Understanding the complexities of technology leadership, procurement specifications, evaluation processes, and contract negotiations is crucial for professional growth in modern public procurement. NIGP's Foundation of Technology Certificate is a comprehensive, activity-based learning experience combining three courses to provide complete technology procurement expertise. You will gain expertise in managing technology change resistance, developing AI governance policies, creating standardized templates and consistent solicitations, and implementing essential cybersecurity measures. You will also learn to structure effective demonstrations and scoring mechanisms, identify contract risks, and negotiate optimal supplier terms to ensure successful technology implementations while maintaining compliance and maximizing public value.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of the certificate, the certificate holder will be able to:
- Apply leadership principles to manage resistance to technology change.
- Implement proactive strategies for staying up to date on technology trends.
- Develop AI governance policies that balance innovation with compliance.
- Employ strategies to bridge knowledge gaps and reduce stakeholder frustrations.
- Establish a partnership between procurement and IT departments.
- Implement strategies to increase the consistency of technology procurements.
- Reduce the vulnerability of cyber-attacks to the entity.
- Improve the technology evaluation process.
- Ensure demos demonstrate how they meet an entity’s needs.
- Create a demo scorecard that agrees with the evaluation criteria in the solicitation and plan negotiations.
- Reducing exposure to the entity by identifying risk in the technology contract.
- Determine strategies for negotiating with suppliers to obtain the best possible terms for the entity.
Intended Audience
This offering is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:
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- Mid-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as senior buyers, managers, directors, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
- Non-procurement managers and supervisors who either provide procurement functions that support entity programs under delegated authority, or who already have a good understanding of basic procurement principles but wish to get more in-depth, hands-on training.
- Professionals who are employed by local governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly funded or created entities) who either serve within or manage the procurement function.
- Supplier managers and supervisors seeking to understand the public procurement function from a more in-depth holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.
Please note that RMGPA does not charge a fee for this course, however NIGP does charge a registration fee.
RMGPA will be providing coffee, water, and snacks in the morning and afternoon. Lunch is own your own so please plan accordingly.