Government Procurement and Leadership Solutions supports procurement and leadership excellence by developing and promoting educational opportunities for the procurement community.
The following sessions were previously offered through the LBJ School of Public Affairs Conferences and Training Office and are exclusively offered through Government Procurement and Leadership Solutions. The full and multi-day sessions can be adjusted to meet your specific needs.
Target Audience: This program is targeted towards individuals involved in purchasing/procurement activities such as buyers, purchasing agents, buyers and contract administrators or any public employee who is involved in the planning and sourcing of public projects.
Course Description: This course provides a basic overview of the purchasing process covering topics in the areas of: Texas Statutory Enabling Authority; Competitive Bidding; Specification Development; Ethics and Liabilities; Contract Management; Internal Customer Service; Internal Controls; and Cooperative Purchasing.
Course Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to…
Target Audience: This program is targeted towards individuals involved in purchasing/procurement activities such as buyers/purchasing agents, buyers and contract administrators. This class will take an in-depth look at the processes involved in creating and writing specifications that will ensure the agency gets the materials needed at the best value and within government procurement guidelines.
Course Description: Procurement officials are challenged with balancing the needs of the agency with product and service availability in the market at the best value. Developing specifications for any procurement requires interpreting the end users’ needs, and identifying and mitigating risks through document preparation to protect the agency. The specification is the tool that transforms the requirement into a fair solicitation document and the class will collaborate on document preparation exercises.
Course Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to…
Target Audience: This program is targeted towards individuals involved in purchasing/procurement activities such as buyers/purchasing agents, buyers and contract administrators. This class will take an in-depth look at the processes involved in purchasing services.
Course Description: Purchasing services presents a unique challenge for government agencies. While we may think we understand exactly what services we want, actually specifying the requirements within an RFP requires anticipating contract management risks early in the planning phase of the procurement. Case studies will solidify the best practice concepts for developing RFPs for services.
Course Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to…
Target Audience: This program is targeted towards individuals involved in purchasing/procurement activities such as buyers/purchasing agents, buyers and contract administrators. This class will take an in-depth look at the processes involved in evaluating offers to ensure the best offer is the one selected.
Course Description: The Purchasing Team should establish a fair process for proposal evaluations to facilitate a transparent scoring system and committee assessment. The class will review optional evaluation criteria methods and how to best prepare and conduct prudent review of all aspects of offers. Case studies will assist the class in exploring benchmark strategies for successful projects.
Course Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to…
Target Audience: This program is targeted towards individuals involved in purchasing/procurement activities such as buyers/purchasing agents, buyers and contract administrators. The first day will take an in-depth look at Contract Price and Cost Analysis, then the second day will focus on Contract Negotiation Strategies.
Course Description:
Contract Price & Cost Analysis
Public buyers are responsible for determining the best value for the goods and services they procure. Depending on the complexity of the procurement, it can be a simple calculation or it may require analytical evaluation of market conditions, competitive pricing, and cost data. A comprehensive look at the individual cost and price elements, including future costs and escalation trends, will assist in determining the reasonableness of an offer and minimize the risk of the overall cost.
Contract Negotiation Strategies
Negotiation is the process of give and take to reach an agreement. Frequently government buyers are reluctant to embark on a full-fledged negotiation against the highly trained corporate world, but understanding the importance of planning for a complex negotiation will provide the confidence needed to succeed. First, it is important to develop a contract negotiation strategy that includes assessing the potential liabilities and risks of both parties and identifying the acceptable target for each critical issue. This session will explore how to identify negotiable priorities and alternatives, establish targets, develop effective communication skills and implement a strategy that leads to a successful contract.
Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of the Contract Price & Cost Analysis session, participants will be able to…
