BOARD OF DIRECTORS PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, contracting and procurement professionals play a vital role in the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of government; and

WHEREAS, the California Association of Public Procurement Officials is celebrating 110 years of dedication to providing members with educational opportunities and guidance on best practices in public procurement, and steadfastly promoting professionalism and high ethical standards in the practice of public procurement; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the purchase of goods and services, the public procurement professional adds value to public agencies throughout the state of California by performing such functions as developing procurement strategies, cultivating collaborative relationships with the business community and others within their organization, consulting on best practices, identifying opportunities for savings, maintaining compliance with rules, regulations, policies, and procedures, and assisting with development and /or administration of contracts; and

WHEREAS, these public procurement professionals recognize, support and practice the public procurement values and guiding principles of accountability, ethics, impartiality, professionalism, service, and transparency as fundamental tenets of their profession; and

WHEREAS, National Procurement Month provides the opportunity to further educate the general public, elected officials, and suppliers regarding the impact of public procurement, and celebrate the contributions of those individuals dedicated to the public procurement profession; 

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, WE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT OFFICIALS, do hereby proclaim March as Procurement Month and March11 2026, and the 2nd Wednesday in March thereafter, as Public Procurement Professional Day

This is your final reminder: NCPP’s Above & Beyond Awards nomination window closes March 16, 2026. If you’ve been planning to nominate a colleague, team, or even yourself, now is the time.

These awards honor procurement professionals and teams whose work has gone above expectations through leadership, innovation, collaboration, and service. Whether someone stabilized a difficult procurement, solved a supply‑chain challenge, modernized a process, or strengthened your agency’s mission, their contribution deserves recognition.

Don’t wait!!!! Submitting a nomination takes only a few minutes and can bring meaningful statewide and national visibility.

NOMINATE TODAY
Click below to begin your submission:

Nominate Now: https://form.jotform.com/253385947670167

Let’s continue to showcase the outstanding work happening across California procurement. Submit your nomination before March 16 and help celebrate excellence in our profession.

I had been on the job exactly six weeks when I learned one of the most important lessons in public procurement:  Just because nobody is complaining doesn't mean everything is okay.

The water district had checked all the boxes on paper.
Established in the 1970s, strong reputation, stable finances, a combination of federal funding and ratepayer dollars, and a CUPCCAA participant.

Before accepting the Procurement Manager position, I had done my homework. I reviewed the district ordinance, purchasing manual, organization chart, and prior solicitations. I noticed a few things that raised an eyebrow.

The procurement ordinance was older than many of the district employees.
Procurement reported through Engineering.
Legal counsel was contracted rather than in-house.

But nothing screamed crisis.  At least not yet.

My first month was what every new manager hopes for: introductions, department tours, budget reviews, and learning the culture. Everyone was friendly. Everyone was helpful.
And everyone assured me:  "We've always done it this way."

Those six words should probably be listed as a risk factor in every procurement manual.

Then I started reviewing completed RFP files.
The first file seemed incomplete.
The second one looked the same.
The third one confirmed a pattern.
The evaluation sheets contained scores.  Lots of scores.  But there was no documented methodology explaining how those scores translated into rankings.  No formulas, no narrative, no rationale for award, no consensus documentation, no award memorandum.  Just numbers.

As if someone had taken a complicated procurement process and reduced it to a middle-school math worksheet.
I walked over to one of my Procurement Analysts.
"Have we had any protests on these awards?"
He looked up.  "No protests."
I relaxed for exactly two seconds.
Then he added:
"We've had several bidders ask for debriefings because they couldn't understand how proposals were scored. Some mentioned they might protest."

My procurement instincts immediately activated.
"Okay," I asked. "How were those concerns addressed?"
He shrugged.  "We never really followed up."

That was the moment.  The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention as if they had just heard the national anthem.

Because procurement professionals know something many organizations forget:  Unanswered concerns don't disappear. They simply find another audience.
And in our case, they did.

A few weeks later, a citizen complaint landed before the County Grand Jury.
The complaint questioned the transparency of procurement, evaluation practices, and award documentation.
Soon afterward, the district received a formal Grand Jury Report.
The recipients included:
The District Board 
The General Manager 
And, to my surprise, the Procurement Manager 
Which was impressive considering I had been employed there for less time than some office plants.
Suddenly, the issue wasn't whether a bidder understood the evaluation process.
The issue was whether the district itself could explain it.
Board members wanted answers.  Executive leadership wanted answers. The public wanted answers.
And the procurement files weren't providing many.
Fortunately, panic is not a procurement strategy.
Instead, I assembled a cross-functional team consisting of procurement, legal counsel, engineering, finance, and executive leadership.
Together, we conducted a comprehensive review.
What we discovered wasn't fraud.
It wasn't favoritism.
It wasn't corruption.
It was something far more common:
Institutional complacency.
The district had gradually evolved into a process where everyone assumed the evaluation team understood the scoring methodology.
The problem was that nobody had documented it.  And if it isn't documented, it may as well not exist.  Over the next several months, we rebuilt the program.

We created:
✔ Standard evaluation guides
✔ Scoring formulas and methodologies
✔ Consensus scoring procedures
✔ Award memoranda templates
✔ Debriefing procedures
✔ Procurement training for evaluation committees
✔ Procurement policy updates
✔ Board reporting protocols

Most importantly, we implemented a simple rule:
Every procurement file should be understandable to someone who wasn't in the room.
The Grand Jury's findings ultimately became a catalyst for positive change.
Not because anyone wanted them.
But because they forced the district to ask difficult questions.

Sometimes the greatest procurement risk isn't the protest you receive.  It's the protest that almost happened.  Because when questions go unanswered, transparency goes untested, and accountability goes undocumented, the next inquiry may not come from a bidder at all.

To Elevate the profession, we must continuously examine our processes.
To Innovate, we must build systems that make transparency automatic rather than optional.
And to Celebrate, we must recognize that public trust is earned one documented decision at a time.

That's how we unlock the next decade—not by avoiding scrutiny, but by being prepared for it.

Terry, Jr., Johnnie E.,NIGP-CPP; CPPO, CPPB |  CAPPO Past President

Cliff Chroust from the City of Burbank, Gateway Chair, and Andrew Becker from the City of Thousand Oaks, Gold Coast Chair, have both presented at public procurement conferences. Cliff has presented on insurance tracking at CAPPO19 in Sacramento, participated in a Pavilion-related presentation at CAPPO26 in San Diego, and served on a vendor panel at NIGP Forum. Andrew presented on procurement policy and leadership at CAPPO26 in San Diego. This is an article about how you need only a useful story, practical lessons, and a willingness to share what is actually happening inside their agencies to help your peers at CAPPO conference!

