Day 1: Monday, March 21

The first day of the annual meeting of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) got off to a good start with over three hundred suppliers and state officials attending this year’s meeting in Atlanta.  The annual meeting, with a theme of “How to Market to State Governments,” is meant to be a place for state procurement officers and suppliers to network, build relationships, and learn how to have successful partnerships through the procurement process.

An advanced forum was added this year for suppliers who have been involved in the procurement process.  The goals for this session were to:  

• Discuss strategies for working with state officials
• Allow for discussion among vendors on trends and emerging issues
• Enhance engagement with state procurement offices

Below are a few key takeaways from the supplier forum:

• There needs to be more transparency in the procurement process
• Build relationships within state government
• Communication needs to go both ways between suppliers and state governments

Also as part of the opening ceremony, attendees were treated to an afternoon with Daymond John, CEO and founder of FUBU, and a regular on the television show Shark Tank.  Daymond provided an in-depth review of how FUBU became a successful brand and also shared his SHARK philosophy;

• Set goals
• Homework
• Amor- love what you do
• Remember you are the brand
• Keep swimming

Day 2: Tuesday, March 22

Day two of the of the NASPO conference kicked off a day of activities for both vendors and state procurement officials. A highlight for the vendors are one-on-one fifteen minutes meetings with state officials, providing an opportunity for them to meet state procurement officials and learn about the business opportunities in those states.

Also as part of the day, vendors could attend regional roundtables, choosing which of the four (East, South, West and Midwest) to attend depending on their strategic business opportunities.  These meetings are held in a larger setting with multiple states and vendors in attendance.  Again, this is a great opportunity for vendors to meet state procurement officials.   Finally, the day wrapped up with Supplier Education Sessions.   The program was divided into four unique session addressing different aspects of procurement.  The sessions included:

• Inside the Procurement Director’s Office:  Giving insight into decision making and consideration of state officials.
• Marketing to State Government:  Navigating the Waters and how states promote existing contracts.
• All About Relationships:  The Do’s and Don’ts of Working with States and different approaches to building relationships with state procurement officials.
• The Value of Cyber Liability Insurance in the Cloud:  Discussion on the need for cyber liability insurance.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.