NIGP Catalog of Courses

Adding Value to the Procurement Process
7.5 Contact Hours, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define “value” and its application to Procurement
Identify the value of Procurement within the organization
Discuss concepts of Value Analysis and vendor outreach
Identify short and long-term strategies for adding value

Intended Audience - General Audience

Description - This workshop focuses on ways the professional purchaser aFdds value to the procurement process by illustrating how the purchaser can enhance both the process and relations with customers and suppliers. Search for a course

Alternative Dispute Resolution
1.5 CEUs, 15 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Justify the use of ADR as a means of conflict resolution
Select the appropriate ADR approach for a particular situation.
Modify solicitation and contract language appropriately to allow for ADR as a means of conflict resolution.
Describe the steps required to set up a successful ADR program in an agency.

Intended Audience - Procurement supervisors, managers and senior buyers, attorneys, project managers, internal clients, engineers and contract officers

Description - This course examines “alternative dispute resolution” (ADR), the elements of ADR, and its advantages and disadvantages. The four major ADR approaches ― negotiation, mediation, arbitration and mini-trial ― are each described in terms of their processes, procedures and appropriate uses. Search for a course

Business Ethics in the 21st Century
1 CEU, 10 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Describe the major ethical frameworks used in developing business ethics
Explain the three components of the Ethical Triangle: Individual Ethics, Leadership Ethics, and Governance and Control
Discuss key ethical challenges in the workplace
Describe the use of organizational ethics codes
Outline the ethical issues involved in the employer-employee relationship including Employment at Will, due process and fairness
Discuss the use of ethics training
Explain how organizations monitor ethical performance
Describe the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ethics
Outline issues involving corporate governance
Explain how sustainability is an ethical concern
Discuss ethics and the regulatory environment (Sarbanes-Oxley Act; U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act)
Explain the issues around whistleblowing
Describe the role of leadership in establishing an ethical culture

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners interested in gaining an overview of business ethics.

Description - This course deals with business ethics, the consideration of questions of moral right versus wrong in the context of business practice. Individual business leaders are increasingly being held responsible and accountable for their ethical behavior. Organizations have learned that the costs of unethical actions can be high, both legally and from the perspective of brand image and reputation. Search for a course

Certificate in Business Communications
2.5 CEUs, 25 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Download a printable certificate of completion for this online course suite

Intended Audience - Designed for adult learners with a foundational knowledge of writing and grammar.

Description - Communicating clearly and concisely in written and oral formats is critical to your professional success. From clarifying and structuring your ideas to designing the PowerPoint slides that best complement them, the techniques, interactive exercises, and checklists in this suite help you create presentations and workplace documents that inform and persuade. This certificate offers instruction on crafting many of the most common business communication formats: memos, reports, brochures, proposals, presentations, catalogs, and websites. Topics include formal and informal outlining techniques, using email appropriately in an organizational setting, and revising for wordiness, unnecessary phrases, redundancy, and jargon. Search for a course

Certificate in Finance Essentials
3 CEUs, 19 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Download a printable certificate of completion for this online course suite

Intended Audience - This suite is designed for adult learners and/or non-financial managers.

Description - This online certificate program introduces non-financial managers to the essentials of finance. The course helps you become conversant in critical financial terminology, and learn how to calculate key financial management indicators.

Discover how to assess your organization's financial health by reviewing balance sheets, income statements, and statements of cash flow, and you learn how finance and accounting tools can be used to support informed decision making within organizations. Search for a course

Certificate in Innovation and Critical Thinking
2.2 CEUs, 22 Contact Hours, Accredited
Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Download a printable certificate of completion for this online course suite

Intended Audience - This suite is designed for adult learners interested in tools and techniques to generate fresh thinking in smaller group settings and in their organizations.

Description - Because organizations must innovate to stay alive in today's highly competitive marketplace, organizations need employees who can channel their creativity and innovation toward organizational challenges and goals. This suite of courses helps you become re-acquainted with your own stores of creativity and innovation. Next, you are given a set of tools that allow you to leverage your creativity to identify and solve organizational problems. One activity asks you how you might look at a problem from a different angle to produce a more creative result; others walk you through the process of using analogies or replacement techniques to invent creative solutions to problems. Search for a course

Certificate in Leadership
2 CEUs, 20 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Download a printable certificate of completion for this online course suite

Intended Audience - This suite is designed for adult learners who find a need for professional leadership skills.

Description - What is leadership and why is it important? How does a leader encourage change without triggering fearful resistance? What are the key elements to leading an effective team? What is the role of charisma in leadership? How can a leader achieve work-life balance? This suite of courses addresses all of these questions and many more. Video segments discuss such issues as how leaders become leaders, leadership ethics, and the differences between leaders, managers, and administrators. Search for a course

Communicating Collaboratively
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify the factors in interpersonal communication
Modify communication strategies to be successful in small and large groups
Devise a strategy for working effectively in remote settings, including in telework settings
Explain the purpose of various types of meetings and explain the outcomes expected
Attend a meeting and perform the role of an effective communicator in the meeting
Prepare for, moderate, and follow up after a meeting to ensure effective use of organizational resources
Document a meeting and distribute minutes or a meeting summary as appropriate

Intended Audience - This course is intended for adults seeking to improve their skills in communicating in a group or team setting.

Description - Communicating effectively with team members and groups has become more important as organizations have relied on collaborative work to advance their goals. This course helps you improve your collaborative communication by providing best practices and effective tips and techniques. Search for a course

Competency Module - Asset & Inventory Management

0.4 CEUs, 4.0 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description- The effective oversight and control of inventory can help minimize not only the excess spend but also optimize the availability of resources for the entity. In order to accomplish this goal, procurement professionals must identify and overcome various logistical concerns at the strategic level, ensuring that they address material concerns to best meet entity needs.

Learning Objectives

Identify warehousing and logistics issues or concerns, to include the storage, movement, and delivery of materials throughout the life of their usage in order to best meet entity needs.
Discuss various techniques for safely and effectively managing inventories and optimizing inventory supply services to stakeholders.

Target Audience - Designed to promote applicable experiences for practitioners working in the public sector, NIGP’s Pathways competency courses empower learners with the ready-to-implement actions they need to succeed in public procurement. This introductory course is designed for:

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module: Cost, Price & Value Analysis
0.8 CEUs Classroom, 7.5 Contact hours Classroom, 0.3 CEUs On-Demand, 3.0 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description - When working with end users and stakeholders, the ability to synthesize and incorporate various financial data in support of the most competent decisions is a powerful tool for the public procurement professional. By evaluating cost and price data, procurement professionals can better justify expenditures based on the public need.

Learning Objectives

Evaluate cost and price data to determine total cost of ownership to an entity.
Compare the price of a commodity against the benefit to be derived by the entity to determine whether the expenditure is justifiable.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module: Enabling Regulations & Compliance
0.4 CEUs Classroom, 3.5 Contact hours Classroom, 0.3 CEUs On-Demand, 2.5 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description - Like all things, the practices of public procurement professionals are regulated based on the common, statutory, and administrative laws that bind and protect the responsibilities of public entities across North America. Practitioners must be empowered to not only identify and define those terms commonly associated with the legal profession but also be able to describe and apply the predominant categories of law within the larger function.

Learning Objectives

Identify and define public procurement legal terms, concepts, and principles.
Describe how the three categories of law—the common law, legislative/statutory law, and administrative law—apply to public procurement.
Apply basic legal concepts and principles to practical public procurement situations.

Target Audience - Designed to promote applicable experiences for practitioners working in the public sector, NIGP’s Pathways competency courses empower learners with the ready-to-implement actions they need to succeed in public procurement. This introductory course is designed for:

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Ethics, Integrity & Transparency

0.4 CEUs In-Person, 3.5 Contact Hours In-Person, 0.3 CEUs On-Demand, 3 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description - Understand the relationship between ethics and law, the relationship between ethics and professionalism, and the role of ethics in public procurement.

Learning Objectives

Compare and contrast examples of statutory, administrative law, common law, and policy that define illegal and unethical behavior.
Assess ethical responses to specific procurement situations.
Explain the importance of ethics and professionalism in public procurement.
Identify components of a policy and procedure that openly and fairly disclose a procurement process as regulated by various levels/branches of government.
Identify issues which inhibit high ethical standards application, particularly relating to gender, generational and diverse cultural norms.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Evaluation Methods

0.4 CEUs In-Person, 4.0 Contact Hours In-Person, 0.3 CEUs On-Demand, 3 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description - The evaluation of suppliers’ offers through assorted methodologies and prioritized criteria helps procurement professionals fulfill their responsibilities as stewards of the public trust. Evaluation methodologies, however, are more than just scores and ranks but include the processes of receiving, opening, and analyzing associated offers.

Learning Objectives

Evaluate offers, make awards, and/or negotiate an optimal contract solution.
Identify and describe the different types of evaluation methodologies and their associated application.
Explain the process of receiving, opening and analyzing offers, methods for award, and award strategies.
Identify and select the most responsive offer(s) and responsible supplier(s).

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - International Procurements

0.8 CEUs, 7.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description - In certain instances, a functional necessity of the procurement professional is the ability to develop solutions for procurements in an international arena. As such, procurement professionals must be aware of the many legal, logistical, and cultural issues surrounding international procurements.

Learning Objectives

Determine if a trade agreement is applicable to a specific procurement.
Identify potential legal issues in an international procurement.
Identify potential logistical issues in an international procurement.
Identify potential cultural issues in an international procurement.
Recognize actions that are considered unethical in an international procurement.

Mid-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as senior buyers, managers, directors, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who either provide procurement functions that support entity programs under delegated authority, or who already have a good understanding of basic procurement principles but wish to get more in-depth, hands-on training.
Professionals who are employed by local governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly funded or created entities) who either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Supplier managers and supervisors seeking to understand the public procurement function from a more in-depth holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Legislation and Legal Environment

0.4 CEUs In-Person, 3.5 Contact Hours In-Person, 0.3 CEUs On-Demand, 3 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description- Comply with legislation, legal principles, and public procurement best practices at different levels of government.