We guarantee that a strong presentation topic is in your office today. It's probably something practical: a better way to post solicitations, organize addenda and Q&A, onboard vendors, route contracts, track bonds, or even use your Microsoft tools. If the process helped you become faster, clearer, more compliant, more transparent, or easier for departments to work with, it may help another agency too.

Cliff’s first CAPPO presentation came from a newly implemented process: online insurance verification. Before that, insurance certificates were reviewed manually. The process worked, but it was paper-heavy, email-heavy, and dependent on people passing PDFs and information back and forth.

As they implemented a new system the team documented the process. That became the foundation for the presentation. The session explained what the old process looked like, why it needed improvement, how the new system worked, and what benefits the team saw. Attendees benefited from hearing how something worked.

The presentation was a team effort, people who helped implement the process participated in the presentation and got to attend conference. That created motivation, recognition, and ownership. The audience loved it because they heard from someone who had worked through the details.

For a process improvement presentation, you can follow these simple steps: tell us who the presenters are, what problem the agency was trying to solve, what the old process looked like, what change was made, how the change was implemented, what documents or tools were created, and the outcome. Follow that with a Q&A with the audience.

Another effective format is a user/vendor panel. Vendors attend conference to present tools, platforms, and solutions. Those sessions are useful, but we benefit when we hear directly from actual users. If an agency has implemented a solution offered on the tradeshow floor other agencies want to know how it went! Attendees want to know what worked, what was harder than expected, what staff had to change, and what benefits were realized. A thoughtful panel can help us understand the impact of the tools.

At CAPPO26, Andrew Becker co-presented From Policy to Practice: Practical Leadership in Public Procurement with Ryan Pistochini, CPPB, NIGP-CPP. The session focused on how procurement professionals lead not only their own staff, but also the departments and stakeholders they work with every day. It addressed procurement culture, end-user frustrations, gray areas, and practical steps to move work forward.

For Andrew, the experience was valuable because he presented alongside someone with longer experience while also offering a newer professional’s perspective. That balance made the session more relatable. It also shows how working with a partner adds depth to a presentation. Speaking in front of peers was uncomfortable but also rewarding. It gave him a chance to talk openly about challenges he had experienced in public procurement.

One of Andrew’s biggest takeaways was that a person’s perspective matters, even earlier in their career. Sometimes that perspective is exactly what someone else needs to hear.

Remember CAPPO is a supportive learning environment. Presentations do not have to be polished or perfect to be valuable. Some of the most helpful sessions are honest conversations about what agencies are actually experiencing, what worked, what did not, and how they found a path forward.

Many agencies are already doing something their peers would like to know about. A recently improved process, checklist, workflow, system implementation, or problem solved by a team may be the foundation for a strong CAPPO presentation. The profession gets better when practitioners share what is actually happening inside their agencies.
 

• Deadline to submit: July 31, 2026

• Check Here to Submit Your Proposal for CAPPO27!

Cliff Chroust CPPO NIGP-CPP & Andrew Becker CPPB

Across California, teams are preparing for fiscal year end while also advancing long term commitments such as pursuing the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP) and investing in professional development and certification. CAPPO supports this growth through resources and scholarship opportunities that help members reach their educational and career goals.

We are also seeing meaningful shifts in how agencies approach supplier engagement. New tools, collaborative platforms, and targeted outreach are helping us build stronger, more transparent, and more inclusive partnerships. From focused workshops to data informed strategies, procurement teams are redefining what effective supplier relationships can look like—strengthening competition, value, and trust across our communities.

And as we navigate the many priorities that move in parallel, the core truth of our profession remains: the demand is steady and mission critical. Procurement doesn’t pause, which means how we navigate incoming needs and direct our collective efforts plays a defining role in advancing this essential work with clarity and purpose.

Through all of this motion, one constant remains: our relationships. The partnerships we build with internal clients, suppliers, and community stakeholders allow us to navigate change with confidence and support innovation, problem solving, and trust in public service.

As we balance year end demands, professional growth, and evolving approaches to operations, I am inspired by the way our community continues to rise to the moment. We prioritize what matters, adapt when needed, and stay connected to the people we serve.

This is the heart of procurement leadership—not just managing the work, but moving with purpose through every change that comes our way.
CAPPO is proud to stand with you in this season of motion. Thank you for your dedication, your professionalism, and the example you set for our field.

So, what exactly is CUPCCAA, and why should you care?

Let’s shine a spotlight on the California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (CUPCCAA), a crucial piece of legislation that offers California public agencies the ability to get out from under their base bid limits for public works which are typically between $5,000 and $25,000 depending on the agency.  As an exception to the standard bid limits, CUPCCAA modified the limit and equalized it for all public agencies who opt to submit to the rules.  As of 2026, the trigger for bidding is any project over $75k with a few things not required for projects under $220k but over $75k.  If an agency opts in, this law ups the bid limits and adds requirements to ensure transparency and accountability in public construction procurement, while helping agencies keep processing costs down on their smallest projects.

What is CUPCCAA?

CUPCCAA was enacted in 1983.  This legislation provides public agencies the option to adopt an alternative to the full expense and time needed to execute a construction bid for work under $200k and even less stress for work under $60k.  With those benefits comes the requirement to adhere to standardized accounting procedures and some added notification processes for public works projects. The documentation is intended to help keep projects that need to be publicly bid out on the streets.

What makes it special?

Instead of only 2 ways to get quotes or bids from construction contractors for needed work – proposals for under your agency’s bid limit and full bidding for anything over that, agencies now have 3 ways:

1. Under $75k (Not a “bid”):  Just notify folks on your list about the project and get proposals.  Then you can negotiate the final scope and price and move ahead with contracting.
   
2. Over $75k but under $220k (Informal Bid):  This is generally a formal bid with a few nuances.  1) An expensive advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation isn’t needed; 2) no public bid opening is required; and 3) the duration of the bid period can be shortened.  Otherwise, things remain the same as the next higher way – formal bidding.
   
3. Over $220k (Formal Bid) – Things go back to the standard hard bid process with all the nuances that come with that method.
   

How does it work?

Since CUPCCAA rules are based on the cost of the project it makes sense that the steps are;
Scope the Project:  The agency must decide what the scope of the project is so that an idea of cost can be established.
Get an Idea of Cost:  Once the project is scoped, the agency must figure out how much it is likely to cost when the work is done.  They can use past projects as references, cost estimating guides or call a public agency colleague who may have done something similar recently.

Decide What Way to Use:  Take the project’s entire construction cost of all contracts including furniture and equipment needed to complete it and compare it to the 3-project cost triggers and pick the right procurement method.  Then, follow the rules for the one that was picked!

The accounting part

To be compliant with the accounting part of the Act agencies need to:
Keep a record of the scope and cost information they created pre-procurement.
Provide a unique project number for each project and charge all costs to a single number.  If it is a one-to-one relationship of scope to contract, that may suffice.  Since it is okay to use more than one contract to deliver any project, a separate number in the budget string may be the best way to go for each project, not each contract.
Keep records of in-house labor hours and materials if the work was done in full or in part with in-house forces.  If not, then the contract(s) will suffice.

