New Book on Procurement Methods

A new reference book entitled "Procurement Methods: Effective Techniques" by Lourdes Coss, MPA, CPPO, will be published on April 25, 2016. Ms. Coss is one of the most highly respected and preeminent public procurement professionals in the nation.

About the book:  "I decided to write the book I had been looking for," Coss notes.  "It's a desk reference for procurement professionals."  The book is applicable for both the manager searching for a tool to train procurement staff and professionals seeking to expand their knowledge. The book serves a resource for procurement professionals providing guidance on method selection and techniques. It provides examples to aid in the development of critical sections of the procurement document and explains the logic that should be followed in order to optimize the process. 

Procurement Methods: Effective Techniques by Lourdes Coss

Table of contents:  Here's the table of contents for the book:

• Bids or Competitive (Sealed) Bids
• Objective and Application
• Invitation to Bid (ITB) or Invitation for Bid (IFB) Development
• Bid Evaluation
• Summary
• Request for Qualification (RFQ)
• Objective and Application
• RFQ Development
• RFQ Evaluation Process
• Summary
• Request for Proposals (RFP)
• Objective and Application
• RFP Development
• RFP Evaluation Process
• Summary
• Alignment & Consistency
• Achieving Alignment
• Consistent Terminology
• Standardization
• Criteria and Submittal Requirements Alignment
• High Level View of Evaluations
• Conclusion

Lourdes Coss, MPA, CPPO

About Lourdes Coss:  In her distinguished career that has spanned more than 25 years, Lourdes Coss has secured support for new procurement legislation, achieved over $150 million in savings in the last several years through strategic sourcing and negotiations, automated routine processes, significantly reduced procurement cycle times, and implemented strategies to maximize available resources.She has has led procurement improvements and transformations for many large public agencies:

• City of Chicago
• Public Building Commission of Chicago
• University of Illinois at Chicago
• Cook County, Illinois
• City of Houston

Buying the book:  The book may be ordered online in paperback or in an electronic edition through either of the links below:

• Click here to buy the eBook now ($7.99)
• Click here to buy the Kindle edition now ($7.99)
• Click here to buy the Nook edition now ($7.49)
• To buy the paperback edition ($12.00), click on one of the links above on May 5, 2016 or later

My semi-retirement:  As most of you know, I am not writing regular public contracting blogs now, but I will periodically post when important things come up.  I think the publication of Lourdes Coss' book is one of those important events that people should be aware of.  I know Lourdes and think very highly of her.  I am still doing some consulting and training, but am trying not to take on too many commitments so I can focus on my interest in writing and speaking on presidential history.

In the media:  I've been contacted by the media a lot recently to comment on presidential history and the current campaign.  In addition to being quoted in The Wall Street Journal and by Reuters over the last month or so, last week I had two television interviews that you can watch by clicking the links below:

• Race for President with KBTC public television in Tacoma, Washington
• Can Donald Trump Survive a Contested Convention? with WHDT World News 

Presidential History Blog:  If you're interested in presidential history, you can sign up for a free email subscription to my Presidential History Blog at PresidentialHistory.com.

Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
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