Learning Objectives

Identify, define, and apply legal terms, concepts, and principles in public procurement functions.
Distinguish between legislation and regulations governing general procurement, budget and finance, federally funded contracting, and public works and other special procurements.
Examine the role of the attorney in public procurement and contrast it to the role of the procurement professional.
Explain how the laws establish the rights and obligations of all parties.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Mission & Public Benefit

0.5 CEUs In-Person, 4.5 Contact Hours In-Person, 0.2 CEUs On-Demand, 2 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description - Support uninterrupted public sector operations and services for citizens by procuring required goods and services and conducted in a way that serves the long-term interests of the public.

Learning Objectives

Describe the roles, organizational placement, values, and functions of the procurement office as they relate to public entities as a whole.
Demonstrate how public procurement adds strategic value to the delivery of public commodities.
Explain how public procurement professional’s performance expectations relate to the overall organizational strategic plan.
Use problem solving, critical thinking, and learning skills in an individual and procurement team context.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Negotiations

0.4 CEUs In-Person, 4.0 Contact Hours In-Person, 0.2 CEUs On-Demand, 2 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description - Negotiations serve as the apex of the sourcing process, bringing together research, strategy, specifications, and all associated criteria in order to achieve a best value solution for the entity. Negotiations, broken down into preparation, negotiation, and agreement, help the procurement professional achieve the greatest public benefit possible in situations ranging from pens and paper to major construction initiatives.

Learning Objectives

Prepare to conduct a negotiation by engaging in market research, determining negotiating strategy and goals, and selecting the negotiating team.
Conduct and document negotiations with each selected offeror to determine the proposal that best meets entity needs.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Protests & Appeals

0.4 CEUs, 4.0 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description - Protests and appeals are an eventuality of every governmental entity, requiring public procurement professionals to analyze options for resolution based on applicable rules and regulations. Regardless of how many times procurement professionals deal with protest issues, management of the protest process can prove to be a difficult task for even the most veteran practitioner.

Learning Objectives

Analyze options for resolutions available to an entity in a protest based on applicable rules and regulations.
Identify and describe how to manage post award issues in accordance with the contract.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Requirements Planning & Understanding

0.4 CEUs In-Person, 4.0 Contact Hours In-Person, 0.2 CEUs On-Demand, 2 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description - The ability to synthesize and meet requirements in order to provide service to the greater public entity is an essential function of the procurement professional. A critical element of this analysis, however, is the ability to directly apply information gleaned from researched materials and criteria to individual procurements, aligning organizational goals and metrics to the success and health of the entity.

Learning Objectives

Analyze the requirements for a project and provide the best solutions for the entity.
Determine the components and criteria required to successfully award a contract that meets the needs of the end user.
Describe how to customize terms and conditions in a contract to meet the entity’s needs.
Evaluate, select, and apply the tools and processes available for a comprehensive procurement plan.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Sourcing & Contracting Methods

0.8 CEUs, 7.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description - Sourcing and contracting methods are the heart of the procurement function, empowering public procurement professionals with the information they need to perform their essential job functions. The ability to not just identify the appropriate source selection method but also to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of each is critical for the success of the procurement professional.

Learning Objectives

Identify the appropriate source selection method and describe the components required to successfully meet the needs of the end user.
Identify advantages and disadvantages of contracting for commodities.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Specification Development

0.4 CEUs In-Person, 4.0 Contact Hours In-Person, 0.2 CEUs On-Demand, 2 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description - Proper specifications, pricing strategies, and terms and conditions help promote maximum competition in the marketplace, making them an asset to public procurement professionals and end users alike. But the ability to determine viable supplier testing, demonstration needs, or other additional requirements can make specification development a difficult task for even the most veteran procurement professional.

Learning Objectives

Assist the end user in developing and preparing effective and open specifications, pricing strategies, and terms and conditions to promote maximum competition in the marketplace.
Assess stakeholder standardization requirements to determine supplier testing or demonstration needs.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Spend Analysis

0.4 CEUs, 4.0 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description - Spend analysis is a critical tool in the procurement professional’s toolbox, empowering professionals with the ability to detect opportunities for greater efficiency and effectiveness within the larger governmental entity. Through effective spend analysis, the procurement professional can analyze past, current, and future projected spend to develop more informed and more strategic procurement strategies.

Learning Objectives

Define spend analysis and spend management and differentiate between the two.
Oversee and direct all spend-related activities to promote greater efficiency and effectiveness by engaging in the continuous process of controlling and analyzing entity spend.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Standardization

0.4 CEUs In-Person, 4.0 Contact Hours In-Person, 0.2 CEUs On-Demand, 2.5 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description - As stewards of the public trust and the party responsible for ensuring the value of the taxpayers’ dollar is obtained, public procurement professionals must consistently strive to ensure the ethical and legal expenditure of the entity’s funds. Key to this responsibility is the establishment of cross-departmental agreements based on the characteristics and quality of purchased products through the use of standards.

Learning Objectives

Analyze the requirements of various internal stakeholders in order to adopt one set of specifications for commonly procured commodities.
Design contracts that satisfy the shared needs of multiple internal stakeholders to promote efficiency of the procurement function.

Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Competency Module - Transformation & Vision Creation

0.8 CEUs, 7.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description - A functional necessity of the procurement manager is the ability not only to develop but also to implement innovative solutions within the procurement function. As such, procurement professionals must be capable and ready to employ strategic decisions, theory, and management practices that can capture and improve upon the larger entity’s initiative.

Learning Objectives

Assess opportunities to improve performance of the entity’s procurement function.
Create policies designed to ensure strategic alignment of procurement procedures throughout a public entity.
Create structure to capture operational and financial improvements within the entity as the result of procurement strategy.

Target Audience - This course is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:

Mid-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as senior buyers, managers, directors, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who either provide procurement functions that support entity programs under delegated authority, or who already have a good understanding of basic procurement principles but wish to get more in-depth, hands-on training.
Professionals who are employed by local governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly funded or created entities) who either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Supplier managers and supervisors seeking to understand the public procurement function from a more in-depth holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Contracting with Federal Funds/Grants "Intermediate"
15 Contact Hours - Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Find and apply for grants that help the agency meet its needs to deal with emergency programs, disasters, public support, and local program enhancement.
Design grants to meet procurement rules, thus reducing unallowable costs that are not reimbursable.
Explain the grants process to meet federal requirements.

Intended Audience - Open to all purchasing and procurement professionals, grants personnel and finance personnel interested in learning how to become eligible and receive grants and manage federal money expenditure.

Description - Too often the procurement professional is left out of the grant-writing process and is then asked to complete the acquisition process after the grant monies are received. This can be disastrous to the creation of sole source procurements, lead to potential conflicts of interest, and increase the cost of paying fines. Participants learn how to gain eligibility and apply for grant funds; how to integrate the procurement regulations into the grant; how to build a team with grants, finance, and procurement personnel to effectively manage the funds; and how to avoid the pitfalls of later liability leading to unallowable costs. Search for a course

Contracting with Federal Funds/Grants "Advanced"
15 Contact Hours - Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain OMB’s role and circulars governing grants
Identify allowable and unallowable expenditures of funds
Discuss solicitation or purchase requirements in the grants process
Prepare purchases for audits, documentation and files
Create an effective internal controls program
Outline the Audit Process
List “Government Administrative Requirements”
Discuss Government Contract requirements

Intended Audience - Open to all purchasing and procurement professionals, grants personnel and finance personnel involved in the process interested in learning how to become eligible to receive grants and manage federal money expenditures in accordance with federal standards.

Description - This is an advanced course designed to professionally monitor, administer, and oversee the grants process. The course explores how the Grants Administrator, Finance and Procurement Departments work together to avoid negative audit findings, obtain full reimbursement of expenditures and build effective internal controls. Special attention is paid to the new 2013 requirements. Search for a course

Core Certificate: Foundations of Leadership
1.5 CEUs Classroom, 15 Contact hours Classroom, Accredited

Description - As stewards of the public trust, public procurement professionals must cultivate leadership skills not only to lead others through complex processes but also to become an active contributor to the achievement of their entities as a whole. Building upon the comprehensive belief that leadership at all levels is critical for success in the procurement function, NIGP’s Foundations of Leadership Core Certificate empowers practitioners to take their careers to the next level, integrating hallmark concepts on leadership, innovation, agility, communication, and relationship management to empower novice leaders with the skillsets they need to succeed. Through integrated course methodologies, learners will engage in targeted case studies, exercise-driven scenarios, and concept-driven mentorship in order to gain a foundation understanding of leadership and the practices you need to excel in the field. Throughout this interactive and engaging course, learners will develop the skills they need to become great leaders not only in the procurement function but in the entirety of their governmental entity.

Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of the certificate, the certificate holder will be able to:

Define leadership and explain its role in driving change, innovation, and agility.
Identify the factors a leader or manager can employ to promote change.
Identify strategic change and mastering a changing environment.
Identify the factors in interpersonal communication.
Recognize the role of the audience in effective communication and the importance of understanding an audience's needs.
Identify the different communication methods and strategies and explain under which circumstances specific methods and strategies are more likely to be successful.
Identify the application of specific organizational theories to workplace situations.
Assess opportunities to improve performance of the procurement organization based on identified challenges and conflicts.
Analyze context with an enhance understanding based on positions, issues, or problems related to the procurement function or issue.

Target Audience

This certificate is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:

Entry-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Core Certificate: Foundations of Planning and Analysis
1.5 CEUs Classroom, 15 Contact hours Classroom, 1.5 CEUs Online, 15 Contact Hours Online, Accredited

Description

For the public procurement professional, the ability to think strategically for both the procurement function and the larger governmental entity as a whole is critical to serving the communities in which we live and work. Designed to outline proactive, applicable approaches to ensuring best practice guidance and implementation, NIGP’s Foundations of Planning and Analysis Core Certificate empowers novice public procurement professionals to better identify and articulate the goals and objectives of public procurement. Outlining and exploring critical skills such as strength and weakness evaluation, opportunities and threat analysis, and stakeholder-end user engagement, the Foundations of Planning and Analysis certificate prepares learners with base-level interactive and exercise-driven instruction, providing best practice guidance to help you not only lead your entity to successful risk-averse strategy but also to secure the best benefit for stakeholders and communities alike.

Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion of the certificate, the certificate holder will be able to:

Analyze the requirements for a project and provide the best solutions for the entity.
Determine the components and criteria required to successfully award a contract that meets the needs of the end user.
Describe how to customize terms and conditions in a contract to meet the entity’s needs.
Evaluate, select, and apply the tools and processes available for a comprehensive procurement plan.
Analyze the requirements of various internal stakeholders in order to adopt one set of specifications for commonly procured commodities.
Design contracts that satisfy the shared needs of multiple internal stakeholders to promote efficiency of the procurement function.
Evaluate cost and price data to determine total cost of ownership to an entity.
Compare the price of a commodity against the benefit to be derived by the entity to determine whether the expenditure is justifiable.

Target Audience

This certificate is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:

Entry-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Core Certificate: Foundations of Sourcing and Contracting

2.3 CEUs Classroom, 22.5 Contact hours Classroom, 2.3 CEUs Online, 22.5 Contact Hours Online, Accredited

Description

Every day, public procurement professionals across North America are challenged to fulfill the needs of their entity as balanced against the needs, wants, and desires of their stakeholders, ensuring that all procured commodities are acquired in the right manner, based on the correct criteria, and within the appropriate price range. Designed to provide entry-level public procurement professionals with the tools they need to ensure the appropriate goods and services are procured, NIGP’s Foundations of Sourcing and Contracting Core Certificate empowers learners with applicable, implementable solutions to some of the procurement function’s most challenging topics. Addressing the actionable solutions to sourcing and contracting methods, specification development, evaluation methods, and negotiations, Foundations of Sourcing and Contracting promotes the tenants and key principles of the public procurement function, empowering learners with NIGP-advocated best practice guidance to become more skilled in their role as they perform the procurement function on a foundational level.

Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion of the certificate, the certificate holder will be able to:

Identify the appropriate source selection method and describe the components required to successfully meet the needs of the end user
Identify advantages and disadvantages of contracting for commodities.
Assist the end user in developing and preparing effective and open specifications, pricing strategies, and terms and conditions to promote maximum competition in the marketplace.
Evaluate offers, make awards and/or negotiate an optimal contract solution.
Identify and describe the different types of evaluation methodologies and their associated application.
Explain the process of receiving, opening and analyzing offers, methods for award, and award strategies.
Identify and select the most responsive offer(s) and responsible supplier(s).
Prepare to conduct a negotiation by engaging in market research, determining negotiating strategy and goals, and selecting the negotiating team.
Conduct and document negotiations with each selected offeror to determine the proposal that best meets entity needs.
Establish a performance assessment plan to ensure that all stakeholders are complying with the procurement as established in the contract.

Target Audience

This certificate is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:

Entry-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Core Certificate: Foundations of Strategy and Policy
1.7 CEUs Classroom, 17 Contact hours Classroom, 1.7 CEUs Online, 17 Contact Hours Online, 1.1 CEUs On-Demand, 10.5 Contact Hours On-Demand, Accredited

Description
As stewards of the public trust, public procurement professionals are expected to demonstrate strategic value to stakeholders throughout both their governmental entities and the suppliers with whom they work. Providing an overview of the ever-changing profession by identifying concepts, common legal and ethical issues, and the precise role of both the procurement function and the public procurement professional in governmental entities, the Foundations of Public Procurement Strategy and Policy Core Certificate provides learners with a holistic, introductory focus on the profession, using practical examples, discussions, group exercises, and case studies to promote application-ready experiences. As a career orientation or refresher course detailing the basic tenants of the public procurement function, NIGP’s Foundations of Public Procurement Strategy and Policy Core Certificate promotes targeted activities and implementable concepts designed to enhance the mission and strategic value of your entity, empowering learners to become more confident in their role as they perform the procurement function in line with commonplace legal requirements and ethical standards.

Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion of the certificate, the certificate holder will be able to:

Participate effectively in strategic planning activities.
Advise internal and external clients on the strategic function of procurement.
Identify the differences between Law, Regulation and Policy, and Common Law.
Manage risk through proper identification and mitigation.
Operate with transparency.
Select the relevant procurement legislation, regulation, and laws that apply to the work.
Recognize and manage ethical and legal issues.

Target Audience

This certificate is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:

Entry-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Core Certificate: Foundations of Warehousing & Inventory Management
1.5 CEUs Classroom, 15 Contact hours Classroom, Accredited

Description - Oftentimes over looked in favor of the more traditional responsibilities, the warehousing and inventory management apparatus of the public procurement function is a critical standard through which procurement professionals provide value to their larger governmental entities. Empowering learners with the foundation to ensure goods and materials are handled efficiently, effectively, and safely, NIGP’s Foundations of Warehousing and Inventory Management Core Certificate provides learners with the actions they need to succeed when providing support to their entity’s warehousing functions. Addressing working with internal and external stakeholders, asset control, waste reduction, storage utility, and maximum return on investment, Foundations of Warehousing and Inventory Management empowers public procurement professionals with actionable opportunities and best-practice guidance, promoting effective warehousing functionality to the logistic and economic benefit of all stakeholders.

Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion of the certificate, the certificate holder will be able to:

Analyze the requirements for a procurement and determine which transportation and logistics processes provide the best solutions for the entity.
Increase service to internal customers to provide faster warehousing turnaround.
Define freight and logistics terms and conditions with internal and external stakeholders.
Identify warehousing and logistics issues or concerns, to include the storage, movement, and delivery of commodities throughout the life of their usage in order to best meet entity needs.
Track the precise location and distribution points of goods and assets at any point in the process.
Discuss various techniques for safely and effectively managing inventories and optimizing inventory supply services to stakeholders.
Develop processes and procedures to ensure safe, efficient, and ethically-aligned disposal of surplus, excess, or obsolete commodities.
Decrease on-site physical injury through effective safety protocol.
Reduce waste and risk of security breaches through effective commodity evaluation and disposal methodology.

Target Audience

This certificate is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:

Entry-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

Search for a course

CPPB Prep
15 Contact Hours Classroom, 24 Contact Hours Online, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge of the content of the six domains in the body of knowledge as it relates to the CPPB Examination.
Describe the testing environment for the certification exams.
Explain various methods of study that will help prepare for the exam.

Intended Audience - Intended for those who have qualified to take the CPPB Certification Guide by fulfilling the required time in the profession and continuing education.

Prerequisites - No prerequisites other than qualification to sit for the certification examination.

Description - In an effort to prepare candidates for the computer based written CPPB exam containing 190 questions, this course provides a review that addresses key information on topics identified in the 2013 UPPCC Body of Knowledge. Considered as a tool to help the student in assessing their own strengths and weaknesses as they relate to the subject matter, this course is only a part of the candidates’ overall study plan for preparation. Candidates authorized to test should enroll in the course well in advance of the selected test date. Participation in this class does not guarantee success on the examination. Search for a course

CPPO Prep
15 Contact Hours Classroom, 24 Contact Hours Online, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge of the content of the six domains in the body of knowledge as it relates to the CPPO Examination.
Describe the testing environment for the certification exams.
Explain various methods of study that will help prepare for the exam.

Intended Audience - Intended for those who have qualified to take the CPPO Certification Guide by fulfilling the required time in the profession and continuing education.

Prerequisites - No prerequisites other than qualification to sit for the certification examination.

Description - In an effort to prepare candidates for the computer based written CPPO exam containing 190 questions, this course provides a review that addresses key information on topics identified in the 2013 UPPCC Body of Knowledge. Considered as a tool to help the student in assessing their own strengths and weaknesses as they relate to the subject matter, this course is only a part of the candidates’ overall study plan for preparation. Candidates authorized to test should enroll in the course well in advance of the selected test date. Participation in this class does not guarantee success on the examination. Search for a course

Creativity in Teams and Organizations
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain the connection between creativity and innovation
Outline the five factors for creative teams
Use team creative tools such as brainstorming, Discussion 66, anonymous idea generation, and visioning
Explain the importance of diversity in team creativity
Describe techniques for prototyping new ideas
Explain how to overcome creative barriers for teams and organizations
Describe ways to make teams and organizations more open to creativity and innovation

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners interested in tools and techniques to generate fresh thinking in smaller group settings and in their organizations.

Description - This course looks at spurring creativity and innovation in teams and organizations. Drawing on the latest academic thinking, it outlines the key factors for creative teams.

Further, the course focuses on tools and techniques designed to yield more productive thinking in collective settings. Participants learn about a number of targeted tools (including brainstorming, Discussion 66, Provocation, and others) to generate fresh thinking in smaller group settings and in their organizations. Search for a course

Data Analysis in the Real World
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain the management implications of the use of business intelligence and knowledge management systems
Define Big Data and describe its current uses for analysis and future potential and its implications
Explain common analytics for business and quality improvement
Recommend manufacturing business decisions based on data analytics
Explain common analytics used in health care
Recommend health care decisions based on data analytics
Explain common analytics used in education
Recommend educational decisions based in data analytics
Explain common analytics used in government
Recommend governmental decisions based on data analytics

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners who are interested in data analytics.