In conclusion

The California Uniform Public Cost Accounting Act (CUPCCAA) stands as a beacon of flexibility and efficiency in the realm of public construction procurement in California. By offering public agencies the ability to use quotes or simplified bids on small projects, CUPCCAA streamlines the process, reduces unnecessary expenses, and ensures transparency and accountability every step of the way.

If this little article was helpful, check out how QualityBidders can help save time and money!  A one-stop online place for construction contractors to self-serve!  They can sign up to be on your CUPCCAA list, and then watch for opportunities to bid at no cost to them.  You get an easy-to-use system that saves you a huge amount of time and effort to quickly notify your contractors about bid opportunities & more!  Take a look! Get a free demo!  Visit us at https://www.ColbiTech.com/QualityBidders

Click here to see entire press release. 

While having lunch with a fellow retired procurement colleague, we discussed the apparent ethical violations we’ve either observed or experienced firsthand during our long careers.  In hindsight, we were actually joking to see who would come closest to getting fired for “doing the right thing.” Although we were pretty neck and neck, I may have edged her out with the following close call:
 
I was a Senior Buyer in a medium-sized city with a Procurement team of six, just finishing up the evaluation and award of an RFP, when it happened.

The call came late Friday afternoon, just as I was wrapping up an evaluation summary and award recommendation for a multimillion-dollar contract that had 
drawn strong competition and was politically sensitive.
 
“Hey,” the voice said casually. “I wanted to talk to you about that contract award recommendation.” 

I immediately recognized the voice. It was a councilmember known for challenging awards (95% of the time without an apparent reason).
 
He was friendly. Influential. And, as it turned out, very interested in one particular vendor.

“They’re a good local business,” the councilmember continued. “Would be great for the community. I think you should take another look at their proposal.”
 
I paused, thinking: The evaluation was complete. The scoring was documented. The recommended firm had clearly outperformed the others.

Including the one being suggested.
 
“I appreciate that,” I replied carefully, “but the evaluation process is closed, and the scoring was based on the criteria in the RFP.”
 
There was a pause.

Then the tone shifted, just slightly.
 
“Well… I’d hate for us to miss an opportunity here. Sometimes these processes can be… flexible.”
 
And there it was.

Not a direct order.

Not a threat.

Just enough pressure to blur the line.
 
I reiterated the process and award, thanked him, hung up, and sat still.
 
Because this wasn’t just about compliance.

It was about consequence.
 
Pushback risks being labeled “difficult.”

Comply and compromise with the process.
 
And somewhere in the back of every procurement professional's mind sits the unspoken question:

• What does doing the right thing cost me?
• Careers have stalled over less.
• Reputations have been quietly reshaped with a single label: “not a team player.”

Then it hit me, procurement isn’t about comfort.

It’s about stewardship.
 
Before leaving for the weekend, I documented the conversation and emailed my supervisor a heads-up.

First thing Monday morning, I followed up with my Legal supervisor and looped in the City Manager. 

Not so much as an accusation.

But as a protective measure, for the process, the agency, and yes… ME.
 
A response was drafted:

• The evaluation process was completed in accordance with the RFP
• All vendors were treated equally
• Any deviation would expose the agency to protest and liability

The message was professional. Respectful. And immovable.
The councilmember never called back.
 
In public procurement, the hardest decisions rarely come from the specifications…
 
They come from the moments when no one is watching, when influence tests your integrity, and the easy path whispers louder than the right one.
 
Because to Elevate the profession, we must stand firm in principle.
To Innovate, we must build systems that protect transparency and accountability.
And to truly Celebrate, we must safeguard the public trust that defines our work.
 
That’s how we unlock the next decade — not by bending the process… but by strengthening it. CAPPO27.

Johnnie Terry | CAPPO Past President

This 100% online course provides four college credits in public procurement and is a fantastic way to deepen industry knowledge and enhance professional development.

What’s Included?

• Full scholarship to one of your members – no cost to participants
• One available spot for your members
• Free eBook version of NASPO’s Practical Guide
• Course Dates: Monday, September 28 – Saturday, December 12

A syllabus is attached for reference.

Spread the Word! Please share this opportunity with your members. If anyone is interested, email me their name and full contact information (name, title, phone number, address, email) and cc the nominee on the email.

Deadline to submit nominations: Friday, July 10th, at the end of business day

Don’t miss out on this fantastic chance to grow in the procurement field!

Ready to invest in yourself, attend conference, advance your career, or recognize an incredible colleague?

CAPPO is excited to support our members through scholarship and award opportunities designed to encourage professional growth, leadership, and service in public procurement.

But don’t wait — important deadlines are coming soon!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Scholarship Applications Due: June 30, 2026 by 5:00 PM

Volunteer Award Nominations Due: August 31, 2026 by 5:00 PM

Scholarship Opportunities

Virginia Wilson-Wright Conference Scholarship

Receive Up to $2,000 for Conference Attendance!

Have you been wanting to attend a CAPPO Conference but budget constraints have held you back?

This scholarship could be your opportunity to experience:

• Professional development
• Industry-leading education
• Valuable networking
• Fresh ideas and inspiration

The Virginia Wilson-Wright Conference Scholarship provides up to $2,000 to help cover conference registration and travel expenses for CAPPO members.

CAPPO Conferences are more than events — they’re opportunities to connect, grow, and recharge your passion for public procurement.

Applications are due June 30, 2026 by 5:00 PM.

👉 Apply here: https://www.cappo.org/page/Scholarshipvww

Brian McGuire Educational Scholarship

Advance Your Career with $1,000 in Educational Support

Your professional growth matters — and CAPPO wants to help you take the next step.

The Brian McGuire Educational Scholarship awards $1,000 to support professional development opportunities such as:

• Coursework
• Certifications
• Specialized training
• Continuing education
• Other qualifying educational pursuits

Whether you’re pursuing a certification, enrolling in a class, or sharpening your skills, this scholarship can help make it happen. Invest in yourself today!

Applications are due June 30, 2026 by 5:00 PM.

Apply here: https://www.cappo.org/page/Scholarshipbem

Award Opportunity

Craig A. Rader Volunteer of the Year Award: Celebrate Someone Who Makes a Difference!

CAPPO’s success is powered by dedicated volunteers who generously give their time, leadership, and energy to support our organization and profession.

Now is your chance to recognize one of those outstanding individuals!

We encourage all members to nominate an active regular CAPPO member for the Craig A. Rader Volunteer of the Year Award — honoring those who go above and beyond to make a meaningful impact.

If someone immediately came to mind while reading this… that’s probably your nominee.

Submit nominations by August 31, 2026 by 5:00 PM.

