Procurement Month: Celebrating the profession through quotes
For Procurement Month, we’re revisiting an article originally written for 2015 Procurement Month with updates. In honor of Procurement Month, we hope you enjoy some favorite quotes throughout history that capture the essence of a Purchasing Professional and the procurement profession.
It's March, and that means it is time to celebrate the purchasing profession! March is Procurement Month, celebrated by The Institute for Public Procurement (NIGP) and public purchasing departments across the country. This month, we take time to thank those in public purchasing and especially our customers, which include thousands of buyers, purchasing agents and procurement professionals. Thank you for doing all that you do for your organizations and the public taxpayers.
This Procurement Month, please know that we celebrate you and the difference that you make daily within your organization.
“Money is of no value; it cannot spend itself. All depends on the skill of the spender.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson was made at a speech in 1844 to the Mercantile Library Association, in Boston, MA. There is true skill in buying within the public sector and the procurement profession in general. On this quote’s 175th anniversary this year, it is doubtful that anyone could say it better.
“Experience is the teacher of all things.” - Julius Caesar
There have been discussions recently about the new generation of procurement. It is an exciting time! The profession and its participants are evolving; however, let us not forget the power of experience and history within a purchasing department. Change is needed and greeted with open arms in many purchasing departments, but experience is the cornerstone for a better procurement process.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” - Dr. Seuss
March 2nd is also Dr. Seuss’ birthday! So, happy birthday this month to the writer behind the books we all loved so much as children, and still find viable in our professional adult lives. Part of NIGP’s celebration of Procurement Month is continued education and collaborating with peers. Continuing to learn through online engagement, local NIGP chapter meetings and Forum allows purchasing professionals to soar to new heights within their profession and the public entity. BidNet Direct’s regional Purchasing Groups help to build a community of like-minded public procurement professionals to collaborate on cooperative bids, share vendor pools and a bid library. Learning and collaborating is a big part of why we celebrate Procurement Month!
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein
Purchasing professionals do not just “buy”. They find solutions through innovative methods. The research and thinking that goes into RFPs and formal solicitations is robust. And many accolades to the vendors whose responses often solve those problems in a manner never imagined.
“As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind - every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder.” - John Glenn
Although purchasing is not only about finding the lowest price, this quote still makes people think and means a lot when you think of best value over best price. [Also, please note that there is some discrepancy on whether Glenn or astronaut Alan Shepard actually said this. Either way- one of America’s finest and bravest.]
“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” - Theophrastus
Over two-thousand years ago, Greek philosopher Theophrastus said it well. Time is of the essence with everything a purchasing professional does. Finding the time to focus on strategic initiatives is often hard in the public sector with limited resources and staff. Utilizing an e-Sourcing or e-Procurement solution saves time for both the buying organization and its vendors; valuable time indeed.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Lao Tzu
Change is a scary thing in any profession, including procurement. However, those that start with a small step to better their purchasing process begin the path to continued success.
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” - Henry Ford
Through regional purchasing groups, public procurement professionals are able to collaborate with like-minded entities throughout their state. Sharing resources has added to a successful purchasing process for many purchasing departments. In addition to collaborating with peers, BidNet has the privilege of working as a technology partner to further advance e-sourcing and alleviating our customers’ pain points. Thanks again to all our participating purchasers for working with us to create a successful procurement process for over 800 buying organizations utilizing BidNet Direct.
With each passing year procurement professionals gain more and more responsibility and have to navigate ever changing laws and regulations. This Procurement Month, remember to thank your fellow purchasing professionals for a job well done! Happy Procurement Month everyone!
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