Pavilion

Procurement teams and end users are working toward a common mission, but that doesn’t mean collaboration is always easy. ? End users need quick access to solutions. ?? Procurement must ensure compliance and follow regulations. ?? The challenge? Frustration, delays, and roadblocks. Join us for a live webinar hosted by Sourcewell & Pavilion on April 2, 2025, at 11:00 AM PT, where we’ll hear from University of South Florida and City of Baltimore about: ? Proven strategies to align procurement and end users from the start ? What end users really need from procurement—and vice versa ? Actionable ways to foster collaboration and drive better outcomes ?? April 2, 2025 | 11:00 AM PT ?? Save your spot now: https://lnkd.in/gbTWpf2U

Meet Alicia Smith, CPPB, Director of Procurement at Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Procurement plays a crucial role in keeping organizations running smoothly, yet it often happens behind the scenes. We asked Alicia to share her experience: Q: ?? What inspired you to pursue a career in public procurement? A: Like many procurement professionals, I fell into this career by accident, but looking back, it’s clear that the journey was a combination of opportunity, timing, and personal growth... Q: ?? What’s the most rewarding part of your job? A: The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that the work we do directly impacts the students, staff, and the broader community of our school district. Whether it's securing the resources needed for classrooms, ensuring that school programs run smoothly, or helping our district stay efficient and effective, it’s incredibly fulfilling to see how our efforts contribute to the overall success of the educational experience. Knowing that we’re making a difference in the lives of students and educators, helping to create an environment where they can thrive, is what drives me every day. Equally rewarding is the opportunity to mentor and support my team. I find great joy in watching my colleagues grow and develop in their roles. Seeing them take on new challenges, refine their skills, and achieve their goals gives me a sense of pride and fulfillment. It’s amazing to be a part of their professional journeys and to create an environment where they feel empowered to succeed. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing both the people I work with and the community we serve flourish. Q: ?? What’s one misconception people have about procurement? A: One of the biggest misconceptions about procurement is that we're the ‘department of no’—that we’re constantly blocking purchases or putting up barriers to what people need. In reality, our job is to make sure that the right goods and services are acquired at the best value possible. We’re not here to say no, but rather to ensure that every purchase aligns with the needs of the organization and is cost-effective Q: ?? What’s the wackiest item you procured? A: While I haven’t procured anything particularly 'wacky,' there have definitely been some random and unexpected items on my list over the years such as welding equipment, mannequins, and supplies for technical and career education courses. Q: ?? Anything else you'd like to share about your work in procurement? A: The work we do is often behind the scenes, but it’s integral to the success of the entire organization. We need fresh perspectives, new ideas, and a diverse range of experiences to continue evolving and adapting to new challenges. I would encourage anyone who is interested in public procurement to reach out to me. Thank you, Alicia, for sharing your experience and for the important work you do to support education ??

Meet Alicia Smith, CPPB, Director of Procurement at Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Procurement plays a crucial role in keeping organizations running smoothly, yet it often happens behind the scenes. We asked Alicia to share her experience: Q: ?? What inspired you to pursue a career in public procurement? A: Like many procurement professionals, I fell into this career by accident, but looking back, it’s clear that the journey was a combination of opportunity, timing, and personal growth... Q: ?? What’s the most rewarding part of your job? A: The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that the work we do directly impacts the students, staff, and the broader community of our school district. Whether it's securing the resources needed for classrooms, ensuring that school programs run smoothly, or helping our district stay efficient and effective, it’s incredibly fulfilling to see how our efforts contribute to the overall success of the educational experience. Knowing that we’re making a difference in the lives of students and educators, helping to create an environment where they can thrive, is what drives me every day. Equally rewarding is the opportunity to mentor and support my team. I find great joy in watching my colleagues grow and develop in their roles. Seeing them take on new challenges, refine their skills, and achieve their goals gives me a sense of pride and fulfillment. It’s amazing to be a part of their professional journeys and to create an environment where they feel empowered to succeed. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing both the people I work with and the community we serve flourish. Q: ?? What’s one misconception people have about procurement? A: One of the biggest misconceptions about procurement is that we're the ‘department of no’—that we’re constantly blocking purchases or putting up barriers to what people need. In reality, our job is to make sure that the right goods and services are acquired at the best value possible. We’re not here to say no, but rather to ensure that every purchase aligns with the needs of the organization and is cost-effective Q: ?? What’s the wackiest item you procured? A: While I haven’t procured anything particularly 'wacky,' there have definitely been some random and unexpected items on my list over the years such as welding equipment, mannequins, and supplies for technical and career education courses. Q: ?? Anything else you'd like to share about your work in procurement? A: The work we do is often behind the scenes, but it’s integral to the success of the entire organization. We need fresh perspectives, new ideas, and a diverse range of experiences to continue evolving and adapting to new challenges. I would encourage anyone who is interested in public procurement to reach out to me. Thank you, Alicia, for sharing your experience and for the important work you do to support education ??

