ELLICOTT CITY – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today announced that the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration has been honored with the “Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award” (AEP) by the National Procurement Institute (NPI). The award is earned by agencies that demonstrate a commitment to procurement excellence. This annual program recognizes procurement organizations that embrace Innovation, Professionalism, Productivity, Leadership and e-Procurement.
Howard County has set an example for surrounding jurisdictions on effective and innovative government procurement. In the past three years, we increased our procurement spending with local businesses from $10.5 million in 2019 to $23.3 million in FY 2022. Even through the pandemic, our Office worked diligently to connect local and EBO businesses with County award opportunities, including virtual outreach and training events. I want to thank every member of our team for their efforts to support our operations with integrity, transparency, and innovation.
I am proud of our dedicated team who continue to rise and meet the highest standards of professionalism and leadership. We are always excited to receive the recognition of our peers and we will continue to effectively and efficiently serve the community here in Howard County.
The AEP requires a thorough recertification process and documentation of best practices. Howard County is one of only 171 agencies in the U.S. and Canada and one of 36 counties to receive this award.
The Office of Procurement currently manages 764 supplier contracts to procure the various goods and services to support county agencies. Through targeted local outreach events, the County has nearly tripled the number of registered local businesses since 2018, including adding 100 new local businesses this year. Additionally, spending with minority, women and disabled owned businesses continues to climb and last year the Office of Procurement and Contract Administration awarded more than $64 million to these businesses.
The National Procurement Institute, founded in 1968 as a non-profit organization, serves public procurement professionals internationally. NPI is focused on leading excellence in public procurement.