Events - Event View

Topic:  Effective Procurement and Contracting in the Global Supply Chain
This session discusses current government procurement and contracting strategies, tools, and perspectives needed to thrive in today's complex supply chain environment.  Participants will explore how to drive measurable organizational value through smarter sourcing, stronger supplier partnerships, and best contract practices aligned with risk identification, resilience and innovation.  The discussion will highlight contemporary competencies-AI analytics, governance, ethical leadership, and cross-border contracting-that elevate your professional impart for your long-term career growth.  It's a forward-looking, practical seminar designed to strengthen both your organization's performance and your own professional achievement.

Speaker: John "Jack" M. Pellegrino, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPCM, NCMA Fellow
Jack Pellegrino is an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Diego, Knauss School of Business, teaching supply chain, operations and information systems.  Jack also is a NIGP instructor and consultant.  He has more than 45 years of public and private sector government contracting and procurement experience, including serving for over a decade as Director of Purchasing and Contracting for the County of San Diego, overseeing the centralized procurement program supporting 40+ departments and an annual spend exceeding $2.0 billion. Jack is a past president of California Association of Public Procurement Officials (CAPPO), a National Contract Management Association (NCMA) Fellow and serves on national and international contract-management standards committees.  A few of his recognitions have included: the 2020 CSAC County Procurement Executive of the Year (Southern Region); the 2015 Walt Ekard Integrity in Action Award; and the 2016 CAO Excellence in Leadership Award.

Jack's education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Benedictine College; Masters in Procurement & Acquisition Management (Northrop Rice Aviation Institute); Advanced Specialization Certification in Government Contract Management (UCLA).

 
Topic:   AI as Your Procurement Co-Pilot
AI is quickly becoming part of the public procurement profession, but it does not replace the judgment, experience, or accountability of procurement professionals.  It should strengthen them.

This session will show procurement professionals how to use AI as a practical daily co-pilot, not as a replacement for subject matter expertise.  We will cut through the hype and focus on real-world uses that can help procurement staff save time, improve consistency, and strengthen public trust.

Participants will learn how AI can help triage email backlogs, draft solicitation language from existing templates, build fee schedules, summarize meetings, review procurement documents, and create prompts that reflect their role, agency rules, and procurement code.  The session will also address responsible use, including human review, confidentiality, transparency, and why professional judgment matters more than ever.

Attendees will leave with practical examples, prompts they can use immediately, and a clearer understanding of how AI can support a stronger, more defensible procurement career.

Speaker:   Aran Raz, Procurement Manager for the City of Westminster, Colorado

Aran leads procurement modernization, process improvement, and the continued development of a more centralized procurement model.  He has also held procurement and contracting leadership roles with Denver International Airport and the State of Colorado.

Aran is the founder of GovAIPro, an AI training and consulting practice focused on helping government and public-sector procurement professionals adopt AI in practical, responsible, and defensible ways.  His work focuses on using AI to support public trust, improve procurement workflows, preserve institutional knowledge, and keep subject matter experts in the driver's seat.

Aran is also a U.S. Navy veteran.


Continental Breakfast

Lunch:
Lasagna
Red Roasted Potatoes
Grilled Vegetables

Vegetarian/Vegan:
Penne Pasta

Gluten Free:
Lemon Herb Chicken