CPE Speakers Bureau

Providing Presentation to Regional, State and National Events
Upcoming Presentations

Our Procurement Leaders are available (free of charge) for your regional and national conferences and meetings. CPE brings unique perspectives from in-the-know innovators that lift procurement to new heights.

CONTACT: Amy@centerprocurement.org to schedule CPE for your event

RFPs as Part of Procurement Excellence

Writing a Request for Proposal (RFP) can be a daunting task; however, selecting the best supplier team is one of THE most important steps in delivering successful project outcomes. This session will explain the elements that make up a “High-Performing RFP” and the importance of positioning your organization as a “Client of Choice” to attract the most qualified suppliers. We share specific tips for different project types to help you approach your next RFP with confidence and ease.

Stuck in a Low Bid World?

Recommendations to Adopt Next Practices TODAY

Let’s cut straight to the chase: low bid procurement is extremely risky and has far reaching negative impacts to many parts of our work. As a result, quality decreases and the owner receives an inferior product. We are at a crossroads: continue the status quo on project procurement or make the change to leverage expertise. Through real examples and practical advice, procurement professionals can learn to become the industry’s “client of choice.”

Developing a High-Performing Statement of Work

Developing a clear Statement of Work (SOW) can be challenging. Some SOWs are vague and lack critical details; others have requirements that are overly prescriptive or limit the ability for suppliers to bring innovative ideas. The core elements of a High-Performing SOW will also be shared along with tangible examples from a variety of projects (e.g., IT/Software, Design/Construction, Facilities & Operations, Business and Professional Services, and more.)

The Practical Guide to Effective Supplier Evaluations

We’ve all seen the job posting which seems as if it were written for a specific candidate…it’s frustrating because you don’t have a chance when the outcome is predetermined! Unfortunately, suppliers often feel the same way about Owner RFPs and Evaluation Procedures. This session includes a lively discussion on five specific changes that will make your next evaluation process faster, leaner, and easier.

Navigating the Perilous Waters of Administration & Procurement Scheduling 

This hands-on presentation will cover a range of topics in RFP Administration including detailed recommendations on “RFP Scheduling” (key procurement activities and recommended timelines) along with a range of RFP Administration activities, such as managing vendor pre-bid meetings, responding to vendor RFIs, coordinating vendor interviews & demonstrations, handling vendor debriefings, and facilitating our internal business units throughout the entire RFP process!

Creating Win-Win Partnerships Between Procurement & Your Internal Customers

This engaging presentation will explain how procurement professionals can use best practices to enable a successful acquisition experience for all. We will provide practical steps, checklists / considerations, and soft-skills needed to help clients prepare their SOWs and RFPs. We’ll address common concerns like: What does your client need (& want) to know? How can procurement add the most value when working with internal user groups? How do you navigate disagreements, either between the internal customer and/or procurement regulations? Learn how procurement can be a value creator for the great public good.

Vendor Debriefings: Out of the Multiverse of Madness

There are few things more frustrating to your industry partners than submitting a proposal… and not getting quality feedback. An effective supplier debriefing tells the industry that the owner is responsive, wants to hire the best, and seeks quality proposal packages. Don’t let your organization be known as the black hole of proposal submissions! We provide four strategies to make your next vendor debriefing meeting a mind-bendingly refreshing experience for all involved.

Share Your Project Budget (and Leave the Sneaking to Hobbits)

We’ve all seen the job posting which seems as if it were written for a specific candidate…it’s frustrating because you don’t have a chance when the outcome is predetermined! Unfortunately, suppliers often feel the same way about Owner RFPs and Evaluation Procedures. This session includes a lively discussion on five specific changes that will make your next evaluation process faster, leaner, and easier.

Practical Leadership Skills for Procurement Professionals

Research studies across hundreds of procurement organizations and thousands of projects has shown that the effective procurement leader is the consummate “people-centric” professional. Whether we are developing strategic objectives with our organization’s leadership, preparing the next major acquisition, forming evaluation committees, or engaging with the vendor community, leadership skills are crucial (and are often underdeveloped). Learn how to navigate the complexities of inter-personal dynamics that people bring to the table when participating on your next acquisition.

Our Procurement Leaders are available (free of charge) for your regional and national conferences & meetings

 

The Center for Procurement Excellence Speakers Bureau improves the effectiveness of public and private procurement through education, research, resources, and firsthand experience. No matter where you sit at the table, CPE brings unique perspectives from in-the-know innovators that lift procurement to new heights.

 

CPE’s Speakers Bureau provides the “best-in-class” content that enables procurement professionals to learn how to deliver Better Projects with Better RFPs without the typical conference presentation “sales” hype.  

 

Check out our list of sample topics below and find the best fit for your next event! We also are actively engaging with other organizations to provide half-day and full-day RFP training events. 

Fill out my online form.

