A long view of the Empire State Plaza Convention Center with exhibitors and attendees during the 2024 GOVBUY event.

GOVBUY 2024: Download Key Session Presentations

GOVBUY 2024 Key Sessions Presentations
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GOVBUY 2024 Key Session Presentations

 

Presentations from GOVBUY 2024 are linked below. 
Click on the session title to view and download the presentation files.
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State MWBE and SDVOB Contracting Opportunities

How can MWBEs and SDVOBs participate in government procurements? This session will overview the New York State MWBE and SDVOB requirements, how to navigate government agencies and authorities, and how to participate in discretionary awards. The session will also provide key information for outreach and recruitment techniques for private companies with diversity goals.

Moderator
Tryphina Ramsey, Director for the Office of Business Diversity, NYS Office of General Services

Panelists
Lori Brodhead, Compliance Specialist 2, NYS Office of General Services
Joshua Quiles, Compliance Specialist 2, NYS Office of General Services

Buying Green in New York State

Come hear from leaders in the field on how your agency can find, purchase, and track the procurement of green products. In this session, presenters will review the current state of environmentally preferable purchasing, as well as give a behind-the-scenes look into ongoing projects that are designed to help procurement officers find sustainable items. The presentations will close out with an eye toward future projects in the pipeline that will further enable green purchasing.

Presenters
Jessica Watson, Contract Management Specialist, NYS Office of General Services
Pamela Hadad Hurst, Special Assistant to the Commissioner, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Chris Reohr, Program Manager, NYSERDA

Procurement Rules for Local Governments and School Districts

This session overviews General Municipal Law, Section 103 and the exceptions to competitive bidding. The discussion will include how to procure professional services, emergency contracts, “piggybacking” on other governmental contracts, and contracts below the statutory dollar threshold.

Presenters
Mark R. Stevens, Supervising Attorney, Division of Legal Services, Office of the State Comptroller
Erina Fitzgerald, Senior Attorney, Office of the State Comptroller

How to Procure with Preferred Sources

This session provides guidance on how to procure goods and services with approved NYS Preferred Sources. Preferred Sources include Corcraft, NYSPSP and NYSID.

Moderator
David Keneston, Preferred Source Team Leader, NYS Office of General Services

Panelists
JP Behrle, Director of Correctional Industries, Corcraft
Tim Fiori, Director of Business Development, NYSPSP
Maureen O'Brien, CEO, New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc.

PBITS and HBITS: Optimizing Your IT Services Procurement

Learn the most efficient way to procure IT Services using OGS's Project Based IT Services (PBITS) and Hourly Based IT Services (HBITS) centralized contracts. The session will review selection criteria, implementation and monitoring strategies, and evaluation techniques when using these contracts.

Presenters
Kylesha Davis , Assistant Director, Procurement Services, NYS Office of General Services
Sean Hume, Assistant Director, Special Projects and Hourly Based IT Services (HBITS) Procurement Services, NYS Office of General Services

Best Practices in Contract Management

Contract management is a critical part of the overall contract life cycle. Experts will share select contract management activities and other strategies for effectively overseeing contracts after they are awarded. This session will provide information on contract assignments, price changes, how to hold the vendor accountable, and other contract management activities.

Presenters
Jaime Schorr, Chief Cooperative Procurement Officer, NASPO ValuePoint
Solomon Kingston, Deputy Chief Cooperative Procurement Officer, NASPO ValuePoint

Introduction to the NYS Contract Reporter

Learn how to place ads in the New York State Contract Reporter so they can be accessed by the contractor community, along with other guidance and best practices for ad placement and promotion.

Presenter
Gerardo Rodriguez, Administrator, NYS Contract Reporter, Empire State Development

Procurement Solutions Through the 
General Services Administration (GSA) Contracts

Come and meet your GSA representatives Kyle McGlade and Debbie Paralemos-Kandilas, and learn how to save time using GSA's federal contracts. GSA offers you access to a multitude of pre-vetted contracts, all supported by a nationwide network of experts, as well as a suite of online tools you can use to research and acquire the solutions you need. This workshop will outline the simple steps to take to access these programs, and the guidelines for their use to help you streamline your acquisition processes.

Presenter
Kyle McGlade, Customer Services Director, General Services Administration
Debbie Paralemos-Kandilas, Branch Chief, Oversight Accounts (DHS, State & Local), U.S. General Services Administration

Writing a Successful Scope of Work

Learn the elements of developing a good scope of work and how it relates to a successful procurement. Understand the purposes of a precisely written scope of work and how it can reduce risk and ultimately save money. This session will be valuable both to public procurement professionals who are developing solicitations as well as private businesses, including small businesses, MWBEs, and SDVOBs, who respond to the solicitations.

Presenters
Brandon Martin, Cooperative Portfolio Manager, RFxPremier
Zac Christensen, JD, CPPO, CPPB, NIGP-CPP, Deputy Chief Cooperative Procurement Officer, RFxPremier

Design and Construction Opportunities at OGS

NYS Office of General Services has construction projects in over 60 counties throughout New York. In addition, OGS is managing five, over $100M projects. Meet key leaders from OGS’ Design and Construction service units and identify some new opportunities for your company for 2025.

