Government Purchasing Month
WHEREAS, the Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing, Inc. (VAGP) was established in 1958, is the largest chapter of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, with approximately 1,000 professional public purchasing members employed by nearly 300 public entities, comprised of cities, counties, towns, state agencies, colleges, universities, public schools, hospitals, authorities and community service boards throughout Virginia, and
WHEREAS, the Capital Area Purchasing Association (CAPA), also a chapter of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, was established in 1978, represents 200 professional members in the Richmond metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, the purchasing and materials management profession, with an aggregate purchasing power of billions of dollars, has a tremendous impact on the economy; and
WHEREAS, purchasing and materials management professionals work diligently to establish and maintain ethical standards in buying and selling, to increase their knowledge of efficient procurement methods, to disseminate useful information to its members and to promote professionalism in public purchasing; and
WHEREAS, in addition to purchasing goods and services, the purchasing and materials management professions engage in, or have direct responsibility for, executing, implementing and administering contracts, developing forecasts and procurement strategies, supervising and monitoring the flow and storage of materials, and developing working relationships with suppliers; and
WHEREAS, governmental purchasing professionals contribute positively to our Commonwealth’s public agencies and services by improving purchasing methods and practices and by utilizing new technologies to increase efficiency and improve processes;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert F. McDonnell, do hereby recognize March 2010 as GOVERNMENTAL PURCHASING MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.