Description - How are data-driven decisions put into practice in the real world? How do these decisions differ when applied to different sectors, such as health care, education and government? This course will provide answers to these questions as well as recommendations for decisions based on data analytics for each sector. The course will begin with an introduction of Big Data and its implications and each section, case studies will bring the concepts to life. Search for a course

Debriefing Suppliers and Avoiding Protests
0.1 CEU, 1 Contact Hour, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

List the benefits of procurement debriefings to both buyers and suppliers
Apply an effective approach to debriefing suppliers
Identify warning signs that a protest may be coming
Describe ways to mitigate risk once a protest has been received

Description - This self-paced mini-course is presented in a pre-recorded webinar format and includes a related text excerpt, quiz, and final assessment to gauge your understanding of the content. This course explains that by taking the time to debrief your suppliers after complex procurements, you can minimize protests and maximize competition for your agency. Protest policies and procedures protect the interests of the agency and the right preparation prior to the debriefing session helps answer suppliers’ questions. Learn the tools that mitigate challenges so you can successfully handle a debriefing that results in better competition in the future. Search for a course

Effective Business Writing
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Recognize the difference between ineffctive and effective writing
List and define the four major factors of effective writing (clarity, tone, organization, and delivery)
Recognize the role of the audience in effective communication and the importance of understanding an audience's needs
Employ formal and informal outlining techniques
List and recognize techniques for overcoming writer's block
Recognize the importance and dangers of writing quickly
Revise for wordiness, unnecessary phrases, redundancy, and jargon
Write more effective emails and recognize the appropriate use of email in an organizational setting
Employ checklists for organizing, writing, and revising

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners with a foundational knowledge of writing and grammar.

Description - The ability to write clearly and directly is highly prized in organizations. This online self-paced course focuses on improving business writing. The ideas, techniques, and checklists in this course apply to all forms of business writing: memos, reports, brochures, proposals, presentations, catalogs, and websites. Other topics include formal and informal outlining techniques, how to revise for wordiness, unnecessary phrases, redundancy, and jargon, and the appropriate use of email in an organizational setting. Search for a course

Effective Contract Formation
0.4 CEUs, 4 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify the parts of a contract.
Clarify ambiguous contract language.
Determine appropriate specification type for a project.
Identify the roles and responsibilities of contract administration team members.
Identify appropriate contract vehicles and deliverables.
Prepare implementation and payment milestones plans.
Determine inclusion of appropriate contract clauses for inspections, reporting, and remedies.
Identify the entity’s rights to rejections, damages and contract termination.
Identify contract risks.
Choose the appropriate contract clauses for a given situation.
Prepare a contract administration plan.
Establish a performance assessment plan.

Description: Procurement entities form contracts for products or services, in order to ensure that purchases achieve the desired results. Contract formation is a series of pre-award procurement steps that result in a legally-binding contract between an entity and a supplier.

Contract formation is the most important phase of contract administration, as it ultimately determines the success of a contract. Procurement officials need to understand how to prevent risks and retain the ability to mitigate issues after the contract is executed.

This course covers all contract administration activities that occur prior to the award of the contract. Search for a course

Effective Contract Management
0.4 CEUs, 4 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Classify and differentiate “post-award activities” versus “pre-award activities.”
Plan and facilitate a contract/project kick off meeting.
Use standardized tools and standard operating procedures.
Train the project manager and supplier on project monitoring, documentation, and deliverables.
Manage rejections and remedies.
Successfully mediate and resolve a dispute by a contractor.
Successfully modify a contract.
Make a decision to terminate a contract.

Description - Although a contract administration professional will spend the majority of their time in the solicitation development and contract award phases of procurement, a procurement official’s role in a contract administration continues through the management of the contract.

In the process of managing work under a contract, procurement officials need to understand the actions that need to be implemented, in order to prevent and/or mitigate issues that occur during contract performance.

This course covers all contract administration activities that occur after the contract is awarded, with the ultimate goal of managing a procurement contract to a successful completion. Search for a course

Effective Contract Writing
15 Contact Hours, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define what a contract is
List the format of a Contract
Discuss Specific Contract Provisions

Intended Audience - All purchasing professionals who write, interpret and respond to contracts can increase their effectiveness by participating in this two-day seminar.

Description - Many purchasing professionals are required to organize, write and interpret contracts. This session is designed to cover the structure and meaning of enforceable contracts. Contracts have a logical sequence and specific contract provisions. By learning the basics and rules for improvement, the principles become manageable. The course offers tips and tricks on the language that can be used when writing contracts for any entity. Search for a course

Effective Decision Making
7.5 Contact Hours, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Examination of decision theory
Types of purchasing decisions
Decision levels
Roadblocks to effective decision making
Five step decision making process
Decision screening
Elements of good decisions
Identifying, categorizing and dealing with decision risk
Other decision making factors
Recognizing and dealing with decision making styles
Decision making fallacies
Group decision making
Tools for effective decision making

Description - Effective procurement relies on effective decision making. Major organizations, both public and private, study and implement decision making protocols and techniques that are designed to improve the quality their decisions. Participants examine various aspects of the decision-making process with the objective of providing procurement professionals with the elements to improve the quality and effectiveness of every decision. Search for a course

Effective Negotiations
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define negotiation
Explain the differences between principled negotiation, distributive negotiation, integrative negotiation and mixed motive negotiation
Discuss what BATNA is and why it is important within the context of a negotiation
Describe the concepts of reservation price and ZOPA, as well as how they relate to one another in a negotiation
Understand the steps that should be taken to plan for a negotiation
Explain the ways that power can be used in a negotiation, and how power can be gained from different sources
Identify different behaviors which can pose challenges to a negotiation and may cause impasses
Apply the concepts of negotiation to two real-world scenarios

Description - Every day we are involved in negotiations of one form or another. Even though negotiations are an integral part of our lives, techniques for managing these situations are not instinctive; they must be learned. Experienced negotiators make a conscious decision about what type of strategy to use in a discussion based on factors such as the importance of the relationship and the importance of what is at stake. Key concepts such as the "best alternative to no agreement", reservation price, and the "zone of possible agreement" can help when conducting negotiations. Since power is a fundamental dynamic in negotiations, it is important for negotiators to have a basic understanding of ways they can exert and also gain power in a discussion. Search for a Course

Effective Public Speaking
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Describe the seven stages of giving a speech or presentation
Discuss the elements of establishing your purpose for speaking (Stage One)
Recognize the need to consider your audience (Stage Two)
Describe how to develop your central message (Stage Three)
Explain how to employ evidence in supporting your main points (Stage Four)
Discuss how to craft your speech (Stage Five)
Explain how to rehearse for your speech (Stage Six)
Describe techniques for delivering your speech (Stage Seven)
Recognize best practices for employing slides in your presentation

Intended Audience - Adult learners interested in improving their public speaking.

Description - Confidence is a key to delivering an effective speech or presentation. This two-module course, Effective Public Speaking, helps you to develop the skills you need to become an outstanding and confident public speaker. It reviews the seven stages of public speaking through games, interactive exercises, and videos. The tools and techniques in this course can ensure that you'll excel when speaking in any situation, from the start of your speech or presentation to its successful end. Search for a Course

Effectively Managing Project Stakeholders
0.5 CEUs, 3 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Diagnose the underlying causes of stakeholder problems
Apply practical tips from experienced practitioners to resolve these problems
Refine your ability to effectively manage projects and interact with project constituents

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners with some understanding of project management practices.

Description - This course is designed to help project managers understand and resolve issues that can emerge from interactions among project stakeholders.

The course includes a brief tutorial to help students understand familiar strategies for managing stakeholder expectations, as well as ten concise case studies that explore common stakeholder issues. The case studies are designed to simulate the conversations and interactions that occur among project stakeholders, to show learners how to dissect causal elements from these types of conversations—just as they will have to do on their own projects—and to help them prepare appropriate responses. As students work through the case studies, they'll learn effective strategies to resolve stakeholder problems and gain the proficiency necessary to manage interactions and keep their projects on track. Search for a course

FEMA: Procurement Requirements and Reimbursements
15 Contact Hours, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes- Upon successful completion of this course participants will be able to:

Use and explain FEMA’s authority and protocols
Develop a process for working with FEMA that is compliant with rules and regulations
Discuss the importance of internal controls and conflict of interest
Identify applicable federal procurement requirements
Avoid common pitfalls
Intended Audience - All procurement professionals, grants personnel, and entire staff teams interested in learning how to meet federal requirements that apply when utilizing FEMA funds.

Description - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) strictly follows rules and regulations for payment. Every agency must follow all FEMA required processes from the initial hours of an emergency or disaster to the final restoration in order to qualify for reimbursement. Lack of knowledge about the processes does not suffice to exempt entities from the requirements. This course focuses on guiding entities both in advance and while in the process of mitigation and recovery as to the proper way to follow the procurement process and oversee contracts in order to position their entities for success in obtaining reimbursement for expenses. Search for a course

Handling Workplace Conflict
0.6 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify the different types of conflict in the workplace Describe some of the major causes of workplace conflict Discuss the Thomas-Kilman model of conflict Consider your personal conflict style and compare it to other styles Identify various conflict behaviors in the workplace Explore conflict resolution strategies Discuss best practices for handling difficult employees Describe what constitutes dangerous conflict and consider methods for handling risky situations

Description - As a manager, you will undoubtedly deal with conflict. And as you look around to figure out who will keep the peace, you might be realizing that person is now you. This course introduces the various forms of conflict that can arise in the workplace and presents strategies that managers can use to help deal with conflict situations. It includes video commentary from an expert in the field and presents some fictitious real-world scenarios that allow learners to practice applying the skills and strategies discussed throughout the course. Search for a course

How to Coach
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes -Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain how coaching employees is a vital part of managing in any organization
Distinguish between managerial coaching, executive coaching, and personal coaching Identify the triggers for coaching and recognize characteristics of coachability
Describe the five-step coaching process
Explain the SMART technique of goal setting
Explain the USED and GROW models for coaching
Discuss the monitoring and follow-up coaching process
Explain the differences between mentoring and coaching

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners and/or managers in any industry. Description - Managers who lead and manage through coaching—providing encouragement, feedback, and support—are more successful in "working through others." This brief course focuses on the skills and techniques of positive coaching in an organizational setting including listening actively, providing constructive feedback based on observation, reinforcing positive employee performance through recognition and praise, and teaching new skills. Search for a course

How to Read a Financial Statement
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify and describe the documents and financial statements included in an organization's financial report
Itemize and interpret the information in the income statement, balance sheet, statement of changes in shareholders' equity, and statement of cash flows
Correctly state the impact of specific business activities on cash flow
Define financial (ratio) analysis and explain its objectives and limitations Identify the various types and categories of financial ratios
Perform calculations using financial ratios

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners and/or non-financial managers.

