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Public confidence in government is at record lows with Washington gridlock, extreme partisanship and scandal after scandal in governments across the world. The perception is that government cannot get anything done – and when it does accomplish something, it is not done right.
Public procurement, though not perfect, is one of the bright spots. Government agencies in America expend $6.3 trillion per year delivering services to citizens, and public procurement accounts for more than 30 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product.
Gov. Bill Haslam has declared March “Public Procurement Month” in Tennessee to acknowledge the importance of procurement and give recognition to those working daily to build trust in government processes and ensure purchasing is strategic, equitable and effective. Procurement affects the daily lives of citizens across Tennessee. Whether driving, flying, attending school, visiting a library, playing in a park, riding a bus, obtaining a building permit or calling for a fire truck, public procurement officers make it possible.
Procurement is no longer a clerk placing orders and methodically marking items off a “to-do list.” Instead, today’s professional public procurement officer provides strategic procurement and assists the government and community by nimbly using taxpayers’ money for the betterment of its citizens. Leading organizations, private and public, incorporate procurement in the organization’s top-level strategy, equip procurement professionals with the necessary tools and set high expectations for conduct and performance to best serve clients and citizens.
The way a government conducts procurement reflects its overall quality. Professional public procurement promotes honesty and exposes and removes corruption, favoritism, fraud and waste. This is done by conducting the process in an open manner consistent with rules, regulations and good business sense. It also ensures every qualified business has an equal opportunity to win government contracts. With every bid award, there is one winner. If the procurement was open, fair and properly executed, most vendors are satisfied even if they lose the bid. When the process is not fair, open and accountable, cynicism and distrust grow, and the government’s reputation suffers.
The pressures and demands on public procurement officers are huge and conflicting – with complexities and competing goals that affect procurement – and the work often goes unacknowledged. Yet, procurement professionals choose to serve citizens, because good government builds better communities. Yes, sometimes public procurement officers fail to meet the best standards, but that is rare. More often than not, government scandals are the result of deals occurring outside of the procurement professionals’ authority and responsibility. |
