NASPO
Supplier Toolbox
The US State and Local Public Market is a decentralized environment. This market includes procurement departments from 50 states, 6 territories, 3033 counties, 1600 universities, and over 90,000 political sub-divisions. Their combined procurement activity generates over 450,000 tenders issued annually and results in contract awards worth hundreds of billions in US Dollars
To help demystify this marketplace we have assembled useful tools and relevant resources separated into four primary categories (1) US State Procurement (2) US Cooperative Procurement (3) Study & Learn (4) Podcasts & Blogs. If you wish to receive ongoing information from NASPO or want to pose a question, please fill out the registration form at the bottom of this page.
NASPO.ORG
This is the official website of the NASPO organization and contains several resources helpful to gaining a deeper understanding about the US State Procurement markets
State Profiles
NASPO is made up of the directors and staff of the central procurement offices in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the territories of the United States. Select a state from the map found in this link and see the profiles of our members
Repository of State Practices
Each state has different procurement practices and this link will provide a roadmap on how to do business with every state
2023 Top-Ten US State Priorities
Learn about the priorities of state markets
Past US State Priorities
Past priorities provide insight into state procurement initiatives
Emerging Markets Explained Podcast
Learn how to submit ideas for national contracts
NASPO History Timeline
This video profiles NASPO's 75-year history of serving the public procurement profession
NASPO Pulse Podcast
Interviews with procurement officials
NASPO Pulse Blog
Contemporary procurement issues are addressed
NASPO ValuePoint Tenders
View current cooperative bidding opportunities through the largest US public procurement cooperative NASPO ValuePoint
NASPO ValuePoint
The NASPO ValuePoint website is robust with information helpful to suppliers of every size
NASPO ValuePoint Contract Portfolios
Browse current ValuePoint portfolio offerings and follow any portfolio to learn about future opportunities
Emerging Markets
The Emerging Markets initiative was designed to encourage the private sector to submit innovative contracting ideas that will lead to more efficiency in government
Supplier Academy
Learn techniques on examining tenders, methods to identify important solicitation issues, and master drafting techniques which is helpful during the questions and answer phase of a procurement. Supplier Academy will take your skills to the next level
The Value of NASPO Training
Many suppliers use NASPO e-learning courses to train their sales staff and this video testimonial underscores the value of our supplier training courses
State & Local Government Procurement Guide
Comprehensive guide addressing current procurement challenges and how the procurement community addresses those challenges.
Procurement Toolbox
Takes the fundamental topics of the public procurement process and provide a high-level introductory overview with additional links to NASPO resources for deeper understanding.
Procurement University
NASPO's Procurement University is a multi-faceted education platform provided to members of the National Association of State Procurement Officials and other government procurement professionals. Procurement U provides professional development opportunities, training, resources, publications and more that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of public procurement officials and staff.
Journey Into State Procurement Guide
The level of success, for any supplier considering the US public procurement markets, is linked to understanding market structures, tendering fundamentals, and building a solid plan to engage in public procurement market opportunities.The purpose of this guide is to provide tools and resources to make the most of your journey.
Contact NASPO Leadership
Bart Lemmon
Director of Strategic International Initiatives
Bart Lemmon
Bart Lemmon is the Director of Strategic International initiatives for the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO). In this role, he works with many international organizations that support public procurement and collaborates with foreign government entities on projects that support the public procurement profession. Bart joined NASPO in 2017 after spending several years in the office products industry where he secured and managed numerous national, state, and local government contracts spanning across the United States. Since coming to NASPO, he has worked with hundreds of private industry suppliers providing counsel in helping them achieve their strategic objectives to effectively penetrate state and local government markets. Bart has developed a suite of resources including e-learning courses, online libraries, mobile apps, and other tools specifically aimed to help private industry understand and successfully navigate the public procurement process.
David P. Gragan
Chief Administrative Officer
David P. Gragan
David P. Gragan leads the Operations Division of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO). In this capacity, he is responsible for all partnerships of the association as well as member services, communications, and marketing. Dave joined the NASPO staff after 30 years as a member, where he served as the procurement director for two US states (Texas and Indiana), as well as the US Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the City of Washington, DC. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and of the National Contract Management Association. Dave has also served as the president of NASPO and the chairman of the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council, which certifies public procurement officials principally in the US and Canada. Dave began his career as a Marine Corps signals intelligence and electronic warfare officer, serving in command, staff, and faculty assignments around the globe.
Justin Kaufman
Chief Legal Officer
Justin Kaufman
Justin Kaufman serves as Chief Legal Officer for the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO), a non-profit association made up of the directors of the central purchasing offices in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the United States. Previously, Justin held the role of General Counsel for NASPO ValuePoint, NASPO’s cooperative contracting division. Prior to joining NASPO, Justin worked for the State of Minnesota, holding several roles, including Assistant Commissioner for Minnesota IT Services, Counsel for the Office of State Procurement, and Negotiations Manager for the Office of State Procurement. Justin has presented locally, nationally, and internationally on negotiation and public procurement-related topics. Justin is a graduate of Marquette University, with majors in political science and international affairs, and holds a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law. He currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at Mitchell Hamline School of Law and guest lectures for George Washington University’s Government Procurement Law program.
Dan Kruger
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Dan Kruger
Dan Kruger is the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO). Dan supports a diverse team of NASPO Program Directors that provides all administrative support to the association of fifty state procurement offices, the District of Columbia, and the US Territories. Part of his responsibilities includes overseeing and managing the partnership program, which involve cultivating relationships and coordinating collaboration projects with several national and international organizations that touch the public procurement profession. Prior to arriving at NASPO, Dan spent much of his career in higher education as a staff and faculty member and earned his M.Ed. in 2016. During his time at NASPO, he also led Academic Affairs and brings an acute awareness of public procurement issues that impact the educational community. Dan currently resides in Lexington, Ky with his wife and 3-year-old daughter.
Courtney Iversen
Strategic Supplier Engagement Manager
Courtney Iversen
Courtney Iversen is the Strategic Supplier Engagement Manager for the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO), a non-profit association made up of the directors of the central purchasing offices in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the United States. In this role, Courtney manages and supports NASPO’s supplier community across more than 60 portfolios NASPO offers to its State and local governments nationwide. Prior to NASPO, Courtney worked in both the private and public sectors, providing her a unique understanding and perspective of procurement, marketing, business development, and supply chain. Mostly recently, Courtney worked as a procurement official in New Jersey’s State Procurement Office as well as the Office of Homeland Security. In her capacity, Courtney provides council to a broad range of suppliers in helping them achieve their strategic goals. She is a graduate of Monmouth University, majoring in both Marketing and Operations, and currently resides in New Jersey.