Presenters
Erik Deyoe, P.E., Associate Commissioner, Design & Construction Group, NYS Office of General Services
Pierre Alric, Contract Management, Design & Construction Group, NYS Office of General Services
Bridget O’Hanlon, Deputy Commissioner for Design and Construction, NYS Office of General Services

Using Reverse Auctions in Your Procurements

This session will describe what a Reverse Auction is and how you can incorporate this procurement tool into your portfolio management. Topics will include an overview of the auction tools, how they are conducted, and why they can be beneficial in public procurement.

Presenters
Harry Brown, Contract Management Specialist, NYS Office of General Services
Stacie Craft, Contract Management Specialist, Procurement Services, NYS Office of General Services
Cindy Sisloff, President, eBridge Business Solutions, LLC
Stefania Talarico, Account Executive, Public Sector, EASiBuy, LLC

Using the OGS Centralized Contract Vendor Feedback System

OGS uses a Centralized Contract Vendor Feedback System to manage contracts. This session will show you the ins and outs of that system and help you better understand how to navigate it. This session is designed for procurement professionals. Vendors are encouraged to attend and learn how vendor feedback can be applied and integrated into their customer satisfaction programs.

Remarks
Morgan Shute, Program Associate, NYS Procurement Services, NYS Office of General Services

Presenter
David Yarkin, Ex-CPO of Pennsylvania | Founder + CEO, Procurated

Food Procurement Requirements and Strategies for NY State Agencies

See also New York Products for Institutional Buyers

Learn about special food procurement considerations for New York State agencies. OGS will review the procurement laws, rules, protocols, and reporting requirements associated with food purchases.  NYS Ag & Markets staff will explain Executive Order 32 and review the resources available to State agencies in identifying and sourcing NY State food.

Moderator
Henry Talmage, Senior Advisor on Food Policy and Procurement, NYS Ag & Markets

Panelists
Wendy Reitzel Director, Procurement Services, NYS Office of General Services
Bradley Allen, Deputy Commissioner & Counsel, NYS Office of General Services

Understanding NYS OGS Centralized Contracts with Filed Requirements – Fuels, and Road Salt

Learn how OGS Procurement Services determines authorized users’ purchasing needs for fuels, and road salt to solicit bids and award contracts. Authorized users will learn how to communicate their purchasing needs to OGS to achieve savings. This session will also help you better understand your contractual obligations when making these purchases.

Presenters
Jose DeAndres, Team Lead, NYS Office of General Services
Wendy  Nieves, Contract Management Specialist, NYS Office of General Services
Brandy Alden, Contract Management Specialist 2, NYS Office of General Services      

Evaluation and Negotiation: A Practical Guide

Best value solicitations inevitably involve clarification and interactions with prospective suppliers in order to deliver the actual best value for our governments. Planning for how to be successful in these activities includes an understanding of where power resides for the buyer and the seller, how to manage the discussions, and how to establish an evaluation process that aligns with the lies in these goals. Lanier leads a fun and provocative session.

Presenter
Dustin Lanier, Founder & Principal Consultant, Civic Initiatives LLC

Watch Recording: New York State Mega Projects – NYS Procurement Opportunities

New York State’s Mega projects bring many procurement opportunities, as well as challenges. Hear from lead economic development, procurement, and business diversity experts from major development projects, upstate, downstate, mid-state, and interstate, and learn their techniques and approaches to compete successfully for procurement opportunities on these projects.

Moderator
Dhanraj Singh, Chief Procurement Officer, NYS Office of General Services

Remarks
Dwight Flynn, First Deputy Chief Business Diversity Officer, Mayors Office of MWBE

Panelists
Robert J. Rodriguez, President and CEO, DASNY
Rachel Laiserin, Deputy Commissioner of Finance and Procurement, NYC Department of Design and Construction
Ian Taylor, Senior Vice President, Asset Management | Design & Construction, New York City Economic Development Corporation
Lourdes Zapata, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Ryan Murray, Chief Contracting Officer, Battery Park City Authority

BSC Purchasing Introductory Overview

This session provides a look at the role of OGS Business Service Center in supporting its customers with buying goods and services in New York State. The session will provide an overview of the requirements and procedures for processing purchases, including necessary documentation, and will review the common pitfalls and how to avoid them. The session is an introductory class for new requestors and buyers who are BSC customers.

Presenters
Suanne Smith, Business Services Center Analyst, NYS Office of General Services
Sumita Dey, Business Services Center Analyst, NYS Office of General Services
Alyssa Race, Business Services Center Analyst, NYS Office of General Services
Angela Murray, Business Services Center Analyst, NYS Office of General Services

Introduction to Procurement Certifications: UPPCC & NIGP

In this session, procurement professionals share their insights and experiences regarding procurement certifications and their value in their professional development. Learn more about which certifications make more dollars and sense in the purchasing sector.

