NASPO Pulse

In part one of our discussion with Sherry Neas, Division Director of Shared Services for North Dakota’s OMB, we walk through a practical framework for pre-session preparation, stakeholder alignment, and testimony that actually moves the needle.

We start with the pre-legislative rhythm: weekly collaboration with higher ed, monthly sessions with state agencies, and a quarterly procurement advisory council that surfaces policy gaps early. Sherry explains how to decide what belongs in statute versus guidelines, why governments express authority matters, and how opening a law invites amendments you need to anticipate. Then we dive into testimony craft—writing with busy legislators in mind, using concrete examples, pausing for questions, and closing with a crisp call to action. We talk media training, committee protocol, and choosing speakers who want the podium and can handle rapid-fire questions.

Once the session heats up, systems and teamwork take over. Sherry details a bill tracking workflow, cross-division assignments, and the necessity of freeing someone’s time to focus on legislative work. We get into internal approvals—how subject matter experts, legal counsel, leadership, and the governor’s office align positions with policy, resources, and fiscal notes. When stakeholders disagree, she shows how to prevent surprises by briefing sponsors and chairs early, proposing amendments, and keeping associations in the loop. And when controversy sends a bill to conference committee, Sherry treats it like a complex RFP: listen first, map concerns, iterate toward solutions, and support the carrier with clear talking points.

If you’re a procurement leader navigating legislative season, this conversation offers a repeatable playbook: begin with the end in mind, engage stakeholders early, testify with clarity, and build relationships through respect and helpfulness. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review telling us your best tip for surviving the session storm.

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook 

What if you could cut overdue bids by more than half without buying a new e-procurement system? We sit down with Stacia Dawson and Michael Stroud from Missouri’s Division of Purchasing to unpack a practical playbook for turnaround time management that anyone can adopt. Their approach blends simple tooling—Smartsheet for structured data and Tableau for clear visuals—with tight weekly reviews that turn insights into action.

We walk through the foundations: setting phase-based goals, logging actual dates with consistency, and using a stoplight status to keep focus on what’s at risk. Stacia shares how the team moved beyond giant spreadsheets and guesswork to a living dashboard that sorts work from oldest to newest, reveals bottlenecks fast, and makes it easy to intervene. Michael explains why low-code tools were the right fit: low cost, fast to implement, and flexible enough to evolve as the team learned. The result? A 62% reduction in overdue bids, faster cycle times, and a shared understanding of what drives delays.

If you’re looking to modernize public procurement with limited resources, this story shows exactly where to start: one sheet, a few well-chosen fields, simple color rules, and a weekly cadence that makes data matter. Subscribe for more practical procurement strategies, share this episode with your team, and tell us: which metric would you track first to unlock faster, fairer awards?

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook 

Forget everything you thought you knew about government procurement transformation. Michigan's innovative approach proves that sustainable improvement isn't about massive overhauls—it's about maintaining what Chief Procurement Officer Jared Ambrosier calls "a constant low simmer" of innovation.

In this fascinating conversation, Ambrosier and Supplier Relations Manager Will Camp reveal how Michigan's procurement office has evolved from executing a directive-driven transformation to cultivating an organic culture of continuous refinement. Rather than exhausting staff with comprehensive changes, they maintain a portfolio of 10-15 improvement projects simultaneously, each addressing specific pain points or opportunities. Their annual visioning process provides structure, while daily openness to new ideas keeps innovation flowing from all levels of the organization.

For procurement professionals looking to create lasting improvements, Michigan's leaders offer this wisdom: focus on changes that benefit staff quality of work/life, not just leadership priorities. Understand the "why" behind each initiative. And perhaps most importantly, recognize that improvement isn't a destination—it's an ongoing journey that requires constant adaptation, especially as emerging technologies like AI create new opportunities for efficiency. From helicopter purchases to horse urine testing for race tracks, this episode showcases both the fascinating variety and the strategic sophistication of modern public procurement. Subscribe now for more insights that will transform how you think about government purchasing!

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook 

The promise of AI in government is huge, but so are the stakes. We sit down with Dr. Cari Miller and Dr. Gisele Waters, co-founders of the AI Procurement Lab and leaders behind IEEE 3119, the first standard dedicated to procuring AI and automated decision systems. Together we break down how public buyers can make smarter, safer choices—turning values like transparency and human oversight into concrete policies, contract clauses, and day‑to‑day practices that actually hold up under pressure.

We start with practical first steps: form a truly cross‑functional procurement team, define a real problem, and assess data readiness. You’ll hear why “getting ready to get ready” is a smart move, using small, low‑risk pilots to clean data and build capability before rolling out bigger tools. We share cautionary case studies, including a clever pothole detection project on trash trucks that drifted into unintended surveillance, and we explain how scope, safeguards, and community accountability prevent harm while preserving benefits.

From there, we get specific on AI policy versus contracts: how to require model provenance, audit rights, incident reporting, redress processes, and exit strategies that avoid vendor lock‑in. We talk SPI and the hidden risk of metadata, why human‑in‑the‑loop matters for public trust, and how change management helps teams see AI as a useful tool rather than a threat. By the end, you’ll have a roadmap for responsible AI procurement that blends governance, ethics, and measurable outcomes.

