Baltimore Regional Cooperative Purchasing Committee

The Baltimore Regional Cooperative Purchasing Committee (BRCPC) hosted an IT Forum at the Baltimore Metropolitan Council’s offices on December 2, 2019 welcoming approximately 40 attendees.

Each year, BRCPC members identify areas of training that will enhance the ability of staff to perform their duties.

Last year, the forum focused on sustainability, while this year, IT was chosen. Technology and cyber matters are popular subjects. The one-day event started with a look into trending technology, including artificial intelligence, block chain and apps. Participants then dove into the State of Maryland’s new eMaryland Marketplace Advantage product, cyber insurance, and network penetration testing models. They also discussed modernizing data centers, the nature of cyber threats, and strategies for building team support for innovation.

This event was attended by all levels of government in a variety of divisions including staff from procurement, IT, executive and diversity offices.

The forum provided both the training needed to develop solid procurements that reduce risk to the entity and improve the product or service procured, as well as important industry insight into the constantly changing technology and cyber security markets. The event also convened diverse departments to understand each other’s needs and challenges.

The IT Forum provided essential training and also allowed professionals the opportunity to network with their peers. This facilitates a collaborative environment that is necessary to further cooperative purchasing goals.

This training program was coordinated by Debbie Groat, Cooperative Purchasing Director, as a member benefit. All participants were BRCPC members, who attended the forum free of charge. BMC is proud to provide this value-added benefit, designed to enhance the core competencies of our region’s professionals.

On Friday, November 15th the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) held their 68th Annual Fall MD and DC Conference at the Maritime Conference Center in Linthicum.

The one-day professional development conference provided presentations and discussions around leadership development, facilities, as well as trends in human resources, purchasing, and school business solutions.

BMC’s Cooperative Purchasing Director, Debbie Groat, was invited to join a panel discussion, entitled: “Cooperative Purchasing for School Roofing Construction.” The session was facilitated by Carla Viar Pullen, Facilities Planner for Queen Anne’s County Public Schools. The panel included representatives from the Garland Company and Jeffrey LaPorta, Executive Director of ASBO MD & DC. The group delved into alternative methods for bidding roofs, learned proven processes for reducing costs, and explored options to structure bids to optimize savings.

Debbie Groat provided additional details on the continued value of cooperative purchasing as a solution to rising costs and options for when competitive bidding falls short..