MACo Addresses the Maryland Public Purchasing Association’s July Meeting

MACo Associate Policy Director Brianna January briefed the Maryland Public Purchasing Association on the 2023 legislative session and updates to procurement law and policy.

The Maryland Public Purchasing Association (MPPA) invited MACo Associate Policy Director Brianna January to address its July 27 general meeting in Queen Anne’s County.

MPPA is a professional organization comprised of over 300 procurement professionals throughout the State. MPPA, Inc. members represent various public purchasing entities including the federal government, state, cities, counties, colleges and universities, libraries, hospitals, commissions and other public agencies. MPPA, Inc. is the local chapter of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP), which has over 70 chapters in the United States, Canada, and internationally.

MPPA’s website details its founding:

During the late 1970’s, the foundation was poured for the Maryland Public Purchasing Association by a group of purchasing professionals who were interested in furthering the development of cooperative purchasing issues as well other initiatives of public procurement interest. This group worked in public purchasing and were predominately from Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Prince George’s County, and the State of Maryland. They numbered thirty practitioners and together they applied to the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) for Charter acceptance as their Maryland Chapter. In March of 1980, NIGP granted this group official Chapter status and the Maryland Public Purchasing Association was formed.

MACo’s Brianna January joined MPPA at its July general meeting to debrief the association on the 2023 legislative session and where procurement initiatives landed. The discussion included topics like:

  • Legislative trends to mandate or restrict specific aspects of the procurement process like project and payment turnaround and fulfillment times;
  • Attempts to blanketly reform procurement claims and appeals processes;
  • Requiring projects and services to pay prevailing wage and other labor requirements; and
  • The “greening” of procurement, such as prohibiting the procurement and use of certain materials, or incentivizing the use of more environmentally-friendly materials.

She also explained the role of MACo in Annapolis and before the State, county procurement, and how local government and MPPA can best work together to advocate for best practices and effecient procurement policies.

MACo looks forward to a continued relationship witrh MPPA and deeper partnership on behalf of local procrement and purchasing professionals.