To Infinity and Beyond!…. Skills for the 21 st Century Presented by Norma J. Hall, FNIGP, CPPO, CPPB, CPM State It Procurement Officer SC Budget & Control Board Division of Procurement Services Information Technology Management Office

To Infinity and Beyond!…. Skills for the 21 st Century

Skills for the 21 st Century The world and workplace are changing rapidly. In the last years these changes have had a drastic impact on public procurement. We must analyze our organizations and staff to ensure we have the skills necessary to be a world class procurement organization.

Skills for the 21 st Century What changes have you seen in your organization over the past 5-7 years?

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Major impact to public procurement Public Procurement Transformation – In February 2005 GovPro republished an article in entitled “Harnessing Procurement Transformation” by David P. Gragan, CPPO, Managing Director of Gov’t. Procurement, Silver Oak Solutions. David is now the Chief Procurement Officer for the DC Office of Contracting and Procurement.

Public Procurement Transformation Gragan identified transformation as taking a current, cumbersome process and implementing changes to complement a government entity’s vision and sense of public duty. It includes shifting the emphasis from process to outcome, and from lowest price to best value, doing more faster - with less money and people.

Public Procurement Transformation What transformation activities have taken place in your agency recently?

Public Procurement Transformation Gragan identified several steps to transformation: – Evaluate Procurement Processes – Introduce Process Automation – Promote Communications – Enhance Reporting – Improve Sourcing – Launch Training Programs – Manage Vendor Relationships – Overcome Challenges

Public Procurement Transformation Global Management Consultants A.T. Kearney in one of their projects for Procurement Transformation identified three major areas of concentration: – Capacity Building – assessment of current organization’s structure and people capabilities – Spend Management – looking at total spend and developing a plan to target areas for savings – Strategic Sourcing – implementing a strategic sourcing plan and detailed skills training

Public Procurement Transformation Not just in the US – it’s worldwide In the UK the Office of Government Commerce in 2006 began procurement transformation efforts. They identified three key areas: – Collaboration – joining forces to create economies of scale to capitalize on greater negotiating power – Setting and Monitoring Standards – including program and project management through Gateway Reviews for projects and Procurement Capability Reviews

Public Procurement Transformation The Procurement Capability Reviews are conducted for intensive assessments of procurement leadership, skills and systems in every government department Skills – the government admitted the need to address skills across all professions in the public sector – nowhere more so than procurement, they emphasized raising professionalism within procurement. There is significant focus on training, learning and development processes.

Public Procurement Transformation In all three cases there are common threads – Evaluating Procurement Processes – Introducing Process Automation – Improving Sourcing – Identifying Skills and Delivering Training

Skills for the 21 st Century What skills do you think are necessary for procurement professionals in the 21 st Century?

Skills for the 21 st Century Through a survey of State Procurement CPO’s the following skills were listed as being important for government procurement officials: Analytical skills – Proficient in use of Excel and/or Access Capable of independent research – making valid comparisons and analysis such as business case analysis and market analysis

Skills for the 21 st Century Analytical skills – continued Critical thinking and problem solving Creativity – finding positive ways to make things happen Sound theoretical skills Negotiation skills Read and understand laws and specifications

Skills for the 21 st Century Personal skills – Integrity (#1) Solid Professionalism (self-awareness; commitment to continuous learning; social skills) Excellent communication skills (written and verbal, including public speaking skills) Customer service skills (ability to work well with others) Positive attitude

Skills for the 21 st Century Personal skills – continued Excellent time management Adaptability (change management and inspire others to be on board with changes) Flexibility Commitment to public service Passion for the work Detail oriented (consistently produce accurate documents)

Skills for the 21 st Century Personal skills – continued Innovative Inspirational (Inspire suppliers to become partners) Organizational skills Moving from transaction processing to tactical work (spend analysis, strategic sourcing) Understanding agency’s mission, role, and function Refining work processes – effective & efficient Bridging the Generation Gap

Skills for the 21 st Century Organizational skills – continued Ability to Affect Legislation See the Big Picture Have a Global View and Perspective Learned skills Proficient Information Technology Skills Knowledge and Understanding of Contract Law Communication Skills (Written and Verbal, Including Public Speaking Skills) Market Analysis and Business Case Analysis

Skills for the 21 st Century In a recent survey of public procurement officials in South Carolina the following skills (or characteristics) were the top ten listed as being important for “top-notch” public procurement officials: Accepts Responsibility – takes on new challenges, admits mistakes and fixes them Ability and desire to communicate effectively Intelligent, shows common sense & ability/desire to learn

Skills for the 21 st Century Gets along well with others – Team player Flexible – Adaptable, accepts change Organizes and presents thoughts clearly Sets and achieves goals, continuous improvement, has personal direction Self –Confident, shows assertiveness and initiative Work Oriented; hard working Manages conflict and anger

Skills for the 21 st Century In a research paper presented at the International Public Procurement Conference (IPPC) in Seoul, Korea entitled “Emerging Professionalism in a Defense Acquisition Workforce” by David Moore and Kevin Burgess of the UK, they identified Core Skill Sets and Sub Skill Sets for the Core Skills that should be included in the defense acquisition body of knowledge:

Skills for the 21 st Century Leadership – – Visibility and Impact Leadership – Vision, Aspirations, Business and Policy Alignment – Stakeholder and Supplier Base Confidence Levels Skills Development and Deployment – – Effective Resourcing of Procurement Activity – “Intelligent Client” Capability

Skills for the 21 st Century Systems and Processes – – Governance and Organization – Strategic and Collaborative Approach to Market Engagement and Sourcing – Effective Use of Procurement and Program and Project Management Tools and Techniques – Knowledge and Performance Management

Skills for the 21 st Century Another IPPC research paper presented in Seoul, Korea entitled “Professionalization of the U.S. Defense Acquisition Workforce: Progress, Problems and Future Directions” by Rene G. Rendon. It focused on how DoD professionalizes its acquisition workforce, including workforce management, organization, and training to ensure it has the right skill mix and competencies to successfully manage DoD’s acquisition projects.

Skills for the 21 st Century Legislation has been initiated to improve effectiveness and has impacted the requirements for education, training and experience. The DoD recognize there are other initiatives and programs that are also focused on professionalizing the acquisition workforce. These include educational institutions, training organizations, and professional associations. The DoD relies on these as well for education and training of their work force.

In Summary Public Procurement entities around the globe have made significant changes resulting in transformation of our business processes. Changes have required staff to develop additional skills and knowledge, leading to increased professionalization. Technology has, and will continue to aid in the transformation of public procurement. Change is inevitable!

Questions?