, Contract Buyer at Utah Transit Authority, joins the show to share her thoughts on how innovation can move the industry forward.

Topics covered in this episode:

- The impacts of COVID on supply availability

- How innovation powers procurement

- Bridging the generational gap between procurement professionals

- The double-edged sword of transparency

You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Driving Efficiency (And Impact) with Cooperative Bids Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

In public procurement, spending taxpayer money responsibly is incredibly important. Cooperative bids, or coops, are a great way to accomplish that. But how do you show the value of the procurement strategy you have in place? That’s where transparent reporting comes in.

In this episode, we’re joined by Jennifer Frates who is the Chief Procurement Officer for Barnstable County and the President of Cape Cod Association of Public Procurement Officials (CCAPPO). She talks about the benefits of transparency and cooperative purchasing.

We discuss:

- The importance of transparency

- The benefits of cooperative bids

- Why the public sector should take better advantage of technology

Reach out to Jennifer at purchasing@barnstablecounty.org

You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com/podcast .

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Why Internal Customer Service Matters in Procurement Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

Compliance or customer service?

That’s the age-old question in public procurement, right? Well, it shouldn’t be. Compliance is a given...

Customer service is how you win, long-term, in procurement.

Just ask Aaron Howell, Vice President for Finance / Chief Financial Officer at Kennesaw State University. Our inaugural guest joins the show to discuss the importance of internal customer service for procurement departments.

In this episode, we discuss:

- Why you need both compliance and customer service

- The downfalls of an absent customer service

- How to build important relationships within your organization

You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Introducing Inside Public Procurement Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

In this introductory episode, Jordan Alford, Producer at Sweetfish Media, chats with Rachel Friesen, host of the show and a leader on the Client Experience team at Bonfire Interactive, about creating a space for procurement professionals to learn and share knowledge.

What we talked about:

- How Bonfire Interactive supports government agencies through their purchasing goals

- Equipping all procurement professionals with best practices to support their agency and community

- Topics that will be discussed in the show

We’re looking for guests to feature on the podcast! If you’re interested — and you work in public procurement — reach out to us at gobonfire.com/contact and indicate your interest.

Hear more insights from the public procurement community by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you find podcasts.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.

Procurement: Creating a Culture of Cross-generational Collaboration Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

Joanna Hunt says it best: procurement is sexy. Especially when your procurement priorities are in order.

Joanna is a Retail Buyer & Customer Experience Professional at Central Washington University. In the latest episode of Inside Public Procurement, she breaks down the fun side of procurement and shares her wisdom with the next generation of procurement specialists.

What we talked about:

- The generational gap in supply chain management

- The difficulty and importance of asking questions

- The gritty fundamentals of procurement

- Collaboration, competition, and socially conscious sourcing

- Using historical data to inform innovation

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

- Joanna’s LinkedIn profile

- CWU’s website

You can find this interview, and many more, by subscribing to Inside Public Procurement on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or gobonfire.com.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Inside Public Procurement in your favorite podcast player.