New and Emerging Procurement Officers Program

Register for the NEPO FY 2026 Program

Connect with subject matter experts and peers in interactive sessions based on "real-time" issues, walking away with answers, plans and options to handle your day-to-day operational needs. Program content contributors include Center for Procurement Excellence, DIR, NASPO, and Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab. Participants commit to attending at least 6 of the 8 sessions in order to receive a certificate of completion, letter of recommendation, and a drafted press release.

Program Lead: Diane Palmer-Boeck

Program Details
  • 8 sessions - held monthly at NCTCOG in Arlington
    • 616 Six Flags Dr, Arlington, TX 76011
  • Lunches included 
Schedule
  • 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Instructional Session and Open Forum Roundtable

  • Course Dates:

    • December 12, 2025
    • January 9, 2026
    • February 6, 2026
    • March 6, 2026
    • April 17, 2026
    • May 15, 2026
    • June 12, 2026
    • July 10, 2026
Cost

$2,050.00

50% refund for withdrawal before November 24, 2025
No refund for no-shows or withdrawals after November 24, 2025

Course Topics

1. Leadership Development Assessments
Provides feedback on strengths and opportunities for improvement.
Provides valuable information about how to drive success for you and your organization.
Provides insight on how you can bridge your leadership style with the culture of your organization to improve
views of management, increase collaboration, and sustain an overall positive performance.

2. RFP Process (Spec Development & Evaluation Process)

  • What does it mean to take a results-centered approach when planning for and writing an RFP?
  • Planning for your RFP:
    • Putting together a project team
    • Engaging stakeholders
    • Conducting market research
  • Writing your RFP:
    • Background and problem statement
    • Goals
    • Scopes of work and specifications
    • Evaluation criteria
  • If time permits - best techniques for evaluating proposals could be added on

 

3. Creating a Meaningful Vendor Performance Program

4. Procurement Laws and Processes
This will be high level overview - a finance expert give an overview of taxes, TIF's, PID's and
what funds dedicated to specific endeavors such as hotel/Motel taxes.

5. Contracting for Construction
Process, Project Management, Contracts & Forms

6. Creating a Process / Training Manual

7. Project Management
Beyond the procurement process

8. Critical Thinking
How important is It? Who needs to have it? And when?

9. DIR - Serving your Technology Procurement Needs
Learn about their full suite of procurement offerings from purchase options to contract management

10. Process Mapping for Success 
You know where you want to go - mapping out the best projects and processes to get you there!

Program Flyer

Past Participants
*Names and entities at the time of completion

Angela Akins
City of Dallas		Rashmi Kulkarni
City of Grand Prairie
Frieda Buck
City of Watauga		Edwina Lane
Fannin County
Gregory Carrell
City of Lancaster		Brent Moll
NCTCOG
Janet Carver
City of Haltom City		Amanda Reyes
Victoria County
Adenia Clark
City of Dallas		Katrinia Roberson
City of Ennis
Jennifer Cook
City of Coppell		Willy Villavicencio
LifePath Systems 
Christina Criswell
Collin County		Chantel Winfield
City of Grand Prairie
Steven Daggs
City of Seagoville		Jocelyn Wittrock
City of Keller
Ruyue Ding
Collin County		Cheryl Womble
City of Lancaster
Ally Dobbins
City of Richardson		Lonnie Yates
City of White Settlement
Stormy Johnson
City of Haltom City		 

Joanna Ash
City of Azle		Rosario Castillo
City of Forney
Melanie Cornwell
City of Cleburne		Drew Flores
City of Nacogdoches
Cynthia Hogue
City of Plano		Susan House
City of Mesquite
Craigan Johnson
NCTCOG		Adam Lanter
City of Lake Worth
Angi Mize
City of Grand Prairie		Samantha Nelson
City of Royse City
Myra Rogers
City of Mesquite		Erin Roseman
City of Arlington
Tracey (Ogurek) Epps
Denton County		Michael Parrish
City of Plano
Kim Rivas
Parker County		Kim Ruiz
City of Grand Prairie
Christy Russell
City of Granbury		Briana Saldana
City of Corinth
Elizabeth Segura
City of Garland		Kay Wilkinson
Town of Flower Mound
Ryan Williams
City of Mesquite