Page 22 - The EDGE Spring 2022

PROCUREMENT

BY BILL MUNCH, CPPO, CPPB
Reflections on the 2022 AASBO

Vendor/Buyer Conference
Bill Munch

March was National Procurement Month.
So what better time to look back on the 2022
AASBO Vendor/Buyer Conference and
reflect on the importance of school district
procurement professionals and school
district vendors to the overall effectiveness
and efficiency of the procurement process.
The month provided an excellent opportunity
to celebrate our successes and remember
that school districts need vendors as much
as vendors need school districts. Vendor
successes are school district successes and
vise versa.

Kudos to the 42 Conference Committee
Members, numerous presenters and those
who stepped up for presenters who couldn't
make it. And of course, the AASBO staff who
worked diligently and beyond the call of duty Andy Tobin, Director
to make the conference beneficial for all who Department of Administration
attended. Thank you to Andy Tobin, Director
of the Department of Administration, for his received. It was an informative and insightful
inspiring words and Ed Jimenez, Arizona day. It is our sincere hope that the conference
State Procurement Administrator, for his
poignant keynote address. helped build and enhance the foundation of
procurement for school district procurement
“Strong vendors help build professionals and vendors alike. We will
strive to have an even better conference
strong school districts to the next year. Strong vendors help build strong

benefit of Arizona's most school districts to the benefit of Arizona's

precious resource – our children most precious resource – our children and
grandchildren.
and grandchildren.”

So where do we go from here? As the AASBO
We believe the tables for the purchasing Vendor Representative, I have a three-prong
cooperatives were a great resource for vendors approach in the upcoming months. First,
and buyers. The happy hour Q & A was well we are working on a plan to offer monthly
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22 THE EDGE SPRING 2022