We're celebrating the people who make procurement happen! Meet Dawn Bray, Purchasing Director at Hemet Unified School District ?? Q: ?? What inspired you to pursue a career in public procurement? A: I used to be an elementary and middle school teacher! I love being able to serve our students and set them on a successful trajectory towards adulthood. I've always been fascinated by procurement and supply chain management. It interests me to watch current industry trends and government initiatives that will ultimately influence our ability to procure those items needed for education. Making sure our school districts are set up for operational success is an important cog in the wheel of education. We are the "invisible heroes" that make everyone else shine! Q: ?? What’s the most rewarding part of your job? A: Being involved in contract negotiations to bring new innovative initiatives to our district is exciting and most rewarding. Opportunities to innovate are what keeps the job fresh and challenging! Q: ?? What’s one misconception people have about procurement? A: People often think procurement is just about ordering stuff and finding the cheapest option. But actually, it's a much more important and complicated job than that. It includes strategic sourcing, best value, contract negotiations, risk management, and technology considerations as well. Q: ?? What’s the wackiest item you procured? A: Probably the wackiest or most interesting item that we've procured is the Anatomage Table. It's basically a digital table that showcases a life-size human body for our sports medicine program. This is just one example of the challenging and innovative world of procurement. Q: ?? Anything else you'd like to share about your work in procurement? A: I honestly never thought I would be a director. In fact, I would tell colleagues that often earlier on in my career. My advice to others would be to never say never. You'd be surprised what you're capable of and where you might end up! Whatever you do with your time, just work to grow and do your best at it everyday. That is the true measure of success no matter what your title is. Dawn Bray, thank you for your dedication to procurement and for ensuring students and educators have what they need to thrive!

In honor of Procurement Month, we're celebrating the professionals who keep communities running. Meet Brittany Bezick-Hamel, Senior Buyer at the University of West Florida, and hear their insights on procurement. Q: ??What inspired you to pursue a career in public procurement? A: Happy Accident - Like many, procurement found me. I have experience in business offices & contracts, so Procurement & Contracts happened to find me through my past experiences. Q: ?? What’s the most rewarding part of your job? A: The people I meet and the problems we resolve. I value the vast network and resources this field has introduced me to. Q: ?? What’s one misconception people have about procurement? A: I have found our end users often feel like Procurement is there to "police" and "stop purchases from happening", rather than seeing the value of Procurement being a funnel for reviews and compliance checks and value added via cost savings and recommended contracting sources. Q: ?? What’s the wackiest item you’ve procured? A: Coffee grinder for laboratory use to grind bone fragments. Q: ?? Anything else you'd like to share about your work in procurement? A: Procurement has opened my mind up to so many intricate opportunities and enables me to build valuable relationships with my peers, along with meaningful vendor relationships to enhance productivity and connectivity for my campus and the procurement field in general. Thanks, Brittany Bezick-Hamel, for all that you do!

The 2025 Achievement of Excellence in Procurement? (AEP) Award application platform is now open! This is your opportunity to highlight your organization’s commitment to procurement excellence. Pavilion can support you in meeting key award criteria, from maintaining a comprehensive electronic procurement manual to fulfilling cooperative procurement staff training and supplier training requirements. We help procurement teams streamline documentation, embed policies into workflows, and provide training that makes an impact. See how Pavilion can support your AEP application: https://lnkd.in/gbAFvPBd #excellence #ProcurementExcellence #AEP2025 #YourPathToExcellence

AI is transforming public services—but acquiring and implementing it responsibly can be challenging. In our upcoming webinar with the GovAI Coalition, “Stronger Together: Accelerating Responsible AI Adoption through Procurement Innovation,” we’ll discuss strategies to: -Reduce AI procurement complexity -Build multi-agency partnerships to boost buying power -Establish ethical AI guidelines in contracting This is your chance to learn how public agencies can advance responsible AI adoption through smarter procurement! Register for free here: https://lnkd.in/gmSMpywP

?? Calling all businesses selling to the public sector! ?? Ever wished you could ask public procurement leaders directly how to secure more business? Here's your chance! ?? Webinar: Getting Real with Public Procurement Leaders ?? Feb 19, 2025 | 11:00 AM PST Inspired by advice columns like "Dear Abby", this session is your opportunity to submit real questions—and get real answers from procurement decision-makers. ?? What we'll cover: ? How cooperative contracts work and why more entities rely on them ? Best practices for building trust with local agencies and educational institutions ? Actionable tips to position your products or services for public sector buyers ?? Have a burning question? Submit it in advance! We'll select the most relevant ones to tackle live. ?? Register now and send in your questions! https://lnkd.in/g9_kUqAn

The GovAI Coalition has partnered with Pavilion to launch the?AI Contract Hub, a centralized resource to access curated AI contracts, and empowers agencies to streamline procurement, implement contracting best practices, and adopt ethical AI solutions more efficiently. With AI adoption in government accelerating—51% of federal, state, and local employees use AI weekly—procurement challenges persist. The AI Contract Hub helps agencies: ? Reduce procurement costs & timelines ? Strengthen collective bargaining power ? Expand access to AI vendors ?? Learn more in our latest blog: https://lnkd.in/gFWM5BV5

How do you communicate the value of cooperative purchasing to stakeholders who don’t live in the world of procurement? In this month’s Purchasing Power Hour, Kristy Garcia, Procurement Administrator for the City of Mesa, AZ, will share how she approaches this challenge—whether it’s with councils, city managers, or community groups. We’ll cover: ?? Strategies for showcasing the benefits of cooperative contracts ?? Real-world examples from Kristy’s experience ?? How to keep stakeholders informed and engaged Register here: https://lnkd.in/gJVABWSf