Nominate here: https://www.cappo.org/page/Rader_Volunteer_Award

Take Action Today!

• Apply for a scholarship
• Encourage a colleague to apply
• Nominate an outstanding volunteer
• Invest in your professional future

These opportunities are designed to support and celebrate the amazing professionals who make CAPPO strong.

Don’t miss your chance to participate!

For additional details and submission information, visit the links above or go to cappo.org and click on the “About CAPPO” tab.

Questions or comments? We’d love to hear from you!

The San Diego Chapter of the California Association of Public Procurement Officials (CAPPO) continues to grow as an active, engaged, and collaborative community of procurement professionals. Over the past year, the chapter has focused on expanding participation, encouraging professional development, and creating meaningful opportunities for members to connect and learn from one another.

CAPPO San Diego Chapter Visit – Leo Carrillo Ranch, Carlsbad (2024)

2025 was a standout year marked by a series of dynamic in-person meetings and educational field visits. Members had the opportunity to explore unique public facilities across the region, including the William D. Cannon Art Gallery, the City of Carlsbad Safety Training Center, and the Maerkle Reservoir. Each visit offered valuable firsthand insight into how public agencies operate behind the scenes and highlighted the essential role procurement plays in supporting diverse community services.

CAPPO San Diego – Carlsbad Safety Training Center (August 2025)

These gatherings strengthened peer relationships and created opportunities for productive discussions on best practices, real-world challenges, and innovative approaches within the procurement profession. The chapter’s commitment to creating spaces where professionals can connect, share, and support one another has been key to its continued momentum.

CAPPO San Diego – CMWD Maerkle Reservoir Tour (July 2025)

Looking ahead, the San Diego Chapter aims to build on this strong foundation. For 2026, the focus remains on increasing member participation, delivering impactful and informative meetings, and expanding hands-on learning through additional field trips and site visits. By offering a blend of education, networking, and exploration, the chapter continues fostering an environment where procurement professionals can grow in both expertise and community.

The San Diego Chapter’s dedication reflects the spirit of CAPPO—strengthening the profession through knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and service. As the chapter continues to expand, so does the shared impact of its members across the region.

The root cause was not the process itself, but how that process was communicated. While the evaluation approach existed internally, it was not fully explained in the RFP. Once the agency clarified scoring definitions, added examples, and made expectations more transparent, the impact was immediate. Questions dropped significantly, and the protest activity disappeared.

That outcome reinforces an important point: Transparency in evaluation matters. Yet, it also raises a natural next question, if clearer scoring reduces confusion, what else in our RFPs are suppliers still trying to interpret?

Scope descriptions may be technically accurate but interpreted differently by suppliers. Requirements may assume a level of familiarity that not all respondents share. Instructions may outline what is required, but not what differentiates a strong response from an average one. Over time, these small gaps create friction. Suppliers begin to fill in missing context on their own, and those assumptions do not always align with the agency’s intent.

Traditionally, this is where the question-and-answer process comes into play. Suppliers ask for clarification, and agencies respond through addenda or online Q&A. While this is an essential part of the process, it is also inherently reactive. It depends on suppliers identifying areas of confusion after the RFP has already been released.

AI as an RFP Clarity Checker

A growing number of procurement teams are starting to shift that effort earlier by reviewing their RFPs specifically for clarity before release. This is where artificial intelligence is beginning to offer practical support to public procurement teams throughout California and the country as a whole. Rather than focusing on automation or decision-making, AI can be used as a structured review tool that highlights areas where language may be unclear, requirements may be interpreted in multiple ways, or additional context could improve supplier understanding.

In practice, this means identifying the types of questions suppliers are likely to ask before they are asked. It allows procurement teams to strengthen vague or incomplete scope descriptions, refine instructions, and clarify expectations in advance, reducing the need for follow-up and improving the overall quality of responses received.

Some teams think of this as introducing an additional layer of review, one focused not only compliance, but on clarity. It does not replace procurement expertise or judgment, nor the need for the end user or SME to review. Instead, it supports these teams by providing a consistent way to evaluate how a document may be interpreted externally. This can be especially helpful for teams managing high volumes of solicitations or working under tight timelines, where a second detailed review is not always feasible.

The CAPPO example shows how impactful one change can be. By clarifying evaluation criteria, the agency reduced questions and eliminated protests. Expanding that same level of clarity across the full RFP creates an opportunity to improve outcomes even further. When suppliers clearly understand what is being requested and how responses will be evaluated, they are better positioned to submit responsive, high-quality proposals.

For agencies looking to apply this approach, a simple starting point is to review an upcoming solicitation with a single question in mind: where might a supplier have to guess? From there, small adjustments such as refining language, adding examples, or clarifying expectations can make a meaningful difference.

Tools and platforms like Beacon Bid’s ProcureAI are incorporating AI-assisted drafting and review capabilities that help California government procurement teams identify gaps, improve clarity, and reduce unnecessary back-and-forth with suppliers.

The CAPPO story addressed one important source of confusion, but it also points to a broader opportunity. When procurement teams reduce the need for interpretation across the entire RFP, the process becomes more transparent, more efficient, and ultimately more effective for everyone involved.

Have an RFP you would like to send through Beacon Bid’s RFP Critic? 

Try it on your selected time with the help of the Beacon Bid team. Schedule your free, RFP Critic & review of ProcureAI.

Halfway through the walk, one contractor raised a hand.
“Where are the details for groundwater intrusion in this section?” he asked, pointing to a low-lying area.
Another contractor chimed in. “And what about shoring? These trenches look deeper than shown.” The group began comparing notes. Within minutes, it became clear: the Statement of Work didn’t address several unknown site conditions — groundwater, soil stability, and restricted access zones. The engineer looked concerned. The procurement officer looked… already thinking ahead.
After the walk, the engineer requested that we revise the SOW to address the newly identified conditions. The procurement officer agreed. The bid documents have been formally updated, and an addendum has been issued. To ensure fairness, the procurement officer scheduled a second mandatory bid walk.
That’s when the disagreement surfaced.
The engineer said, “Contractors who attended the first walk already saw the site. They don’t need to attend the second one.”
The procurement officer paused.
“That’s the problem,” she replied. “They saw the site before the requirements changed.”
The engineer argued it would be burdensome. Some contractors had traveled long distances. Requiring attendance again might reduce competition.
But the procurement officer held firm.
Because now, the project conditions weren’t the same.
The scope wasn’t the same.
The risk profile was definitely different.
If some bidders attended the second walk and others didn’t, the field would be uneven. Some contractors would hear updated explanations, clarifications, and risk discussions — while others would rely on outdated assumptions from the first walk.
So, the procurement officer issued the addendum:

• All bidders must attend the second mandatory bid walk to remain eligible.

• Attendance at the first walk alone will not qualify bidders.