If you found this valuable, follow the show, share it with a colleague in public procurement, and leave a review to help more listeners discover these tools and ideas.

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook 

The myth says procurement is the holdup. We put that belief under a bright light with Oklahoma’s Chief Procurement Officer, Amanda Otis, and trace exactly how a team moves from jungle to clarity—no playbook, tight resources, and high expectations. Amanda shares how a legal mind mapped undocumented processes, separated statutory “musts” from inherited habits, and rebuilt the office around category management so expertise links directly to spend and supplier markets.

We get into the nuts and bolts: using PeopleSoft for e-procurement and sourcing without piling on complexity, leaning on AI to distill 500-page documents into crisp briefs (with human review), and adopting OneNote to tame the flood of work that email and spreadsheets couldn’t handle. Trust becomes the center of gravity. Amanda explains why fast acknowledgments, reliable follow-through, and monthly “Central Purchasing Listens” sessions turned an “ivory tower” into a responsive service partner. Skeptics on the team weren’t ignored; they were invited into experiments with a simple promise—try it, measure it, change it if it fails within six months.

Join us for a straight-talking playbook on modern public procurement: category management, transparent metrics, trust-building, and structured innovation that actually ships. If this episode sparks ideas for your team, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review with your favorite takeaway so more practitioners can find it.

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook 

Modernization sits at the heart of Florida's procurement transformation. Jesse Marks, Florida's Chief Procurement Officer, shares her fascinating 18-year journey from part-time administrative assistant to CPO, revealing how the relationship-building and clear writing skills from journalism perfectly translated to crafting thoughtful procurements and saving taxpayer dollars. Marks details how her team leverages AI technology, cloud-based solutions, and automated reporting systems to increase efficiency while maintaining transparency. The cloud-based platform they've implemented provides real-time updates on active solicitations and contracts, eliminating the guesswork and bottlenecks that once plagued their process. Rather than making decisions in a vacuum, Florida's approach emphasizes data-driven strategies and stakeholder buy-in.

Ready to transform your own procurement approach? Subscribe to NASPO's Pulse for more insights from public procurement leaders across the nation, and discover how relationship-building, technology, and professional development can elevate your procurement outcomes.

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook 

What happens when public procurement codes fail to keep pace with modern needs? Delbert Singleton and Stacy Adams from South Carolina's Division of Procurement Services reveal how their state successfully modernized its procurement rules through thoughtful, strategic updates.

With candid insights from their combined years of experience, our guests share how they've navigated four major code revisions since 1994. Listen as Delbert and Stacy describe their comprehensive process of consulting stakeholders, researching other states' practices, and carefully weighing competing needs while maintaining procurement integrity.

Whether you're a procurement leader looking to update outdated processes or simply interested in how government purchasing evolves to meet changing needs, this episode provides an invaluable roadmap for thoughtful, effective procurement reform. Listen now to part one of our two-part episode with South Carolina to learn how your organization can balance innovation with accountability in public procurement.

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook 

What happens when a state with the world's fourth-largest economy revolutionizes how it buys everything from office supplies to life-saving fire retardant? Angela Shell, California's Chief Procurement Officer, takes us behind the scenes of procurement modernization in the Golden State.

Through data transparency initiatives, California has transformed how government agencies make purchasing decisions. Their enterprise procurement system captures every state purchase—revealing everything from multi-million dollar contracts to that time someone accidentally ordered "a million packages of ketchup." This wealth of information drives smarter buying decisions and allows unprecedented public visibility into government spending through dashboards anyone can access.

Whether you're a government buyer, supplier, or simply curious about how your tax dollars are spent, this conversation offers fascinating insights into procurement's evolution and its critical role in public service. Subscribe to NASPO's Pulse for more conversations at the forefront of government innovation.

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook 

What happens when you combine theater, legal expertise, and a passion for public service? Gene Burk, Connecticut's Director of Procurement Programs and Services, brings his unique background to transform how government procurement serves citizens.

Burk's refreshingly simple method for measuring success—"Ask"—highlights his commitment to continuous improvement through stakeholder engagement. By organizing his team to proactively seek feedback and understand real-world needs, procurement becomes a strategic partner rather than a bureaucratic hurdle. This approach extends to supplier relationships too, recognizing that creating positive experiences for vendors ultimately benefits citizens through better contracts and service delivery.

Subscribe to NASPO's Pulse podcast for more insights from innovative leaders who are reimagining public procurement as a strategic enabler of government services.

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook 

What happens when procurement goes right? Most citizens never notice. Behind every police car, school lunch, government building, and public service lies the intricate, largely invisible work of public procurement professionals who ensure taxpayer dollars create maximum value for communities. Discover how procurement professionals quietly shape the quality of public services while driving innovation, equity, and sustainability in government operations.

Peter Korolyk, Director of Government Support Services for Delaware, takes us behind the curtain to reveal how procurement decisions ripple through every aspect of government operations. With 15+ years in state government and prior experience in private sector purchasing, Korolyk offers a unique perspective on what makes public procurement both challenging and rewarding.

Follow & subscribe to stay up-to-date on NASPO!
naspo.org | Pulse Blog | LinkedIn | Youtube | Facebook