Relevant Topics for Today’s Procurement Professionals

RFPs as Part of Procurement Excellence

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3

Writing a Request for Proposal (RFP) can be a daunting task; however, selecting the best supplier team is one of THE most important steps in delivering successful project outcomes. This session will explain the elements that make up a “High-Performing RFP” and the importance of positioning your organization as a “Client of Choice” to attract the most qualified suppliers. We share specific tips for different project types to help you approach your next RFP with confidence and ease.

Stuck in a Low Bid World? Recommendations to Adopt Next Practices TODAY

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3

Let’s cut straight to the chase: low bid procurement is extremely risky and has far-reaching negative impacts to many parts of our work. As a result, quality decreases and the owner receives an inferior product. We are at a crossroads: continue the status quo on project procurement or make the change to leverage expertise. Through real examples and practical advice, procurement professionals can learn to become the industry’s “client of choice.”

 

Insights for Effective Market Research & Developing a High-Performing Statement of Work

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3

Developing a clear Statement of Work (SOW) can be challenging. Some SOWs are vague and lack critical details; others have requirements that are overly prescriptive or limit the ability for suppliers to bring innovative ideas. The core elements of a High-Performing SOW will also be shared along with tangible examples from a variety of projects (e.g., IT/Software, Design/Construction, Facilities & Operations, Business and Professional Services, and more.)

 

The Practical Guide to Effective Supplier Evaluations

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3

We’ve all seen the job posting which seems as if it were written for a specific candidate…it’s frustrating because you don’t have a chance when the outcome is predetermined! Unfortunately, suppliers often feel the same way about Owner RFPs and Evaluation Procedures. This session includes a lively discussion on five specific changes that will make your next evaluation process faster, leaner, and easier.

 

Navigating the Perilous Waters of RFP Administration and Procurement Scheduling

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3

This hands-on presentation will cover a range of topics in RFP Administration including detailed recommendations on “RFP Scheduling” (key procurement activities and recommended timelines) along with a range of RFP Administration activities, such as managing vendor pre-bid meetings, responding to vendor RFIs, coordinating vendor interviews & demonstrations, handling vendor debriefings, and facilitating our internal business units throughout the entire RFP process!

 

Creating Win-Win Partnerships Between Procurement and Your Internal Customers

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3

This engaging presentation will explain how procurement professionals can use best practices to enable a successful acquisition experience for all. We will provide practical steps, checklists / considerations, and soft-skills needed to help clients prepare their SOWs and RFPs. We’ll address common concerns like: What does your client need (& want) to know? How can procurement add the most value when working with internal user groups? How do you navigate disagreements, either between the internal customer and/or procurement regulations? Learn how procurement can be a value creator for the great public good.

 

Vendor Debriefings: Out of the Multiverse of Madness

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3

There are few things more frustrating to your industry partners than submitting a proposal… and not getting quality feedback. An effective supplier debriefing tells the industry that the owner is responsive, wants to hire the best, and seeks quality proposal packages. Don’t let your organization be known as the black hole of proposal submissions! We provide four strategies to make your next vendor debriefing meeting a mind-bendingly refreshing experience for all involved.

 

Share Your Project Budget (and Leave the Sneaking to Hobbits)

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3

To share or not to share your budget… that is the question! CPE’s research across thousands of procurements has shown that developing a clear statement of work can do more than almost anything else to entice the industry’s top suppliers in your projects. And the budget is one of the crucial pieces that many organizations leave out. Our recommendation: if your project has a budget, share it. Put it right into the solicitation docs, up front, where everyone can see it. And we know there are a lot of concerns with this (what about inflated bid prices? won’t the suppliers take advantage of us?) Attend this presentation to learn how this best practice can change the course of your organization!

 

Practical Leadership Skills for Procurement Professionals

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3

Research studies across hundreds of procurement organizations and thousands of projects has shown that the effective procurement leader is the consummate “people-centric” professional. Whether we are developing strategic objectives with our organization’s leadership, preparing the next major acquisition, forming evaluation committees, or engaging with the vendor community, leadership skills are crucial (and are often underdeveloped). Learn how to navigate the complexities of inter-personal dynamics that people bring to the table when participating on your next acquisition.

 

The RFP Doctors

default

Dr. Jake Smithwick

Assistant Professor

UNC Charlotte

Dr. Jake Smithwick is a faculty member at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. His research focuses on organizational performance benchmarking within business services, facility management, and the broader built environment. His industry experience also includes field inspection of nearly 2,000 waterproofing systems (74 million square feet) across the United States, and six years in the US Air Force Reserve (civil engineering squadron). Jake also possesses IFMA’s Facility Management Professional (FMP) and Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) credentials.