Description - This course covers financial reports and their meaning. Learn the fundamentals and important of the income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows, and how they can be used to manage a business. You will also be exposed to financial (ratio) analysis. Search for a course

Introduction to Business Statistics
0.4 CEUs, 4 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Differentiate between descriptive and inferential statistics
Distinguish between the 4 different scales of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio Identify the appropriate graphical or tabular method for presenting your data
Create frequency distributions
Create meaningful presentations and graphs including: frequency polygons bar graphs pie charts line graphs histograms
Calculate probability and explain its practical application
Compute the mode, median, and mean of a dataset
Calculate the variance and standard deviation of a dataset
Interpret sampling with and without replacement
Explain the significance of the area under a curve

Intended Audience - Adult learners and/or non-financial managers.

Description - This course introduces you to the importance of statistics in the business world. Statistics is the science of collecting, organizing, and analyzing data to make more effective decisions. Understanding statistical techniques can help any manager responsible for marketing, management, accounting, sales, or other business functions. Search for a course

Introduction to Contracts in Public Procurement
0.2 CEUs, 0.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Determine if a contract is legally enforceable.
Define how a contract can be formed
Cite mistakes that can lead to a contract being unenforceable
Define contract price types
Recognize the types of contract authority and the existence of a contract based on authority

Course Duration - 30 Minutes

Description - Welcome to the NIGP eLearning module: Introduction to Contracts in Public Procurement. This course provides an overview of contracts and how they are used in the public sector. Contracts are a vital element of the procurement process. Planning and analyzing contract requirements are the responsibility of procurement officers. It is important for procurement officers to understand contract law and the impact of contracts on procurement. Search for a course

Introduction to Critical Thinking
0.7 CEUs, 7 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define critical thinking, reasoning, and logic
Ask appropriate questions for critical thinking
Understand the process of systemic problem-solving Identify and overcome barriers to critical thinking
Articulate common reasoning fallacies
Understand critical thinking as it pertains to the workplace

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners interested in refining their critical thinking skills.

Description - This online self-paced course is an introduction to the importance of critical thinking in the business world. Critical thinking is an intellectual model for reasoning through issues to reach well-founded conclusions about them. Asking questions is at the heart of critical thinking. This program is designed to help learners define and identify critical thinking and reasoning skills and develop those skills. Search for a course

Introduction to Data Analysis
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain why quantitative analysis and analytics is important in decision making
Explain the types of decisions that can be made analytically in an organizational setting
Describe different decision-making models and tools Identify the fundamental concepts of measurement including levels of measurement, reliability and validity, errors, measurement and information bias
Explain how quality data affects decision making (GIGO principle)
Describe methods of ensuring the quality of data
Evaluate techniques for ensuring accurate research design
Describe how research is used in different settings: business, education, health care, the military, government, nonprofits
Explain data management techniques including transforming data, recoding data, and handling missing data
Apply appropriate decision-making techniques to a specific case

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners who are interested in data analytics.

Description - Whatever your profession. Whatever your field. As a professional, and certainly as a leader, you will be asked to make a decision based on data. This course will introduce the different types of decisions made in an organizational setting, why quantitative analytics is important and how quality data can affect decision making. Since quantitative analytics is used in various settings, this course also offers insight into how research is used in different sectors and how it varies accordingly. From a management perspective, the course highlights appropriate methods on a case by case basis, and ways to ensure quality and accuracy through design. Search for a course

Introduction to Leadership
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define leadership and explain its importance
Discuss some of the better-known leadership theories (Fiedler's contingency theory; Path-goal theory; Vroom-Yetton-Jago theory)
Distinguish leadership from management and administration
Explain the role of ethics in leadership
Discuss the positives and negatives surrounding charismatic leadership
Recognize the importance of training, learning, and role-playing in leadership
Understand the seven bases for leadership Explain why formal authority alone does not guarantee leadership
Recognize the nine key qualities for leadership Identify the five central skills needed for effective leadership and explain ways to strengthen or develop those skills in a leader

Intended Audience - Adult learners who find a need for professional leadership skills.

Description - This course examines how to be a successful (that is, effective) leader. Based on D. Quinn Mills' book, Leadership: How to Lead, How to Live, a text used at Harvard Business School, this course asks the crucial questions about leadership in today's organizations: What is leadership and why is it important? What does effective leadership require? What is visionary leadership? What is the role of charisma? What is the difference between managing, administering, and leading? Search for a Course

Introduction to Specifications
0.3 CEUs, 3 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify the role and importance of specifications in the procurement process
Differentiate between the two main types of specifications
Determine the best specification to use for a particular procurement List and define the phases of specification development Identify the importance of ethics and professionalism in public procurement
Write clear, concise specifications

Intended Audience - This course is intended for those procurement professionals who desire to understand and write better specifications. Although the material is introductory, some procurement experience is recommended (six months to one year). Real-life examples and current views of specification development allow this course to serve as a great refresher and skill enhancer for best practices in specification writing.

Description - This is a self-paced, online course. Specifications are one of the most important elements of the procurement process. Specifications define precise requirements of commodities (e.g., goods and services) sought through a solicitation process. Developing well-written specifications is one of the hardest tasks in Procurement as well as one of the hardest to learn. Unfortunately, many procurement professionals learn how to develop and write specifications through failed procurements and protests on issued procurements. This online course will introduce and review the best practices for the development and use of specifications. Completing the four modules in this course will provide a solid foundation for the procurement professional to effectively develop and manage specifications. Search for a course

Leaders and Work-Life Balance
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Understand the major sources of work-life balance conflict
Discuss some of the better-known leadership theories (Fiedler's contingency theory; Path-goal theory; Vroom-Yetton-Jago theory)
Identify strategies to achieve balance, including balancing by week, over a year, and via a short career
Recognize ways to maintain work-life balance
Examine what defines personal fulfillment Identify those significant elements that play a role in a leader's life
Explain nine ways of viewing life's choices
Develop and complete a Personal Work-Life Balance Plan

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners seeking to improve their work/life balance and/or managers interested in promoting balance in the work place.

Description - This course addresses the question of work-life balance, one which is of great importance to leaders in all settings. Based on D. Quinn Mills' book, Leadership:
How to Lead, How to Live, a text used at Harvard Business School, this course looks at methods and techniques to reconcile work and family. Search for a course

Leadership Online: Public Procurement Leadership Access PASS
5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Intended Audience - This series is intended for the individual new to leadership, with 1-3 years’ experience in a management capacity.

Description - While there exists a long tradition of leadership advice trying to tell you the best way to do things, we recognize that there is no single leadership style that best suits every situation. Instead, the NIGP Public Procurement Leader Online series of courses will provide learners with the tools to recognize the demands placed on them as a leader and prepare them for the leadership challenges ahead. The topics covered in this series include:

Motivation
Vision
Management Styles
Performance Appraisals
Change Management
Influence
Accountability
Empowerment
Delegation
Communication

The courses in this series are designed to help learners build their leadership competencies to become a more effective and well-rounded leader. Access 24 modules instantly and look for new titles added quarterly to your Aspire Learning Page. Search for a course

Leadership Online: Preparing to Lead
1.5 Contact Hour, Accredited

Intended Audience - This course is recommended for the new or aspiring leader.

Description - This series focuses on providing the learner the foundations needed to succeed as a new leader. This modules included introduce key leadership topics to the aspiring leader or an individual new to management role. The learner will be taken through a self-discovery journey to identify how to best develop into a leader through accountability and knowing the fundamentals of leadership. Search for a course

Leadership Online: Preparing to Lead – Deep Dive (Adv)
1.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Intended Audience - This course is recommended for the new leader with 1-5 years of experience.

Description - If you are new to management, or aspiring to get there, this is a great series for you. This series of onDemand courses takes a deeper dive on the fundamentals for preparing to lead. The topics included are:

Empowerment
Motivation
Delegation
Change Management
Creating a Culture of Agility

It is recommended that learners take the Leadership Online: Preparing to Lead Foundations series prior to this series Search for a course

Leadership Online: Coaching Essentials
1 Contact Hour, Accredited

Description - How do you get your employees to be better than they were yesterday? What can you do, as their manager, as their coach, to help them perform better than yesterday? Coaching is a skill that we can learn and then follow as a process with all of our employees. Enroll in this course to learn the fundamentals around Coaching and continue to build your leadership skills. Search for a course

Leadership Online: Coaching Strategies (Adv).
1.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description - Formalized coaching is one of the most powerful ways to achieve true transfer of learning from development activities. In this series of courses, learners will understand how to use a formalized coaching process to get the most out of their coaching efforts. This series of courses takes a deeper dive on the fundamental Coaching topics and is focused on providing leaders tools they can use to coach for higher team performance. Search for a course

Leadership Online: Innovation in Leadership
0.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description - Are you a seasoned leader looking for new, innovative ways to develop yourself or your staff? Or even looking for new techniques you can implement right away to encourage innovation on your team? This series of micro-learning courses is for you. With this course you will learn 17 techniques that you can put into action right away to encourage more innovative opportunities. Search for a course

Leadership Online: Managing Change
1.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description - Leading change is difficult. Not only are you trying to manage your response to the change, but you also have to help your team work through the change as well. In this series of courses, learn to effectively implement change so all members of the organization feel included and on board. Gain multiple strategies for managing the planning and implementation of company changes and how to sustain these changes within the organization. Search for a course

Leading and Managing Change
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Discuss organizational change and the forms it can take
Describe Kotter's Eight Step Process recommended for implementing change successfully
Outline Lewin's model of change and discuss its limitations
Identify the factors a leader or manager can employ to promote change
Explain the underpinnings of resistance to change and how to overcome it
Understand the five-step ADKAR model for change management
Discuss the three steps of the Cisco Change Roadmap
Identify strategic change and mastering a changing environment

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners and/or managers.

