Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

After milestone year of recovery, state government spending to slow

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State Spending Expected to SlowThis year was one of milestones for state budgets, but the upward swings of 2016 will likely be dampened in the years ahead.

It took almost a decade, but total state spending and revenues finally surpassed pre-recession peaks this year, according to a new survey from the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO). Yet more than two dozen states haven’t reached that milestone, a sign of the recovery’s uneven progress after the worst economic collapse in more than a generation.

While fiscal 2016 also marked the highest annual growth — 5.5 percent — for total state spending in nearly a decade, it was primarily driven by significant one-time spending increases and technical adjustments in several large states, including New York, Ohio and Texas. The median spending growth rate across the 50 states was 3.8 percent, which is lower than last year’s but slightly ahead of expectations a year ago.

Looking ahead, spending is projected to slow down even more, to 2.5 percent next fiscal year (which begins July 1 for most states). Revenues are also projected to slow.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.governing.com/topics/finance/gov-nasbo-survey-2017-state-spending.html

Contractors should reach out to state and local governments prior to June 30

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June 30 marks the end of the fiscal year in 46 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Many cities and counties, likewise, have fiscal year-ends on June 30.

NASPO logo
Click on NASPO logo above for directory of state purchasing offices and other resources.

“In Connecticut, our fiscal year-end is June 30th. Purchasing agencies are always scrutinizing their budgets, but between mid-March and the fiscal year-end, this is when the bulk of the unplanned purchasing accelerates, if there are dollars available,” says Carol Wilson, C.P.M., who is Director of Procurement for the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services.

Wilson recently discussed fiscal year-end spending in her presentation at the National Association of State Procurement Officials’ How to Market to State Governments 2016 meeting in March. Wilson told vendors, contractors and purchasing officials in attendance to pay attention to the fiscal year in government agencies.

Keep reading this article at: http://m.americancityandcounty.com/hardware-software/government-contractors-should-reach-out-agencies-prior-june-30

Lessons from Georgia, the #1 procurement state

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GA DOASIn February, Governing magazine released a report ranking 39 states based on their procurement policies. They were ranked in 10 categories, including their use of technology, how they engage with vendors and how effectively central procurement offices work with agencies.

Six states stood out as top performers: Georgia in the lead, followed by Virginia, Minnesota, Utah, and, tied for 5th place, Massachusetts and Ohio.

Governing columnists Katherine and Richard Greene helped evaluate the states and saw tremendous variation in the ways states handle this important function. To hear more about how the #1 state got to be where it is, we interviewed Lisa Eason, the deputy commissioner of Georgia’s purchasing office, and her predecessor, Leslie Lowe, who retired in 2015.

Read about the procurement reforms the State of Georgia undertook at: http://www.governing.com/columns/smart-mgmt/gov-georgia-procurement-eason-lowe.html 

Mayors view infrastructure needs as their biggest problem

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Mayors view underfunded infrastructure as the “most pressing problem” they face, says a new survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Boston University’s Initiative on Cities.

U.S. Conference of MayorsThe 2015 Menino Survey of Mayors, released on Jan. 20, says that nearly half of the mayors who responded to the survey say that infrastructure is their biggest challenge over the next five years or more—for issues that are primarily state or federal responsibilities.

That high percentage represents “a striking level of accord for an open-ended question,” says the report. No other topic received more than 20% of the mayors’ responses. “Nearly all of those who referenced infrastructure focused on a lack of funding for upkeep and improvements,” it adds.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.enr.com/articles/38639-mayors-view-infrastructure-needs-as-their-top-problem

Want to meet government buyers? Albany, GA is the place to be on Feb. 22nd!

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Ever heard of “speed dating” where couples are matched for short periods of time to see if the chemistry is right?

Well, through a unique event on February 22, the same principle is being applied – EXCEPT it involves matches between local businesses, government agencies, and prime contractors.

If you want the opportunity to meet with buyers from local, state and federal agencies, you can’t afford to miss this event!

On Tuesday, February 22nd, the Albany (GA) Civic Center is the place to put your best marketing techniques to work.  You’ll get a chance to meet with — and present your capabilities to — decision-makers and buyers from representatives of local, state, and federal government agencies, including the State of Georgia, the University System of Georgia, the Georgia Dept. of Corrections, the City of Albany, the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport, the Marine Corps Command, the IRS, the General Services Administration, and the federal departments of Commerce, Interior, and Juvenile Justice – among others scheduled to be in attendance.

Along with 15-minute one-on-one meetings with buyers and contracting officials, attendees will have a chance to attend briefings on each of these topics:

  • Business Communications, Elevator Pitches and Capability Statements
  • Reading and Responding to Bid Solicitations
  • The Do’s and Don’ts of Government Contracting
  • Government Market Research
  • SBA’s New Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Certification Program

The featured luncheon speaker for this very special day is Ms. Pat Hanes, Regional Director of the Atlanta National Enterprise Center with the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Coffee and informal networking begins at 8:00 am.  The day’s program begins at 9:00 am and runs until 3:00 pm.

This event is completely free, so register now!  Simply click here to register and then hit the “Sign Up” button.

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