There was grumbling. A few contractors complained. But the second walk proceeded — with updated drawings, clarified site conditions, and aligned expectations.
This time, the questions were sharper. The bids were tighter when they came in. And the procurement officer slept better knowing no one could claim they were bidding blind.
When the scope changes, the question isn’t whether bidders already saw the site —
…it’s whether they all saw the same project.

If you talk to procurement teams across California, you’ll hear a familiar theme: everything is shifting at once. New AI rules are landing on our desks. Policies are evolving faster than contracts can be updated. Agencies are modernizing systems while trying to hire, train, and retain the people who make those systems work.

And yet — in the middle of all this change — procurement professionals are stepping up in remarkable ways.

You see it in the analyst learning how to evaluate AI‑related risks for the first time.
You see it in the buyer helping their agency navigate conflicting guidance.
You see it in the small but mighty team modernizing processes while juggling a dozen competing priorities.

These moments tell a bigger story — one of resilience, creativity, and leadership across the state.

Public procurement in California is undergoing a transformation. New technologies, rising expectations, and shifting regulatory landscapes are reshaping how public agencies serve their communities. And at the center of that transformation is you — the procurement professionals who turn complexity into clarity and challenges into opportunities.

Every day, CAPPO members are redefining what leadership looks like in public service. Maybe it’s modernizing a workflow that’s long overdue for change. Maybe it’s opening doors for small and diverse businesses. Maybe it’s using data to help an agency make a smarter, more transparent decision. These efforts are happening everywhere — and together, they’re moving the profession forward.

That’s why CAPPO’s mission matters more than ever. We’re not just a professional association; we’re a statewide network of problem‑solvers and innovators who believe procurement can drive meaningful change. When one of us learns something new, we all benefit. When one agency tries a new approach, others follow. When we share our wins and our lessons, the entire profession grows stronger.

And the road ahead is full of possibility! From AI‑enabled tools to collaborative leadership models to data‑driven decision‑making, procurement is stepping into a more strategic role than ever before. CAPPO will continue to support that evolution with training, resources, and a community that understands the work because we’re living it too.
So here’s to the people behind the processes. The leaders behind the innovation. The professionals who show up every day, ready to make public service stronger, fairer, and more resilient.

This is our moment — and we’re shaping the future of public procurement together.

Jennifer Alford, CPPO, NIGP-CPP
President

Scholarships

CAPPO is excited to announce an extended deadline for our 2026 scholarship opportunities! If you’ve been considering applying - now is the time!

*New Scholarship Application Deadline: June 30, 2026 by 5:00pm*

Virginia Wilson-Wright Conference Scholarship: Attending conference can be transformative! CAPPO Conferences offer education, networking, and inspiration that strengthens your career and your agency.

The Virginia Wilson-Wright Conference Scholarship provides up to $2,000 to cover conference registration and travel expenses. This scholarship is designed to assist CAPPO members access valuable professional development opportunities who may not otherwise have the budget to attend.

If conference attendance has been on your wish list, this is your opportunity to make it happen!  Apply at this link: https://www.cappo.org/page/Scholarshipvww

Brian McGuire Educational Scholarship: Investing in your education strengthens not only your career, but the procurement profession as a whole. 

The Brian McGuire Educational Scholarship awards $1,000 to support professional development whether it’s coursework, certification, training, or other qualifying educational pursuits.

If you’re planning to pursue additional education or certifications, don’t leave funding on the table!  Apply at this link:  https://www.cappo.org/page/Scholarshipbem

Awards

Craig A. Rader Volunteer of the Year Award: CAPPO thrives because of the dedication and service of our volunteers. Now is the perfect time to recognize those who go above and beyond.

We encourage all members to nominate an active regular CAPPO member for the Craig A. Rader Volunteer of the Year Award. This award honors individuals whose time, leadership, and commitment have made a meaningful impact on our organization and profession.

If someone comes to mind immediately — that’s your nominee.

Don’t Wait — Nominate Today! Submit Your Nominations by August 31, 2026 by 5:00pm at the following link: https://www.cappo.org/page/Rader_Volunteer_Award

Take advantage of this opportunity to invest in yourself or recognize someone who deserves to be celebrated.

✔ Apply for a scholarship
✔ Encourage a colleague to apply 
✔ Nominate a deserving volunteer 

For application details and submission information, visit the links above or cappo.org and click on the ‘About CAPPO’ tab for additional details

We’d like to hear from you!  If you have questions or comments, please contact me!

Barbara Mason,
Scholarship Committee Chair, Director at Large
bmason@cappo.org

Two firms had submitted qualifications.  One stood clearly above the other.

The recommended firm demonstrated deep experience, a strong project team, and an impressive work plan. Their score reflected it—comfortably ahead of the only other respondent.

Everything seemed routine.

Until the phone rang.

The procurement officer answered and heard the words that make every public buyer pause:

“We need to let you know something… we won’t be able to provide the full team we proposed.”

The contractor explained that key personnel listed in the proposal had been reassigned to other projects. As a result, they could only deliver a portion of what had originally been proposed in their submittal.

The procurement officer hung up and stared at the evaluation matrix. 

Because the proposal that had been evaluated was no longer the one that could be delivered.

**The Procurement Crossroads**

The situation raised immediate concerns:

• The evaluation committee had scored specific personnel qualifications that were no longer available.
• The proposal had been evaluated based on capacity and capabilities that were now reduced.
• The RFQu had only two respondents, and the second-ranked firm scored significantly lower.

Awarding the contract as-is could expose the district to claims of unequal treatment or material changes to the proposal.  But canceling the procurement meant delaying an important project.

The procurement officer knew the decision had to protect three things simultaneously:

1. The integrity of the procurement process
2. The district’s operational needs
3. The taxpayer’s investment

**In retrospect**

🚩 Key Personnel Overcommitment: The winning firm proposed a team that appeared committed to several simultaneous projects.

🚩 Thin Competition - With only two respondents, the district had limited fallback options.

🚩 Material Change Risk: The contractor’s revised capability posed a potential material deviation from the evaluated proposal.

🚩 Material Change Risk: The contractor’s revised capability posed a potential material deviation from the evaluated proposal.

The district implemented a measured approach:

Step 1: Request Written Clarification - The apparent awardee was asked to formally describe: 

• Which personnel or services were no longer available
• Proposed substitutions
• Impact on scope and performance capacity

Step 2: Evaluate Materiality - Procurement and legal reviewed whether the changes constituted a material alteration of the evaluated proposal.

The conclusion - The proposal could not be accepted in its modified form without undermining the evaluation process.