Description - Whether adopting new technology or adapting to a drastic shift in an organization's core focus, managers play a fundamental role in effecting changes. Based on D. Quinn Mills' book, Leadership: How to Lead, How to Live, a text used at Harvard Business School, this online self-paced course addresses the key issues managers face in a dynamic environment. By understanding the steps in effecting change and how to overcome resistance, a manager can successfully lead change at various levels of an organization. Search for a course

Legal Aspects of Public Procurement
2.3 CEUs Classroom, 22.5 Contact Hours, 3.2 CEUs Online, 32 Contact Hours Online, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify and define public purchasing legal terms, concepts and principles.
Apply basic legal concepts and principles to practical public procurement situations
Describe how the three categories of law ― the common law of contracts, statutory law and administrative law ― apply to public purchasing.
Explain how the laws establish the rights and obligations of all parties.
Distinguish between ethical and legal requirements and apply the appropriate actions and conduct.
Understand the role of the public professional in the application of procurement and contract law in accordance with the commonly accepted practices of the profession.

Intended Audience - This course is of interest to those who are involved in the public procurement contracting process who want to increase their understanding of both the capability and limitation of the law on government procedures.

Prerequisites - Though no prerequisites are stipulated for this class, successful participants should have completed the NIGP Introduction to Public Procurement class, or have some introduction to the field of public procurement prior to enrolling.

Description - Designed to be an educational exploration of the legal elements of public procurement, this course provides a foundation of the principles and general concepts of the law as it applies to public procurement. Course content addresses issues such as the Uniform Commercial Code (U.C.C.), the Model Procurement Code, Sale of Goods Act and the legal implications surrounding solicitations, contracting, and post-award issues. Attention is given to the ethical issues facing the profession relevant to the law. This course focuses on actual procurement situations with relevant procurement implications using practical examples, discussion, group exercises, and case studies throughout the course. Search for a course

The Manager’s Toolbox: Compliance Challenges
5 Contact Hours

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners interested in improving their management and leadership skills.

Description - In this course, The Manager's Toolbox: Compliance Challenges, learners focus on the following managerial and leadership factors:

Administering policies and procedures
Dealing with direct reports
Dealing with superiors
Decisiveness
Handling adversity or crisis situations
Leading others
Recruiting, training, and developing employees
Solving problems

Search for a course

Managing People
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Understand your own attitudes toward empowering management
Explain how a GEM (goals, empowerment, measurement) approach to managing works in practice
Describe the major organizational structures and the differences between them
Explain the different factors that motivate workers and how a manager can use them to improve employee performance
Discuss the challenges of discipline and how a manager should deal with such situations
Identify the defining characteristics, benefits, and unique challenges of empowered teams

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners interested in improving their people management skills. Description - To be successful and move ahead in his or her career, a manager must understand how to manage people, including motivating workers and coordinating their activities. This course will explain how the goals, empowerment, and measurement system of management can be employed and how organization structures differ. The course will also cover the difficulty of discipline while trying to maintain momentum. Search for a course

Managing in a Modern Organization
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define the role of management and managers in an organization
Distinguish between management, leadership, and administration in theory and in practice
Explain the three general management styles (authoritarian, participative, and empowerment) and their respective uses
Identify your views on hierarchy and management
Understand the roles of individual contributors and managers and how they differ
Identify your own approach toward managing (including personal effectiveness and enjoyment)

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners and/or managers.

Description - This course considers the fundamentals of management and how managers can be effective in organizational settings. Based on D. Quinn Mills' book, Principles of Management, a text used at Harvard Business School, this course addresses managing in the modern organization. Search for a course

Managing Your End Users and Suppliers: It's All About Relationships
7.5 Contact Hours, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify best practices in internal and external client outreach.
Understand tools that can be used for internal and external client outreach.
Explain the value of reaching out to and using certified status (MWESBs, disabled, etc.)

Intended Audience - This course is targeted to all levels of purchasing professionals.

Description - All public agencies face the challenge of stretching limited resources to accommodate an ever-expanding workload. Often we forget the value of investing our time and resources to reach out to our stakeholders. Public Procurement can benefit greatly from relationship management with our end users and suppliers. This course demonstrates the benefits of reaching out to these groups and how it can improve Procurement's effectiveness. Search for a course

Negotiating Technology Agreements
3 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify areas of a supplier’s technology agreement that pose a risk.
Determine how to negotiate the various areas of concern in a technology agreement.
Use the technology agreements job aid to identify risk.
Recall four issues with service agreements that may require negotiations

Description - This self-paced course discusses the risk associated with technology agreements and how to negotiate them to mitigate risk. The course provides an opportunity for students to practice identifying risk in a technology agreement. This course was designed for experienced procurement professionals that procure technology. At the end of the course, students are required to take a 10-question assessment. In order to pass this course, students must score at least a 70% on this assessment. The assessment has real-time feedback built in, so learners know how they do right away. Learners can take as much or as little time as needed to complete this course. Search for a course

An Overview of Sustainable Management
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define sustainability and its application in an organizational setting
Describe the connection between the environment and sustainability
Explain the business case for sustainable management
Recognize the role of government regulation in corporate sustainability efforts
Discuss leadership in sustainable management
Outline the criticisms of corporate sustainability
Apply sustainable management principles to workplace scenarios

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners interested in advancing their understanding of sustainable management.

Description - Sustainable management is managing a firm so that it generates profits for its owners, protects the environment, and improves the lives of the people with whom it interacts. The business case for sustainable management is that it can help a company's long-run profitability and success. Search for a course

Practical Specification Writing
0.8 CEUs, 7.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify problems and errors in specifications
Explain the ramifications of those problems and errors
Make recommendations to correct those problems and errors
Identify strategies for approaching unclear procurements

Intended Audience - This course is designed for all public procurement professionals who develop solicitation documents.

Prerequisites - This workshop focuses on skills development and assumes those attending possess experience writing specifications and an understanding of specifications and the specification development process. In lieu of direct experience, it is strongly recommended that learners complete the on-line, self-paced course, Introduction to Specifications, before attending this workshop. The online course will establish the knowledge base and provide real-world examples enabling learners to develop their writing skills in the workshop.

Description - Specifications are critically important to any procurement. Poorly written specifications can lead to lack of competition, purchasing an inappropriate commodity, protests, contract disputes and cost overruns. This course develops skills based on the foundation established in the Introduction to Specifications online course. It starts with problem statements within a specification, builds to problem specifications and culminates with strategies to approach specifications for unclear and difficult procurements. Search for a course

Preparing for the Age of Licensing
7.5 Contact Hours, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Analyze business pricing structures and develop strategies to deal with them.
Recognize the characteristics and objectives of license agreements.
Develop contract strategies to minimize on-going cost, maximize license utility, and protect the interests of their entities.
Use techniques for dealing with changing technology to the advantage of your organization.

Intended Audience - Intended for all public procurement professionals

Description - With the influence of ever-changing trends, many businesses are moving from selling goods to instead licensing the use of these goods in order to create streams of revenue. This trend will increase, particularly with the advent of new technologies such as 3-D printing and cloud storage. This course discusses how these trends affect both the economy and public procurement, and participants learn how to develop the necessary strategies and techniques for dealing with these changes. Search for a course

Procurement Challenges: A Solution Workshop
7.5 Contact Hours, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course participants will be able to:

Evaluate and develop solutions within a group setting.
Apply principles of collaboration and common procurement knowledge.
Debate, discuss, and evaluate possible procurement solutions.

Intended Audience - This hands on, interactive learning event is for all procurement professionals with a special interest for those working in collaborative and group problem solving environments. This is an effective follow up to the NIGP Principles and Techniques of Problem Solving course.

Description - Today’s procurement professional faces challenges every day. This course will utilize case studies of issues regularly confronted by an agency. Participants will work in groups to debate and discuss the fundamental principles of each case and develop solutions. Topics for discussion may include ethics, the law, fiscal and budgetary dilemmas, strategic sourcing, and supplier contract engagement. Search for a course

The Procurement Cycle: Contract Administration Phase
0.2 CEUs, 0.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify contract risks
Define the responsibilities for procurement officials during contract administration
Define the types of inspection
Identify legal reasons for termination
Define the types of payments

Course Duration - 30 Minutes

Description - Welcome to the NIGP eLearning module: Procurement Cycle – Solicitation Development Phase. This on-demand course provides an overview of the solicitation development phase of the procurement cycle. The solicitation development phase is the second phase of the procurement cycle. During this phase, the solicitation for the purchase is created, the solicitation method is selected, and the contract is created. From the selected decisions, bids are evaluated, and the winning supplier is contracted. The culmination of this phase is the selection of the supplier to fulfill the contract.

This self-paced course is part 3 of 3 in the Procurement Cycle Series. Search for a course

The Procurement Cycle: Planning Phase
0.2 CEUs, 0.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

List the steps involved in pre-procurement planning
When given a list of bids, determine the bid that is the best value.
List strategic procurement planning steps
Recognize threats to the planning phase
Define supplier pricing strategies
Define evaluation and analysis strategies

Course Duration - 30 Minutes

Description - Welcome to the NIGP eLearning module: Procurement Cycle – Planning Phase. This on-demand course provides an overview of the pre-procurement planning phase of the procurement cycle. The pre-procurement planning phase initiates the procurement cycle, this is when the budget and plan for the procurement are established. During this phase, all of the factors and risks of the purchase are analyzed. Once the budget is determined and approved, the procurement schedule is created.

This on-demand course is part 1 of 3 in the Procurement Cycle Series. Search for a course

The Procurement Cycle: Solicitation Development Phase
0.2 CEUs, 0.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define types of specifications.
Define solicitation methods.
Identify the differences between Request for Proposals and Invitation for Bids.
When given a list of bids, determine the bid that is the best value.
Define contract pricing types.

