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SBAs 8a Program Can Help Some Companies Compete
The 8(a) Program (named after the section of the Small Business Act from which it comes) is an SBA program created to help small disadvantaged businesses better compete in the U.S. marketplace and within the arena of government procurement. The SBA provides business development, technical assistance and other services to the small businesses that are accepted into the 8(a) program.
III.b. E-Commerce and Primary Commodity Markets: E-COMMERCE AND SMALL ENTREPRENEURS
Most low-income developing countries continue to be primary commodity exporters (including oil, gas and other minerals, and agricultural products). Thus, short of wholesale diversification into manufactures and services, their immediate interest is in how e-commerce may affect competitiveness in their traditional export markets.

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While We Were Sleeping: A Story of Misdirected Efforts in the World of Public Sector Procurement Policy
It has been one of the more interesting weeks in the world of Government of Canada procurement policy-making. Despite the numerous “outward facing” storylines that can be pursued in terms of GoC activity, the real action (or lack thereof) is actually within the supplier community itself. I am of course referring to the ongoing inability of associations and lobbying groups to respond to government policy outside of the confines of a narrowly defined platform. A platform I would add in which the tempo is being set by the government.

The FOSS(ilization) of the supply chain: The risks of a strategy centered on Free and Open Source Software
I recently reviewed (actually browsed as there were only10 PowerPoint slides in total) a Government of Canada presentation to attendees of the September 2006 CIO Summit in Ottawa. Titled “IM/IT Government in Canada . . . Open to Business” the presentation emphasized the fact that “change is the only constant.” Referencing a transformation agenda which highlighted a variety of important areas including internal services such as finance, human resources and procurement, the case for open standards was offered as the best possible way to manage this ongoing evolution. More specifically, the concept of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) as a viable solution was introduced.

Technology's Diminishing Role in an Emerging Process-Driven World (Part 1)
Organizations that already have a technology driven program in place or have just recently implemented one still surprise me with their significant interest in the dramatic changes in procurement methodologies and practices. But rather than focusing learning on new and emerging technologies, today's procurement professionals seek insights into the actual processes that drive their enterprises. The impetus behind this change is largely the result of the fallout from the consistently high level of e-procurement initiative failures. Industry studies for the period 2001-2005 indicate 75-85 percent of all programs fail to achieve the promised results.

Vendor/consultant fees: Value for money?
IN MY RECENT TRAVELS presenting the Changing Face of Procurement conference series, a number of interesting trends began to emerge based on the feedback from the majority of those in attendance. Beside a growing cynicism in the "reports" that are published by organizations such as Aberdeen or Gartner, the most prevalent belief is that the cost for initiatives such as the recent $24 million spent in just 9 months by the federal government on AT Kearney are largely based on supporting the vendor's (or consultant's) sizeable infrastructure. In short, the costs are not a true reflection of the service, application or results vendors are providing. With a 75 to 85 percent rate of e-procurement initiative failure, it is hard to argue this point.
How does policy either motivate or undermine employee performance?
In an excerpt from a November 20th post in the Procurement Insights Blog titled "How Leadership Repeatedly Under-Mines Their Most Valuable Procurement Asset" (see below), I discussed the impact that current procurement policies and environments have on purchasing professionals within their respective organizations.

The Greening of Procurement Revisited (Part 2)
As a follow-up to my post from earlier this week, I am pleased to present Part 2 of the 2 part Greening of Procurement Series: It’s Not Easy Being Green! For those of you who would like to delve even deeper into the factors that are shaping both public and private sector sustainability strategies, including case studies on companies such as Kodak and Ford, you can purchase ($20) my white paper titled The Greening of Procurement: How Social Consciousness is Re-Shaping Procurement Practices (contact the author for ordering details)
Are there 80,000 reasons that Alcock borrowed a page from Gershon?
“In what has been described as the most significant restructuring of public services for a generation, the rest of the $21 billion (in savings) will have to come from overall efficiency gains such as improving the procurement system, and streamlining areas such as information technology and human resources. That’s why the skeptics are skeptical.” In case some of you are wondering if I am just repeating what I had written in Saturday’s post regarding Reg Alcock’s statement “that the “federal government is on the verge of launching the biggest transformation in the way government is managed in its history,” the above comment was made during a July 22, 2004 BBC interview with Sir Peter Gershon.

How Your Procurement Practices Affect Your Sales and Brand
Ethical selling and procurement (purchasing) is now in the spotlight. Harvey Norman’s recent publicity surrounding their supposed sourcing and use of Australian native old growth forest timbers in their Chinese made furniture has drawn light on retail procurement practices. Procurement is now fairly and squarely in the spotlight and choices surrounding sourcing and distribution activities can have a dramatic effect on a company’s brand, reputation and sales revenue.

Is supplier incumbency a major problem with government contracting?
When you consider the fact that a good many government procurement experts - including those involved with the procurement process itself, have routinely suggested that 90% of all contract winners are decided before an RFP is actually issued (check out the Al Gordon interview under the Videos Tab of this Portal), one cannot help but wonder if it is worthwhile to pursue opportunities for which there is an already established relationship with an incumbent supplier.

Procurement and Purchasing Cards
This article looks at how procurement cards - or P-cards - work to control misuse through setting of parameters on types, amounts, locations and frequencies of purchases. Also addressed are benefits and drawbacks of procurement card programs.

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