In the current economic climate, local, state and federal governments are trying to stretch their budgets while working to ensure fiscal integrity and to safeguard fundamental procurement principles. Many state and local entities are looking to federal funding sources, from Recovery Act funds to traditional grants, to help them close gaps in their funding. However, such funds come with additional requirements that lead some to ask: “Is all that glitters gold?” Other government entities stretch their funding by taking advantage of the golden opportunities offered by public private partnerships. Infusing private funding in return for the opportunity to operate a project may facilitate capital-intensive projects that otherwise would be too costly to pursue during tight economic times.

A specific capital-intensive project that may be deferred is updating computer hardware and software. Cloud computing may prove to be the pot of gold at the end of that rainbow, allowing public entities to upgrade outdated technology, increase access and flexibility, and spread costs over time. But concerns such as security, confidentiality, and access to critical documents during emergencies must be addressed. Private sector technology and other services may be viewed as the gold standard, and may stretch budgets when contractors are compensated from moneys recovered. However, in some cases, the perceived savings are just fool’s gold, and in other cases the services are simply inherently governmental and should be performed in-house. How should public entities decide? Finally, recent developments in state and local procurements may offer nuggets of insight to cash-strapped public entities.

What you need to know to get the most out of limited public contracting dollars will be covered in the program, including:

Whether and when outsourcing is advisable
Leveraging private dollars in PPP
Keeping up with technology through cloud computing
State and local recent developments

This will be an interactive program designed for all those involved in the process – government officials, government contracts administrators, attorneys, and contractors, where all will be encouraged to share their experiences and questions.

Join us on May 12 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for an optional evening practicum, followed by a hosted reception. Register today and network with other procurement professionals in the wonderful city of Sacramento.

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6th Annual State and Local Procurement Symposium

Symposium

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Program Overview

Meeting Documents