Course Duration - 30 Minutes

Description - Welcome to the NIGP eLearning module: Procurement Cycle – Solicitation Development Phase. This on-demand course provides an overview of the solicitation development phase of the procurement cycle. The solicitation development phase is the second phase of the procurement cycle. During this phase, the solicitation for the purchase is created, the solicitation method is selected, and the contract is created. From the selected decisions, bids are evaluated, and the winning supplier is contracted. The culmiation of this phase is the selection of the supplier to fulfill the contract. This on-demand course is part 2 of 3 in the Procurement Cycle Series. Search for a course

Procurement Jump-Start eLearning Pack
1.8 CEUs, 18.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Description - NIGP’s Procurement Jump-Start is an introductory program developed for professionals who are new to public sector procurement.

With this completely on-demand experience, learners can set their own pace by accessing all Jump-Start lessons when and where it’s most convenient – all that’s needed is an online connection!

Jump-Start covers all the introductory topics and concepts public procurement professionals need to learn, including:

Basic overview of public contracting
Ethical standards and issues
Procurement’s value-added role to the entity
Guidance on the application of legal requirements
Processes included in the three phases of the procurement cycle
Overview of the four phases of the RFP process
Tasks required for effective contract management

Modules Included:

Mission & Public Benefit (2 hours)
Legislation & Legal Environment (2 hours)
The Procurement Cycle: Planning Phase (30min)
The Procurement Cycle: Contract Administration Phase (30min)
The Procurement Cycle: Solicitation Development Phase (30min)
Introduction to Contracts in Public Procurement (30min)
RFPs: From Start to Finish (4 hours)
Effective Contract Management (4 hours)
Effective Contract Formation (4 hours)
Bonus Module:
- Technology Fundamentals for Public Procurement (30min)

Search for a course

Introduction to Project Management - Fifth Edition - PMP1
0.4 CEUs, 3.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain what a project is and how it can advance organizational goals
Describe the role of the project manager in an organizational setting
Identify how enterprise environmental factors and organizational process assets can affect project management processes
Understand the concept of a project management office (PMO)
Recognize the relation of projects to sub-projects, programs, and portfolios
Distinguish between functional organizations and projectized organizations and explain how the structure of the organization can affect project processes and activities
Clarify the role of stakeholders such as the project sponsor in determining general and specific details of the project charter
Identify key competencies of successful project managers
Describe the differences among several common project life cycle approaches

Intended Audience - Adult learners with some project management experience.

Description - This online self-paced course is a supplemental study guide for the major content areas of Chapters 1 and 2 of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth Edition. In this course, you consider some of the organizational issues surrounding project management. You review how different organizations handle the responsibilities of project management and focus on the entity known as a project management office, or PMO. You also learn how organizational structure can play a key role in the success or failure of project management. Search for a course

Project Scope Management - PMP 3
0.5 CEUs, 30 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define scope and explain how to create a project scope statement
Explain the different methods, tools, and techniques for collecting requirements
Assess the work that needs to be completed for a project to successfully fulfill its objectives
Create a work breakdown structure and WBS dictionary
Describe how a requirements traceability matrix can be used to trace project requirements throughout the project's life cycle
Recognize where scope baselines and performance measurement baselines come from and how they are used to evaluate the success of a project through its life cycle
Complete project review reports and lead meetings

Intended Audience - Adult learners with some project management experience.

Description - This course is a supplemental study guide for the major content areas of Chapter 5 of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth Edition. In this course, you will consider many of the key issues surrounding Project Scope Management. Search for a course

PMP 4- Project Time Management
0.5 CEUs, 3.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

List the Project Time Management knowledge area component processes
Define activities using an activity list, activity attributes, and a milestone list
Discuss various techniques for estimating duration and know when to apply them
Describe how project activities can be sequenced
Demonstrate how the resources required for a project can be estimated
Explain how limited availability of resources can affect the scheduling of activities
Demonstrate how a project schedule network diagram is created and read
Describe schedule network analysis and how it can help to determine the critical path for a project
Explain how to control a project's schedule by initiating change requests or employing techniques of schedule compression or buffering

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners with some project management experience. Description - This course was designed as a supplemental study guide for the major content areas of Chapter 6 of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth Edition. In this course, you will consider how to best plan and schedule activities. You will familiarize yourself with the various techniques used to calculate and analyze activity time estimates, including ways to estimate the duration of activities.

This course contains video segments of project management professionals who offer advice and best practices about how to become a more effective project manager. Search for a course

Project Communications Management - PMP8
0.5 CEUs, 3.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Describe the basic communication models and how these models can be applied to Project Communications Management techniques
Identify the various inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of Project Communications Management activities
Explain the basics of effective communication in the context of project management
Describe the importance of the communications management plan
Conduct communication requirements analysis to determine how communications will be planned for in the communications management plan Identify the different methods and technologies of communication, and explain under which circumstances specific methods and technologies are more likely to be successful
Explain the conventions of creating performance reports that use variance analysis and forecasting techniques to update stakeholders on the progress of the project

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners with some project management experience. Description - This course was designed as a supplemental study guide for the major content areas of Chapter 10 of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth Edition. In this course, you will learn about how project management teams can effectively communicate with the project's various stakeholders.

This course contains video segments of project management professionals who offer advice and best practices about how to become a more effective project manager. Search for a course

Introduction to Project Risk Management - PMP 9
0.5 CEUs, 3.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define risk and explain how it can impact a project
Identify the components of the risk management plan and risk register and their relationship to the project management plan
Describe the techniques involved in risk identification and analysis
Explain how the probability and impact of risk can be assessed and how risk events can be prioritized
Recognize the difference between qualitative risk analysis and quantitative risk analysis and explain when either or both should be used
Describe how to make project decisions when outcomes are complex and are affected by uncertainty
Understand how risk planning, risk analysis, risk response planning, and risk monitoring and controlling are related
Employ the various management responses to positive and negative risks
Explain the Control Risks process and recognize that risks must be monitored throughout the project life cycle

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners with some project management experience.

Description - This course is a supplemental study guide for the major content areas of Chapter 11 of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth Edition. In this module, you will define the core elements of risk management, including the risk register. You will also understand how risks are identified, prioritized, quantified, and used in decision-making. Search for a course

Project Procurement Management - Fifth Edition - PMP10
0.4 CEUs, 3.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define procurement within the context of a project
Describe the elements of a procurement management plan
Explain the various roles and responsibilities of buyers and sellers
Compare contract types and analyze make-or-buy decisions
Understand the techniques that contribute to effective project procurement documents
Identify common criteria for selecting sellers
Describe the activities involved in controlling procurements and ensuring that sellers are on track to complete deliverables that conform to project requirements
Explain the importance of negotiating for a suitable contract and ensuring that any changes to the procurement requirements are well-documented Explore the circumstances under which project procurements can be closed

Intended Audience - Adult learners with some project management experience.Description - This online self-paced course is a supplemental study guide for the major content areas of Chapter 12 of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth Edition. In this course, you will consider the various aspects of the Project Procurement Management knowledge area. Search for a course

Project Stakeholder Management - PMP 11
0.5 CEUs, 3.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify the individuals, groups, and organizations associated with a project to ensure that all needs and expectations will be considered and evaluated Use classification models, such as the power/interest grid and salience model, to categorize stakeholders and consider their impact on the project
Create stakeholder management strategies to maximize positive stakeholder impacts and minimize negative stakeholder impacts
Explore gaps between current and desired levels of engagement and incorporate strategies to bring these conditions into alignment
Employ interpersonal and management skills to address and manage conflicts among stakeholders
Nurture engagement activities to help the project meet its objectives and satisfy all acceptance criteria
Modify engagement strategies to ensure that they continue to be effective

Intended Audience - Adult learners with some project management experience.

Description - This course is a supplemental study guide for the major content areas of Chapter 13 of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth Edition. In this course, you will learn about how to effectively identify project stakeholders and involve them throughout the project to enhance the prospects for success. Search for a course

Principles and Techniques of Problem Solving
7.5 Contact Hours, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

List the step of problem solving
Discuss techniques for developing creative solutions
List the five steps for effective decision making

Intended Audience - Purchasing officials involved with problem solving issues.

Description - In the information age, the true challenge is creating unique solutions to old and new problems. In this course, attendees learn a process for solving problems creatively. You can apply this process in your work and personal life. Learn how to awaken the hidden creative energy in all of us and how to get others to buy into new ideas. There is a role for experts and a time for fools. Learn the questions to ask at each step in the process. This is an interactive class full of ideas, practical tips and fun. Search for a course

Quality Management Basics
1.2 CEUs, 12 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Describe the principles and practices that guide quality management activities
Understand how tools and techniques can be used to monitor and control quality
Use tools in combination to create powerful plans and solutions to quality problems
Leverage quantitative and qualitative data to measure and control work
Describe the core competencies involved in several popular quality management methodologies
Employ quality analysis and quality planning approaches to meet customer expectations

Intended Audience - Adult learners seeking quality management knowledge.

Description - Quality Management Basics provides a firm foundation for anyone looking to understand quality management practices and techniques. The course combines instructional material with interactive exercises, vocabulary games, and flashcards to explain the core concepts and strategies of effective quality management. Case studies and examples from manufacturing and service sectors help to explain the nuances of quality concepts, while video segments from experienced quality management professionals provide expert insight into the real-world application of quality principles. The course is self-paced to allow students as much time as needed to absorb information and to understand the key concepts that will help them satisfy their stakeholders and delight their customers. Search for a course

RFPs: From Start to Finish (with Project)
0.6 CEUs, 6 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - This course is based on higher dollar sealed competitive negotiation procurement. It covers the skills and knowledge needed for this type of procurement. Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify questions that should be asked at the beginning of the RFP process.
Use an RFP outline to develop a RFP.
Develop a checklist to assess whether a proposal is responsive.
Compare different methods of reaching a final decision.
Develop a strategy for debriefing unsuccessful proposers.

