DAS National Procurement Month 2024

As we close out National Procurement Month here at DAS, we asked some of the procurement professionals at DAS to tell us about some of their most interesting and unique procurement contracts.

These are just a few good examples of the collaboration between DAS Procurement and our customer agencies, which ultimately benefits the people of Connecticut. 

  • Genetic Testing Services for DSS Office of Child Support Services – This contract is used to determine parentage in child support cases in court.

  • DNA Analysis – This contract is utilized by DESPP to gather DNA information from suspects to help in solving crime cases throughout the country. The results are entered into the CODIS database which is federally mandated. It has helped solve many cases. Its impact is national which makes it even more interesting and rewarding.

  • DEEP SAFE Boat – Established an agreement with a local boat dealer for a used vessel that was repowered and is currently used by DEEP’s Encon Police.   

  • Dairy Products purchased for the Department of Corrections, CT Technical Schools, Veteran’s Home, and DMHAS.

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - This contract has multiple suppliers that can implement EAP Program for state agencies and political subdivisions. Services include but are not limited to: 

    • Confidential, professional, short-term solutions-focused diagnostic evaluation, crisis intervention, consultation, and assessment services.

    • Three to six sessions, 50-60 minutes of face-to-face consultation sessions for each employee per issue each year.

    • EAP services are available to members of the employee’s immediate family.

    • Referrals are made to a provider covered under the employee’s medical insurance plan.

    • Training and Outreach

    • Critical Incident Response/Critical Incident Stress Debriefing.

    • Life Care Programs:  Consultation with employees regarding their work-life needs including childcare, elder care, legal and financial needs. Also included is free initial legal consultation and personal support services.

    • Additional Services:  Such as Positive Lifestyle trainings on specific topics, Fitness for Duty evaluations and other programs.

  • DEEP’s Pheasant Program - Pheasants are purchased annually to stock certain Wildlife Management Areas to support restoration, conservation, and education and safety programs.

    Pheasant in Flight

National Procurement Month is a time to celebrate and recognize the importance of procurement in achieving our organization's goals. Procurement professionals are part of the backbone of educational institutions, responsible for sourcing, negotiating, and managing relationships with suppliers to obtain the best value, while maintaining quality and compliance standards.

Let's come together to finish Procurement Month strong and recognize the invaluable contributions of procurement professionals. Thank you to all of our procurement colleagues for everything you do!