Step 3: Protect the Procurement - Rather than shift the award to the significantly lower-ranked firm without confidence in their capability, the district:

✔ Cancelled the solicitation, citing changed conditions affecting the evaluation basis

✔ Notified all respondents transparently

✔ Reissued the RFQu with stronger requirements

Step 4: Strengthen the Next Solicitation 

The revised RFQu required: 

• Binding commitment of key personnel
• Written approval for substitutions
• Demonstration of current staff availability
• Disclosure of conflicting project commitments

**Lessons Learned** 

1. Proposals Must Be Deliverable - An evaluated proposal must reflect real capacity, not aspirational staffing levels.

2. Key Personnel Are Not Decorations - If the evaluation depends on specific staff, the solicitation must require firm commitments.

3. Two Bidders Are Not a Safety Net - Limited competition increases risk and demands even tighter procurement controls.

4. Procurement Integrity Is the Priority - Awarding a contract based on a proposal that no longer exists invites protests, performance issues, and reputational risk.

In public procurement, the most important question isn’t always “Who won?” 

Sometimes it’s simply: “Is the proposal we evaluated still the proposal we’re about to buy?”

Click here to read more and hear the podcast!

Picture this: two cars line up at the starting line.

In one sits a driver in a classic manual car. It’s sturdy and familiar, but every gear shift takes focus, and every turn slows the pace just a little. In the other sits a driver in a sleek, modern vehicle that reads the road ahead and adjusts automatically. It gives the driver room to think, to breathe, and to focus on the journey instead of the mechanics of getting there.

That’s the story of public sector procurement today. Manual processes have served government agencies for years, but they can be slow and exhausting. AI-powered procurement automation, especially with advanced automation platforms, is helping agencies shift into a higher gear.

Let’s take a lap through the course.

Lap 1: Identification – The Warm-Up

Here’s how the process starts. In the manual lane, things start with confusion. A public sector shopper emails a non-compliant store. A buyer rejects the request. A spreadsheet gets updated, maybe. Another email flies. Compliance gaps pop up like potholes.

Meanwhile, the automated lane glides ahead. With AI and built-in procurement tools, the shopper selects from a pre-approved supplier list. The system flags non-compliant choices before they ever hit the track. The request flows smoothly to the buyer; no detours or back-and-forth needed.

The result is simple. Less time chasing paperwork, more time focusing on what matters: getting the right goods and services into the right hands, fast.

Lap 2: Requisition & Approval – The First Turn

For manual procurement teams, this is where the race starts to feel uphill. Approvals get lost in inboxes. Budget checks turn into long email threads. What started as a quick request now sits idle for days.

In the automated lane, the story looks completely different. AI validates budgets instantly and routes approvals through predefined workflows. Notifications keep everyone on track. What once took days now happens in minutes, and no one’s burning out the engine.

Lap 3: Purchase Orders – Shifting Gears

If you’ve ever manually rekeyed supplier data, you know this stretch of the race can be painful. One small typo can send everything spinning off course.

AI-powered procurement automation changes that entirely. Purchase orders generate automatically from approved requests. You can send them to suppliers through the system, update budget records, and keep everything compliant, all without manual data entry.

No wrong turns, no missed fields, no time wasted double-checking.

Lap 4: Invoicing & Matching – The Straightaway

Manual invoicing is like driving through fog. Invoices arrive by email, data gets copied and pasted, mismatches cause long delays, and late payments pile up like traffic at rush hour.

Automated systems with AI clear the road ahead. Optical character recognition (OCR) reads invoice data from PDFs or emails, matches it to purchase orders and receipts, and flags any issues automatically.

Instead of starting over, finance teams see exactly what’s ahead and can focus on analysis instead of admin work.

Lap 5: Payment & Closeout – The Finish Line

In the manual world, the race doesn’t end when the invoice is approved. Someone still has to print checks, chase signatures, and confirm receipts by hand. Each step slows things down and adds risk for errors.

AI-powered procurement automation makes the finish line smooth. Payments are scheduled automatically. Receipts upload digitally. Everything reconciles in one place. The result is a clean, confident closeout and a team that’s ready for the next race.

The Trophy: Time

Across every stage of procurement, from sourcing and contracting to shopping and invoicing, AI-powered procurement automation and digital process tools deliver the same reward: time.

Not hype. Not just cost savings. But genuine breathing room.

The kind that lets small teams handle big workloads. The kind that allows professionals to focus on strategy instead of spreadsheets. The kind that proves technology works best when it supports people, not when it tries to replace them.

The Euna Solutions® State of AI in the Public Sector report shows that only 1.6% of agencies have broadly implemented AI so far. But the momentum is real. Most are experimenting, piloting, and learning, looking for solutions that make their existing procurement processes faster and easier without adding complexity.

That’s where Euna Procurement makes the difference. AI is built right into the Euna platform, helping agencies speed up sourcing, find suppliers faster, match invoices automatically, and ensure every purchase stays compliant.

So, whether your agency is still driving manual or just starting to automate, one thing is clear. The future of procurement isn’t about who has the flashiest car. It’s about who’s using technology intentionally to go farther, faster, and together.

Key Takeaways

Automation Advantage: AI-powered procurement automation enables faster, more compliant processes across public sector organizations.

Error Reduction: Digital workflows and built-in compliance checks reduce manual entry errors and risks.

Time Savings: Automated procurement solutions free up teams to focus on strategy and value, not paperwork.

Scalable Solutions: Even small agencies can manage larger workloads with the right AI-powered procurement automation tools.

Human-Centric Technology: The best procurement automation platforms support people, rather than replacing them.

Conclusion

AI-powered procurement automation transforms public sector procurement by streamlining every step, saving time, and empowering agencies to focus on what matters most.

FAQ

What is AI-powered procurement automation?

AI-powered procurement automation uses artificial intelligence and digital tools to streamline procurement processes, such as sourcing, approvals, and invoicing, making them faster and more accurate for public sector agencies.

How does automation improve compliance in procurement?

Automation platforms include built-in compliance checks and supplier lists, helping agencies avoid non-compliant purchases and reducing the risk of errors during procurement workflows.

What are the main benefits of AI-powered procurement automation for small teams?

Small teams benefit from time savings, reduced manual work, and the ability to handle larger workloads efficiently, thanks to automated workflows and real-time notifications.

Can AI-powered procurement automation integrate with existing systems?

Many AI-powered procurement automation solutions are designed to integrate with current financial and procurement systems, ensuring smooth transitions and data consistency across platforms.

Why is Euna Procurement mentioned as a solution?

Euna Procurement is highlighted because it offers AI-powered features built into its platform, helping public sector agencies accelerate sourcing, automate invoice matching, and ensure compliance throughout the procurement process.

“CAPPO’s future is written by its members. Each voice matters. Each idea contributes. Each act of service moves us forward. As volunteers and public procurement professionals, we know that progress does not happen in isolation. Clear communication and thoughtful coordination are essential to unlocking CAPPO’s next decade. Whether through chapter meetings, CAPPOConnect, conferences, social media, or mentoring conversations, every connection strengthens our association.

