Connecticut State Department of Administrative Services

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DAS Procurement Earns Honorable Mention from NASPO

Posted 8/23/2022
By Gene Burk
ProcurementGovernment Innovation

We keep trying and we keep getting honored!

 

In August DAS Procurement was recognized with an honorable mention by the National Association of Procurement Officials (NASPO) for its submission to the George Cronin Award for Procurement Excellence.  The category, Implementing Standardized Cross-Functional Sourcing Project Teams to Increase Collaboration, recognized DAS Procurement's implementing of a new sourcing team approach to solicitation management to improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of the solicitation process.

   

Due to this, there have been multiple improvements across the DAS contracting spectrum.

  

In Innovation:

  

  • The team manages all deliverables and communication through Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, which allows for greater efficiency and transparency for everyone.

  • We started involving our legal team at the start of a solicitation - this proactive approach allows the team to flag any high-level concerns early in the process to protect the State and to streamline contract execution.

  • The Supplier Diversity Team has a more prominent role at the start of the procurement process. This allows Supplier Diversity to make key decisions such as how to reach likely businesses that could compete for the specific opportunity.

 

In Cost Reduction:

  

  • More Efficient Procurement Cycle Times. By assembling the appropriate team of stakeholders at the outset of the project, DAS ensures all voices are heard and the opportunity exists for everyone to share their perspectives and ask questions about a project.

  • Increased Competition on Each Solicitation. Given Supplier Diversity’s more embedded role at the start of the sourcing process, DAS Procurement can now take agency requirements and needs for additional outreach to newer and more diverse suppliers.

  • Improved DAS Service Delivery  to support  User Agencies. With this new project management approach, DAS Procurement is better positioned to meet its mission of true customer service to its client agencies.

  

DAS Procurement, along with all our business units, is always striving for improvements to our systems not only for the public but for our employees to help everyone do their jobs better and more efficiently.  This honorable mention only fuels our team to find new ways of providing better services to our customers and the public.