JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri’s Division of Purchasing within the Office of Administration has been recognized among the top 10 states for excellence in procurement practices by GOVERNING magazine, the nation’s leading media platform covering politics, policy and management for state and local government leaders. This is the first time the organization has conducted a formal survey of states to evaluate their procurement practices.
“I congratulate Office of Administration Commissioner Doug Nelson and the hardworking team at the Division of Purchasing on this well-deserved honor,” Gov. Nixon said. “This national recognition is a testament to our steadfast commitment to making state government more efficient, effective and accountable to the citizens we serve.”
To develop the State Procurement Survey, GOVERNING surveyed all 50 states to provide a comprehensive review of state procurement practices. Common denominators among states that performed well were the modernization of technology and the support of top-level officials who view the procurement office as a place to advance state goals. Missouri ranked 2nd in the category of Contract Administration; 5th for Organizational Structure and Authority; and 7th overall. Missouri was also highlighted as one of only a few states with a contract oversight office and a contract administration manual. The top-ranked states were honored at a reception in Washington, D.C. on February 20, 2016.
“Our Purchasing Division has taken tremendous strides over the last few years to enhance the state’s procurement methods, and I appreciate the countless hours their staff has dedicated to this effort,” said Office of Administration Commissioner Doug Nelson. “This has resulted in greater procurement efficiencies and dramatically improved the access to opportunities for vendors and small businesses to partner with the state.”
In response to Gov. Nixon’s call for a smarter, more efficient state government, the Office of Administration has focused on improving the state’s procurement procedures. As part of this effort, the state is in the process of implementing a new statewide eProcurement system, MissouriBUYS, which will allow registered users to view bidding opportunities, see who is buying what they sell, access state contracts, and more – all in one convenient, secure online space. With this new system, local governments, political subdivisions and school districts will also be able to take advantage of the state’s emarketplace. There are currently 6,961 vendors registered in MissouriBUYS and 192 bids have been posted since September of 2015. The MissouriBUYS website, missouribuys.mo.gov, serves as an online portal for vendors to register and view bidding opportunities.