Professional Support for Small Businesses and Organizations
The Benefits of Working Together
Personalized
I’ll work with you to identify pain points, and establish a game plan aligned to your business’s needs.
Collaborative
You’ll find relief in consistent communication, honest reporting, and a differentiated approach for your situation.
Scalable
Services grow with your needs. I’m here to help with all aspects of your procurement and administrative processes.
Available Services
I offer customizable procurement and administrative services, allowing you to focus on where you need support.
End-to-end procurement and purchasing services, from planning through administration and closeout.
Assistance with scheduling, bookkeeping, website upkeep, and organizational needs.
Implementation and maintenance support for your Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) data systems and processes.
Grow practical knowledge and skills through customized training sessions.
Help administering your monthly purchase card program, and its policies and procedures.
Management for your fleet’s license plates, registrations, titles, toll tags, and fuel cards.
Help with getting started as a Contractor for government agencies - where to register and look for solicitations, and support with responses.
Research and writing services for your grant proposal to ensure compliance with the Request for Proposals (RFP).
Ongoing supervisory services when you need steady support for your business’s procurement and administrative needs, but aren’t ready to hire full-time.
Procurement FAQ
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Procurement is the process of sourcing or purchasing goods and services. It starts with planning and research, and ends after final acceptance, payment, and closeout.
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Effective procurement can help businesses save on costs, maintain relationships, and mitigate risks. Establishing consistent practices is an important part of ensuring your business’s success.
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Procurement and Finance are both involved in spending, but approach management differently. Finance uses accounts payable, budgets, and invoicing to track purchases, while Procurement focuses on policies/procedures, supplier relationships, and negotiating contracts.
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There are four (4) main types of Procurement - Direct, Indirect, Goods, and Services.
Direct: purchasing materials and components used to create your final products and services. (E.g., wood and fabric used to make furniture items)
Indirect: purchasing goods and services to support business operations (E.g., office supplies, maintenance contracts, janitorial services, etc.)
Goods: acquiring physical products your business needs (E.g., equipment, computers, inventory items, etc.)
Services: acquiring services that provide expertise, labor, or specialized knowledge to help your business (E.g., consulting, IT support, legal services, etc.)
Procurement might also be defined in different ways based on other factors:
Procurement Method/Strategy: You might hear terms like “full and open competition” or “restricted/set-aside” to designate the types of businesses that can respond to a solicitation.
Contract Type: You may hear terms like “firm fixed-price” or “cost-reimbursable” to state the type of contract that will be used.
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Policies and regulations will vary depending on who you are working with.
A Federal Government Agency must adhere to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and their specific supplemental documents, like the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) or Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulations (VAAR).
A Local Government Municipality might have required regulations or statutes from the state to follow along with their own charter and policies.
A Commercial Entity will typically have their own standard practices and policies that they follow to ensure fairness, competition, and efficiency, but will also meet other requirements if working with another private or public entity.
An Educational Institution may prefer to work with non-commercial terms and conditions, depending on the type of services provided.
No matter who you do business with, there will always be policies to follow and terms to negotiate. This is where a Procurement professional can provide guidance to ensure your business is aware of and/or meeting third-party requirements.
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The Procurement process can be broken down into 10 general steps:
1. Identify the Need: A department/team identifies a requirement.
2. Requests & Approvals: A Purchase Request is submitted and approved.
3. Market Research: Locate potential sources and suppliers. This can include posting a Request for Information (RFI).
4. Solicitation: If required, issue a solicitation (E.g., Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote or Qualifications (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), etc.)
5. Evaluation: Assess responses from the solicitation.
6. Negotiation & Award: Finalize terms and select a Contractor/Supplier.
7. Award/Purchase Order: Execute a Contract/Agreement and/or Purchase Order.
8. Receiving & Inspection: Goods/services are received and accepted.
9. Invoice & Payment: Process invoices and pay Contractors/Suppliers.
10. Administration & Closeout: Complete modifications/amendments if needed and closeout the PO.