Description - The RFP process consists of four phases. This self-paced course takes students on a journey through the four phases: Gathering Information, Preparing the RFP, Publishing the RFP, and Awarding the RFP. This version of the course includes a built-in project assignment that allows learners to demonstrate mastery of the topic. In order to pass this course, students must successfully complete each Phase project, which are reviewed by an NIGP certified Instructor. Learners will get feedback and guidance from the Instructor on their project submission. A final test is not required for this version of the course. Learners can take as much or as little time needed to complete this self-paced course. Search for a course

RFPs: From Start to Finish (with Exam)
0.4 CEUs, 4 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - This course is based on higher dollar sealed competitive negotiation procurement. It covers the skills and knowledge needed for this type of procurement. Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify questions that should be asked at the beginning of the RFP process.
Distinguish between the different components of an RFP.
Determine what should be in a checklist to assess whether a proposal is responsive.
Compare different methods of reaching a final decision.
Analyze how the best value approach is applied to the RFP process.

Description - The RFP process consists of four phases. This self-paced course takes students on a journey through the four phases: Gathering Information, Preparing the RFP, Publishing the RFP, and Awarding the RFP. This version of the course includes a built-in project assignment that allows learners to demonstrate mastery of the topic. At the end of the course, students are required to take a 50-question assessment. In order to pass this course, students must score at least a 70% on this assessment. The assessment provides real-time feedback so learners are aware of how they scored. Learners can take as much or as little time needed to complete this self-paced course. Search for a course

Selecting the Right Procurement Method
1 Contact Hour, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course participants will be able to:

Differentiate between the three main procurement methods: requests for bids, requests for proposals, and requests for qualifications.
Identify the benefits and drawbacks to each of the three procurement methods
Understand legal and regulatory restrictions that may apply to your choice of procurement method
Outline a process for selecting an appropriate procurement method for a specific procurement.

Description - This self-paced mini-course is presented in a pre-recorded webinar format and includes a related text excerpt, quiz, and final assessment to gauge your understanding of the content. This course explains the what, how, and why of the most common procurement methods so you’ll know when it’s appropriate to ask for bids, when to ask for proposals, and when to ask for qualifications. Search for a course

Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement
2.8 CEUs, 27.5 Contact Hour, Accredited

Description - Increasingly, governmental entities are embracing technology and IT infrastructure solutions in their desire to interact more strategically and beneficially with the communities they support. As a result, procurement professionals are expected to procure and negotiate contracts and agreements with more complex terms and conditions. Performing these tasks, however, requires the procurement professional to evaluate a multitude of topic-specific factors that affect stakeholders and the governmental entity alike. Promoting an overview of technology procurements, NIGP’s Foundations of Technology Procurement Specialty Certificate provides learners with an introduction to terminology, research practices and opinions, solicitation methods, strategies for risk identification, and common mistakes procurement professionals encounter when negotiating and managing awarded IT contracts. This Specialty Certificate introduces and promotes IT best practices by identifying concepts, common risks and issues, and the precise role of the procurement function and public procurement professional in governmental entities, empowering procurement professional to achieve a legal, flexible, and fair agreements or contracts with confidence.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the certificate, the certificate holder will be able to:

Determine the appropriate procurement method for IT products, services, and/or solutions.
Develop the solicitation document associated with IT products, services, and/or solutions.
Identify proposal risk and evaluation methods for IT procurement.
Develop an IT demo process.
Develop final IT contract documents.
Prepare for post-award activities unique to IT.

Target Audience

This certificate is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:

Advanced-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Specialization Certificate: Construction Procurement

2.3 CEUs, 22.5 Contact Hour, Accredited

Description - Procurement of architect and engineering professional services and construction services is a niche specialty in the profession. While the public procurement principles continue to apply, some practices, methods, and laws are unique to the procurement of professional services and construction. Procuring professional design services and construction can be very challenging, as each project is unique, and often complicated. New and evolving project delivery methods like progressive design-build and construction manager at risk adds new challenges for the public procurement professional.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the certificate, the certificate holder will be able to:

Procure professional design services and construction by applying the latest public procurement best practices
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies that apply to procuring design and construction services
Select the most appropriate construction project delivery method for each construction project; and
Administer design and construction contracts to meet project goals

Target Audience

This certificate is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:

Advanced-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

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Spend Wisely: The Strategic Use of Spend Analysis and Spend Management
0.3 CEUs, 3 Contact Hours, Accredited

Learning Objectives - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define spend analysis and spend management and differentiate between the two
Explain the benefits of spend management
Describe the spend analysis process

Intended Audience - Finance, procurement and supply chain professionals looking for ways to become more effective and efficient by improving their inventory management methodologies. Warehouse managers and warehouse employees.

Description - This is a self-paced, online mini-course designed for anyone concerned with procurement transformation, particularly achieving strategic cost savings. Every agency has the raw data available to conduct a spend analysis but not necessarily the time, resources, or expertise necessary to carry out the data manipulation required. This course describes the purpose of a spend analysis, the process an organization would go through to conduct a spend analysis and the benefits of a spend management program that the analysis enables.

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Surety Bonds: Limiting Risk and Financial Loss
1 Contact Hour, Non-Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define Surety Bond Identify the common types of surety bonds used
Explain the considerations used in evaluating a contractor's bonding capacity
Explain the process used when a contractor defaults on a bond

Intended Audience - Intended for public procurement professionals involved in contracting Description - This self-paced course provides an overview of Surety Bonds. The surety process ensures that capable and qualified contractors are being used and protects the entity from financial loss due to contractor failure. This course describes the function of a surety bond and identifies the procurement requirements of an effective surety bond. Search for a course

Technology Fundamentals for Public Procurement
2 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes – Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain why procurement requires basic knowledge of technology.
Identify terms related to procuring software, hardware, services, and support.
Differentiate between the three types of licenses for procuring software.
Determine the relationship between software and hardware.

Description - This self-paced course discusses the basic procurement concepts of the four common IT commodities: software, hardware, services, and support. This course was designed for procurement professionals with little or no knowledge of technology. At the end of the course, students are required to take a 20-question assessment. In order to pass this course, students must score at least a 70% on this assessment. The assessment has real-time feedback built in, so learners know how they do right away. Learners can take as much or as little time as needed to complete this course. Search for a Course

Time Management
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

State the key outcomes and goals of effective time management
Assess your attitudes about your relationship to time and time management
Employ a time log in ascertaining how you spend your time
Recognize the common causes of procrastination
List the key attributes of effective (SMART) goals and recognize the importance of establishing personal and professional goals
Identify the key principles of time management (organization, prioritization, and planning) and some common methods for prioritizing tasks (ABC Method and the Eisenhower Method) Understand the value and purpose of common time management tools, including scheduling systems (activity logs, action plans, to do lists)
Differentiate key characteristics of Action Plans and Task Lists
Identify the steps in the delegation process and recognize guidelines for appropriate task delegation
Explore strategies for handling e-mail, phone calls, and other interruptions

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners in any profession who have an interest in more effectively and efficiently managing their time

Description - One of the more precious resources a manager has is his or her time. Managers can become more effective by employing time management and scheduling techniques, delegating, outsourcing key tasks, and employing technology. Effective time management helps managers achieve their goals. Search for a course

Time Value of Money and Risk
0.5 CEUs, 3 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Distinguish between points in time and periods of time as shown by a time line
Define compounding and discounting
Compute future value or present value for single payment amounts
Clarify single payments and streams of payments and between uneven streams and annuities
Solve for the interest rate or time-period for simple present value and future value problems
Define risk
Describe how risk influences investment decisions
Calculate risk and rates of return
Examine how diversification can limit risk
Explain how diversifiable risk can be lowered using a portfolio approach

Intended Audience - Adult learners and/or non-financial managers.

Description - This course covers time value of money (TVM) principles and risk and return. You will review the basic TVM techniques used in evaluating all financial decisions and their cash flow implications. For Risk and Return, you will learn how risk influences investment decisions, and how to calculate risk and rates of return. Further, you will explore the benefits of diversification and the use of the portfolio concept in investing. Search for a course

Triple Bottom Line Accounting
0.5 CEUs, 5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain the triple bottom line (TBL) concept and its three pillars of "People, Planet, and Profits"
Describe the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) TBL accounting framework
Explain how economic, environmental, and social performance indicators are developed
Discuss how TBL accounting measures an organization's sustainability performance
Outline the criticisms of TBL accounting
Describe best practices for TBL accounting

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners interested in advancing their understanding of sustainable management.

Description - In order to pursue the goal of sustainability, corporate and government leaders must manage companies and economies in terms of balancing and optimizing the triple bottom line of social, environmental, and economic impacts. The Triple Bottom Line concept, also known as the "3Ps" ("People, Planet, and Profit"), is both a metaphor for thinking about sustainability as well as the basis for a practical framework for accounting and reporting on organizations' activities and impacts. The TBL concept borrows the well-known and widely accepted idea of financial accounting and its "bottom line" and expands it. Search for a course

Understanding and Managing Budgets
0.5 CEUs, 3 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Recognize the uses and functions of budgeting
Understand the key activities, considerations, and benefits of strategic organizational planning
Comprehend the purpose and make-up of a master budget
Identify the components and calculations used to create a master budget and recognize uses for this information
Identify the components and purpose of an operating budget
Recognize how sales, production, and cost of goods sold budgets are created and perform related calculations
Recognize the purpose of cash budgets and how they are prepared Identify ways the budget process can be managed for optimal results and recognize the benefits and limitations of the management-by-objective system

Intended Audience - This course is designed for adult learners and/or non-financial managers.

Description - This online self-paced course covers budgets and how they are used in organizational settings. You gain an understanding of the uses and functions of master budgets, operating budgets, sales, production and cost of goods sold budgets, and cash budgets. You also learn how organizations are using different budgeting techniques to deal with operating challenges. Search for a course

Understanding Local Preference
0.5 Contact Hours, Accredited

Objectives and Intended Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Understand policies around Local Bidder Preference
Describe the pros and cons of Local Bidder Preference

Intended Audience - Intended for public procurement professionals involved in the competitive, best value solicitation process.

Description - This self-paced course provides an overview of Local Bidder Preference. Local Bidder Preference is a decision by the government to direct purchases to certain companies based on location. When accepting bids for projects, a percentage increase is added to out-of-town bidders bid prices, to give local bidders an advantage in the bidding process. Although local vendor preferences are thought to stimulate local economies, they often do not work as intended. Search for a course

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NIGP Catalog of Courses