Together, let us continue to elevate, innovate, and celebrate—through strong communication, intentional coordination, and a shared commitment to service. The next decade is ours to unlock, and you are the key.”

As we reflect on the energy and success of the 2026 CAPPO Conference in San Diego, I want to begin with heartfelt gratitude. This year’s conference was a true celebration of who we are as an association—collaborative, innovative, and deeply committed to public service.

Thank you to Immediate Past President Scott Munzenmaier for his outstanding leadership, steady guidance, and humor throughout the past year. Scott’s dedication helped move CAPPO forward while keeping us grounded in our values. I also extend sincere appreciation to the CAPPO Board of Directors, whose volunteer service, strategic insight, and countless hours of work continue to strengthen our association.

To the Conference Planning Committee and CAPPO staff—thank you for delivering a meaningful, engaging, and memorable conference experience. From education and networking to moments of celebration and connection, your efforts framed the space for ideas to be sparked and relationships to deepen. I must also recognize our Partner Liaison, whose collaboration with suppliers resulted in a sold-out Supplier Expo creating valuable opportunities for members to engage directly with providers, exchange knowledge, and explore products and solutions for thoughtful consideration within their agencies. Conferences like this remind us why CAPPO has thrived for more than a century.

CAPPO has been instrumental in shaping my career through mentorship, peer collaboration, and leadership opportunities. It is truly an honor to serve as CAPPO President for 2026–2027, and I am grateful for the trust placed in me. CAPPO is not just an association; it is a community of more than 2,100 professionals who believe in ethical, transparent, and community‑serving procurement. Our strength has always been our people.

As we look toward Palm Springs 2027 and beyond, my presidency will focus on two key strategies that build on CAPPO’s existing strategic plan:

Member Engagement Expansion Ensuring every member—new and seasoned—has meaningful opportunities to participate, connect, and contribute. Engagement is the foundation of leadership development, professional growth, and association sustainability.

Community Exploration & Enhancement Strengthening relationships across chapters, agencies, and professional disciplines while gathering input from our members to guide CAPPO’s direction over the next decade.

These strategies align with our 2027 conference theme, “Elevate. Innovate. Celebrate. Unlocking the Next Decade.” This is not just a theme—it is an invitation to design CAPPO’s future together.

I am excited to warmly welcome our incoming Board of Directors. Each of you brings experience, perspective, and a shared commitment to service. I look forward to working alongside you as we coordinate efforts, align priorities, and turn ideas into action. The work ahead is meaningful, and I am confident that together we will continue to elevate CAPPO and the profession we serve.

As we approach March—also known as Procurement Month, we have an opportunity to celebrate the vital work public procurement professionals perform every day. It is a time to recognize the stewardship of public funds, commitment to fair competition, support of community needs, and professional excellence that define our profession. I encourage each of you to share your stories, recognize your teams, and celebrate the impact of procurement within your organizations and communities.

I look forward to the work we will accomplish together in the year ahead.

Jennifer Alford, CPPO, NIGP-CPP
CAPPO President 2026-2027

Applicability

This regulation applies to Class IV LSI[1] and Class V LSI[2] forklifts that are propane, natural gas, or gasoline fueled operated by California state and local government agencies. This regulation does not apply to rough-terrain forklifts.

Requirements for State and Local Government Agencies

Starting January 1, 2026, fleet operators are restricted from acquiring certain LSI forklifts. Also beginning in 2026, fleets must maintain records related to reporting requirements needed to demonstrate compliance with the regulation and submit annual reports. From 2028 to 2038, fleet operators are required to phase out existing LSI forklifts by model year (MY), addressing the oldest equipment first. Small and agricultural crop preparation service fleets have the option of following the Alternative MY Phase-Out Schedule for Class IV LSI forklifts. To reduce the burden for fleets with older forklifts, the required turnover of forklifts for the first compliance date is capped at no more than 50% of forklifts for large fleets (those with 26 or more forklifts) and 25% for small fleets and agricultural crop preparation services.

Additionally, fleet operators will need to contact their electric utility provider, no later than March 31, 2026, to initiate discussions regarding potential electrical-service installation or necessary upgrades for facilities where LSI forklifts are operated.

Timeline for State and Local Government Forklift Fleets

Forklift Model Year Phase-Out Schedule

Extensions and Exemptions

The regulation provides extensions for delays outside of the fleet operator’s control, such as delays in the delivery of ZEFs, delays in the installation of charging/fueling infrastructure, or if there is no commercially available ZEF model that can meet the needs of an operation currently served by an LSI forklift. The regulation would also provide exemptions in certain situations, such as for low-use, dedicated emergency use, and in-field forklifts.

Resources

Incentive programs, such as the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project, Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program , and FARMER may have funding options available for ZEFs.  More information can be found on the program pages.

CARB strives to maintain communication and collaboration with interested parties regarding the ZEF Regulation as we work towards bringing cleaner air to millions of Californians and combating climate change.

More Information:

CARB will not enforce the ZEF regulation against any privately-owned or operated fleets. CARB will not prohibit manufacturers, dealers, or rental agencies from producing, offering for sale, selling, or renting LSI forklifts in California if the forklifts meet all other federal and state regulations. CARB will continue to implement the ZEF regulation, for example, by updating the online reporting system to enable voluntary compliance.

Zero-Emission Forklift Regulation 

zeforklifts@arb.ca.gov

The Elite Eight is a last gateway to the Final Four men’s college basketball champion every year, in a tournament that is defined by in equal parts by preparation and unpredictability.

I’ll take that theme as inspiration for a CAPPO session on February 3^rd at 2:30 in San Diego, with a focus on the eight fundamentals to making ai usage an organizational reality in public procurement and throughout the overall organization.

Here are three core organizing concepts I’ll use to frame the talk — borrowed from the language of basketball because leadership, planning, and practice are universal.

1) The Will to Prepare
Bobby Knight said: “The will to succeed is important, but what’s more important is the will to prepare.”   Preparation isn’t glamorous, but it’s the only path to action, and action is the only path to outcomes.  The business case for ai only continues to accelerate, and without leadership use will continue to be scattered and sporadic.  And even if there are many stakeholders for enterprise ai adoption, procurement has a great ability to provide leadership through influence given the number of use cases in procurement to leverage new agentic capabilities to reduce time for task and support staff movement to more strategic work.

2) Game Plan Fundamentals
Michael Jordan’s advice is simple and true: “Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise.” The eight fundamentals I focus on in this speech range from establishing the organization precursors like a guiding body with a solid acceptable use policy, through to staff fundamentals like skill development, and into isolating and executing on innovation projects with some specific choices and actions.  In my talk I’ll walk through how eight specific fundamentals form a practical playbook for offices who need a pathway that is practical and actionable.

