Perfecting the Procurement Process

About the Course

This is the first in a group of courses called the Facility Management for Parks and Recreation Professionals: Project Management series. Procurement, by functional definition, means obtaining products and services from organizations outside your own. Even within the centralized warehousing system that many public sector agencies utilize (in which all related departments order products and services from an internal location), the warehouse must be stocked utilizing the procurement process. As stewards of taxpayers' dollars, you must procure in a cost-effective and ethical manner.

About the Author

Marc Stachowski is a recently retired (October 2018) municipal public works operations deputy director from the city of Frederick, MD. He served in this position for nearly ten years. Marc led 180 employees in maintaining facilities and infrastructure, responding to weather and other emergencies while improving the welfare of the citizens and visitors to the city of Frederick. Additionally, he managed an operations budget in excess of $35 million and a capital improvements budget over $50 million annually. A few notable improvements include an Enhanced Nutrient Removal system for waste water treatment, steady upgrades to over 300 miles of road surface and associated infrastructure, compost and recycling programs, as well as leading several citizen focus groups to improve watershed land and neighborhood green spaces.

Prior to his almost 20 years in public works as a project manager, division chief, and eventually operations deputy director for the city of Frederick, Marc designed and sold agricultural buildings and managed construction crews for a sole-proprietorship. Directly after graduating from the Pennsylvania State University in agricultural mechanization (a blend of agricultural engineering and business management), Marc worked for the privately-owned agribusiness Cargill, Inc. At this company, Marc worked through a production operation plant management program while attaining his Master of Science in administration, with a focus on business management. In his nearly ten-year tenure at Cargill, Inc., he worked his way from poultry plant production supervisor/superintendent to project engineer and eventually feed mill manager.

Now that Marc is retired, he continues to train and manage small crews while completing personal and neighborhood projects. When he is not involved with projects, Marc attends Osher Lifelong Learning In"stitute (OLLI) classes; nurtures fruit trees; makes wine; and enjoys camping, cooking, woodworking, and spending time with his family and pets.

Course Schedule

This course is self-paced allowing you flexibility in the time needed to complete the course. You decide the order and progression you’d like to take, allowing you to revisit and review sections in greater depth as needed.

Elements of the course:

• An explanation of terms related to procurement
• Examples of best practices in procurement
• A Procurement Case Study

Following the course, you will complete an assessment which requires you to demonstrate your understanding of key course concepts. Upon successful completion of the assessment you will be awarded an electronic certificate of completion.

Course Chapters:

• Procurement Terminology
• The Procurement Process
• A Procurement Case Study

Course Objectives

After completing this course, learners should be able to:

• Define key terms in the procurement process
• Provide a basic description of the procurement approval process
• Describe your role and responsibilities as a member of a procurement selection team
• Articulate, using a case study, how to conduct an ethical bid process
• Describe your local procurement policies

Recommended Background

This course will be particularly helpful to new supervisors and managers, who have no or little experience with the procurement process. It will be particularly helpful to those who work with parks, recreation, and public land agencies. If you have taken the Facility Management Certificate Program or the Capital Improvement Certificate Program, you may find this course to be particularly helpful.

FAQ

Aside from an internet connection, what resources will I need for the course?

No additional resources are required for this course.

Will I get a certificate after completing the course?

Yes! All courses include a final assessment to evaluate your understanding of key course concepts. A certificate of completion will be offered to you if you complete the assessment with a score of 80% or higher.

Why should I take this course?

Each Eppley e-course is designed collaboratively among experienced instructional designers, subject matter experts, and our partner organizations and institutions. The course curriculum includes current information and best practices in the field, and it is recognized by national leaders in parks, recreation, and land management. Not only will this course benefit your career by expanding your knowledge base, but it will also enhance your application and problem-solving skills.

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