Jake.Smithwick@uncc.edu

default

Dr. Kenn Sullivan

Professor

Arizona State University

Dr. Kenn Sullivan specializes in performance measurement, risk management, best value contracting, organizational transformation, and accountability systems. His processes have been implemented in design, engineering, construction, and facility services projects valued at $3B+. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering; MBA in Real Estate and Urban Economics; and PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from University of Wisconsin – Madison. Author of 120+ peer reviewed publications, he won the 2012 ASCE Journal of Leadership and Management in Engineering Best Article. Dr. Sullivan has created a Masters Degree program in Facility Asset and Project Management, and won the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering 2008, 2009 and 2012 Teaching Awards and 2013 IFMA Educator of the Year.

kenneth.sullivan@asu.edu

default

Dr. Brian Lines

Assistant Professor

University of Kansas

Dr. Brian Lines is an assistant professor in the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Department at the University of Kansas. Brian specializes in the areas of alternative procurement methods, expertise-driven project delivery, and organizational assessment. The objective of his research program at KU is to integrate with organizations to transform their operations into more efficient and performance-driven environments. His industry-focused research has been implemented on a total project value of more than $1B and participating organizations have documented $10’s of millions in direct savings. Brian is also active in continuing education seminars and short courses for professionals internationally.

brianlines@ku.edu

Presentations

Upcoming Presentations

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3
Speaking Date Event Sponsor Event Name Presentation Topic RFP Doctor
5/15/23 Dallas/ Fort Worth Chapter NIGP Lone Star Conference   Dr. Jake Smithwick
5/25/23 Chapter Meeting of MN NIGP MN NIGP Stuck in a Low Bid World? Recommendations to Adopt Next Practices TODAY Dr. Jake Smithwick

Past Presentations

Your Subtitle Goes Here
3
Speaking Date Event Sponsor Event Name Presentation Topic RFP Doctor
5/15/2023 Dallas/ Fort Worth Chapter NIGP Lone Star Conference Dr. Jake Smithwick
2/17/23 North Texas Emerging Procurement Officials (NEPO) North Texas Emerging Procurement Officials (NEPO) A Primer for Procurement Professionals on Alternative Delivery Methods for Capital Projects Dr. Brian Lines
7/14/23 Oklahoma Procurment Training OMES Procurment Training Webinar Insights for Effective Market Research & Developing a High-Performing Statement of Work. Dr. Jake Smithwick
8/30/23 Oklahoma Procurment Training OMES Procurment Training Webinar Creating Win-Win Partnerships Between Procurement and Your Internal Customers. Dr. Jake Smithwick
9/27/2022 Oklahoma Procurment Training OMES Procurment Training Webinar Vendor Debriefings: Out of the Multiverse of Madness. Dr. Jake Smithwick
Summer 2022 North Central Texas Council of Governments New and Emerging Procurement Professionals Roundtable Better RFPs = Better Projects Dr. Jake Smithwick
3/11/2022 Montana NIGP Annual Conference Project Management for Procurement Professionals Dr. Jake Smithwick
3/11/2022 Montana NIGP Annual Conference Procurement Optimization and Getting it to Stick Dr. Jake Smithwick
3/10/2022 Montana NIGP Annual Conference Advancing Procurement Excellence Panel Dr. Jake Smithwick
12/2/2021 Rocky Mountain NIGP Winter Conference Vendor Debriefings: Out of the Multiverse of Madness Dr. Jake Smithwick
10/20/2021 National Procurement Institute 2021 Annual Conference Supplier Debriefings: An Opportunity for Procurement Excellence Dr. Jake Smithwick
10/6/2021 Iowa Public Procurement Association Fall Forum Buyers Guide to Market Research Dr. Jake Smithwick
10/6/2021 Iowa Public Procurement Association Fall Forum How to Develop an Effective Statement of Work Dr. Jake Smithwick
9/23/2021 NIGP Washington Chapter 2021 Fall Conference Market Research & Developing a High-Performing Statement of Work Dr. Jake Smithwick
9/23/2021 NIGP Washington Chapter 2021 Fall Conference Leading Collaboration across Procurement & Business Units: Success at Seattle City Light Kim Rayray, Seattle City Light
9/23/2021 NIGP Washington Chapter 2021 Fall Conference Information Technology RFP Best Practices Dr. Brian Lines
9/16/2021 Central Ohio IFMA Chapter Meeting Creating and Managing an Effective Vendor Pre-Qualification Program Dr. Jake Smithwick
9/9/2021 Washington Finance Officers Association 2021 Virtual Conference – Pre-Conf Training Better RFPs = Better Projects -Organizing a High-Performing RFP Dr. Brian Lines
9/9/2021 Washington Finance Officers Association 2021 Virtual Conference – Pre-Conf Training Better RFPs = Better Projects -Statements of Work Dr. Brian Lines
9/9/2021 Washington Finance Officers Association 2021 Virtual Conference – Pre-Conf Training Better RFPs = Better Projects -Evaluations Dr. Brian Lines