Moderator
Emily Shusas, Contract Management Specialist, NYS Office of General Services

Presenters
Rick Grimm, CEO, NIGP
Derrick Strand, Executive Director, Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC)

NYS Procurement Guidelines

New to State government procurement or looking for a refresher on the State's Procurement Guidelines? Learn about the procurement methods available to state agencies and when to use them. This includes Preferred Sources, centralized contracts, and agency contracts.

Presenters
Morgan Shute, Program Associate, NYS Office of General Services
Jim Jasiewicz, Contract Management Specialist, NYS Office of General Services

NYS Insurance Requirements: 
Understanding Terms, Coverages, and Provisions

This session will provide a basic understanding of insurance terms, what to look for on a certificate of insurance from your contractors, and how insurance requirements impact the contracting process. The discussion will include important requirements to consider in establishing a contract’s insurance requirements.

Presenters
Walter Peretti, Program Director, NYS Workers' Compensation
Robert Hall, Bureau of Risk & Insurance Management, NYS Office of General Services

OGS IT Umbrella Manufacturer and Distributor Contracts

This session provides an overview of OGS IT Manufacturing Umbrella and Distributor contracts. It covers areas such as products and services available, the most efficient way to procure hardware, software, cloud, and implementation services, and how to navigate common challenges.

Presenters
Kylesha Davis, Assistant Director, Procurement Services, NYS Office of General Services
Joe Better, Assistant Director, NYS Office of General Services

Relationship Management in Procurement

Establishing mutually beneficial relationships with key stakeholders is essential to successful public procurement. This session will provide best practices in establishing and maintaining relationships with both government stakeholders and suppliers in procurement.

Presenter
Paul Brennan, Director of Purchasing, Rockland County

Providing Linguistically Responsive Services in New York State*

*A recording of this key session is coming soon.

This moderated discussion will explore the different authorized user perspectives, including applicability of wide array of services under the contract and process to become an authorized user. We would cover questions such as the following:

This moderated discussion will explore the different authorized user perspectives, including applicability of wide array of services under the contract and process to become an authorized user. We would cover questions such as the following:

  1. Why do you need to use these services?
  2. Which services under this contract do you use the most and how?
  3. What changes have you seen in the provision of your organization’s services since you began buying services offered on this contract?

Moderator
Alejandro Cintron Carrasco, Deputy Director, NYS Office of Language Access within the Office of General Services (OGS)

Panelists
Laura Dempsey, Contract Management Specialist 1, Procurement Services, Office of General Services (OGS)
Carol Pilco, Business Services Center Analyst 2, Business Services Center within the Office of General Services (OGS)
Jenny Munoz, Senior Manager, Policy & Strategic Initiatives, New York State Office for New Americans
Jannette Rondo, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS)
Melissa Quesada, Chief Diversity Officer, Department of Labor (DOL)

Speed up Your IT Procurement with COMeT

Learn how to purchase from the IT Umbrella Manufacturer contract using the Centralized Online Management for eProcurement Tool (COMeT). COMeT is a new tool designed to make the Request for Quote (RFQ) process easier than ever before. Learn how to utilize this system when drafting, releasing, and awarding RFQs.

Presenters
Josh Sack, Contract Management Specialist, IT Umbrella Manufacturer Team NYS Office of General Services
Kalee Palmeter, Contract Management Specialist, NYS Office of General Services

NYS Contract Terms and Conditions

This session provides an overview of the structure and scope of New York State Contract Terms and Conditions. More specifically, it looks at the difference between statutory and non-statutory terms and conditions (Appendix A and B), how these are incorporated into OGS contracts, what is negotiable and what is not, and how and when vendors can provide feedback on terms and conditions without negatively impacting the procurement process.

Presenter
Tyler Feane, Supervising Attorney, NYS Office of General Services

How to Use Game Theory to Improve Your Negotiation Outcomes

Many companies overpay for their procurement spend because suppliers do not have the right incentives to lower their prices. Traditional negotiation techniques accompanied by recent inflationary trends have prevented buyers from taking advantage of the leverage in their supply base, and prices have remained high, leaving value on the table. The good news is game theory can help. In this session, attendees will learn the fundamentals of game theory and how it can help buyers gain the upper hand in their negotiations and drive savings and other commercial value.

Presenter
Zoe Pangalos, Senior Consultant, NERA

Purchasing Zero Emission Vehicles and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

This session will focus on procurement of zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) and electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVSE) in light of the State fleet’s electrification goals. Fleet managers, operations and facilities staff, and procurement officers will learn about current ZEV offerings on statewide contract, as well as several approaches for purchasing and installing EVSE.

Moderator
Julie Takakjian, Policy Advisor, NYS Office of General Services

Panelists
Carol Neelis, Contract Management Specialist, NYS Office of General Services
Brandy Americk, Project Manager, NYS Office of General Services
Nick Hvozda, Project Engineer, New York Power Authority