3) Continuous Improvement
Coach K’s blunt challenge captures the point: “If what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven’t done much today.”  With a checklist in hand, participants can validate where they are and move forward into establishing these fundamentals in their organization.  Whether an organization has none or all of the foundational elements already, there is always an ability to identify a next action to move forward tomorrow and show real outcomes, and to take ai out of a someday priority and into practical purpose.

Join me at CAPPO on Feb 3
I hope you are interested enough in this preview to find my session in the afternoon on Feb 3 at 2:30 Pacific to unpack the Elite Eight in a practical session designed for action, and built on the experience of our clients and our staff of procurement professionals.  It will be focused on how to find tangible results among many priorities.  Expect real-world examples and peer discussion!

If procurement had a mirror, it would reflect every hiring decision we’ve ever made — the good, the great, and the ones that left us staring at the ceiling at 2 a.m.

A few years back, I was hiring a new buyer. We’d been through a lengthy recruitment drought — a tough market, high turnover, and the eternal struggle to find someone who could read a specification and a room. Then one résumé landed in my inbox that practically glowed.
Impressive credentials. Multiple certifications. Knew every acronym from IFB (RFB) to AI. Their cover letter read like a procurement love poem. During the interview, they dazzled with technical jargon and strategic buzzwords. I’ll admit — I was sold before they sat down.

But about three weeks into the job, the shine started to dull.
They were brilliant with data — but couldn’t connect with departments. They viewed every client request as an interruption instead of an opportunity. When an engineer asked for help rewriting a scope, they replied, “That’s not my job.”

It was technically correct — and entirely wrong.
By month four, I realized I’d hired someone who wasn’t a procurement partner. I’d hired a procurement encyclopedia — full of information but incapable of human interaction. And in public service, that’s a problem.

When the position opened again, I did something radical (for government): I rewrote the interview.  Half the questions were still about technical skills.

The other half focused on empathy, collaboration, and communication — the soft skills that make the hard work happen.

I asked things like:
• “Tell me about a time you turned a difficult customer into an ally.”
• “How do you explain procurement to someone who hates procurement?”

The candidate we hired didn’t have every certification yet — but they had humility, humor, and heart. Within months, departments were praising them by name. They didn’t just process contracts; they built trust.

Lesson for procurement officials: Technical skills can be trained. Emotional intelligence, adaptability, and service mindset? Those are the rare commodities we should bid on.

At Granite Data Solutions (GDS), we understand that managing technology isn’t just about deploying new assets, it’s also about responsibly retiring the old ones. Across large organizations, outdated IT equipment often accumulates in closets, warehouses, and storage rooms, creating both logistical and perception challenges. To the untrained eye, stacks of computers, monitors, and servers may appear valuable, but most are long past their useful life.

Recognizing this challenge, GDS partnered with a long-standing client to design and execute a large-scale e-waste recovery and recycling initiative that has since evolved into a model for sustainable IT asset management across the state.


Identifying the Challenge

The client’s IT teams were managing a growing inventory of outdated hardware, everything from servers and network gear to cables and monitors. While local schools initially accepted donations of retired equipment, advances in technology and improved funding eventually reduced that demand.

Traditional e-waste vendors provided limited relief. Most were equipped for small, residential pickups, not enterprise-scale volumes. Many charged fees, restricted what they accepted, or declined non-functional items entirely. Preparing each asset for disposal was a time-consuming task involving data sanitation, asset tag removal, and documentation.

Over time, an unused server room became a makeshift storage space for this surplus equipment, until the volume reached a point where it could no longer be ignored.

A Partnership-Driven Solution

When the client turned to GDS for help, our team conducted a detailed site assessment to understand the scope of the challenge. The findings revealed years of accumulated technology—far more than initially anticipated.

Together, GDS and the client developed a structured plan and timeline for removal. The client’s IT team handled the preparation, sanitizing drives, removing tags, and compiling reports, while GDS coordinated logistics, packaging, and transportation. Within two months, the effort cleared nearly 45 pallets of obsolete IT equipment, all securely processed through certified recycling channels.


Expanding Statewide

Following the initial success, GDS and the client recognized that this was not an isolated issue. Other sites across the state were facing the same problem, aging technology piling up with no efficient or consistent disposal process.

GDS worked closely with the client to replicate the cleanup model across multiple facilities. To handle the increasing volume, GDS partnered with a large-scale certified recycling organization in the Bay Area, ensuring that every piece of equipment, functional or not, was responsibly processed.

Creating a Sustainable Model

To improve efficiency and sustainability, GDS introduced a two-way logistics strategy: trucks delivering new IT assets would simultaneously collect e-waste on their return trips. This closed-loop approach maximized transportation resources while reducing the project’s carbon footprint.

GDS also helped standardize the process statewide, creating consistent pickup schedules, documentation procedures, and data sanitation protocols for all participating locations.

The results were extraordinary. Requests quickly poured in from every region: 10 pallets from the Central Valley, 25 from the Bay Area, 40 from Southern California, and 75 from the High Sierras. In total, GDS coordinated the removal of more than 350–375 pallets, over 350,000 pounds, of outdated IT equipment. Every item was processed through certified recyclers, freeing up valuable space and significantly reducing environmental impact.


Setting the Standard for Sustainable IT

This initiative represented far more than a large-scale cleanup; it became a model for how public sector organizations can responsibly manage technology lifecycles at scale. Through partnership, planning, and logistical innovation, GDS helped transform a longstanding operational burden into a statewide success story.

What began as a simple principle “find a home for it or get rid of it” has evolved into a coordinated, sustainable approach to IT asset management that continues to benefit organizations, communities, and the environment.

SecureBids offers a secure, paperless platform for managing electronic solicitations, bids, RFPs, and contract opportunities. With real-time dashboards showing submission status, vendor engagement, and time remaining, officials gain oversight at a glance. Unlimited user accounts and vendor logins help scale participation without added costs, or paperwork. Encryption and audit trails ensure compliance and integrity while eliminating courier and mailing hassles.

AccountAbility serves as the financial backbone of capital-building programs. Developed from accrual-based spreadsheets and refined over 20+ years, it centralizes revenue, budget, and transaction data for multi-fund bond programs. School officials and bond accounting teams benefit from real-time visibility into expenditures, automated reporting, and internal controls, essential for routine reconciliation, tracking of multiple funds, and communicating with stakeholders.

QualityBidders simplifies the contractor prequalification process for public and CUPCCAA bids. Contractors complete a single online questionnaire that feeds responses into compliance-based scoring. Dashboards and automatic notifications keep you updated on application status and eligible pools by license type. The result? Reduced manual review time, fewer errors, and a larger, qualified vendor list, all accessible through one web-based interface.

By integrating these platforms, school business officials can automate repetitive tasks, ensure transparency, stay compliant, and focus on strategic decisions. From procurement to construction accounting, COLBI’s cloud tools are designed to simplify everyday workflows, helping school teams work smarter, respond faster, and confidently manage complex capital programs.