Basic Principles of Local Government Purchasing

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Basic Principles of Local Government Purchasing

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The January 2024 offering will be available both in-person and online at the School of Government.

This course is designed for new local government purchasing officials and covers basic principles and legal requirements for local government purchasing.

Topics include the following:

Competitive bidding requirements for purchasing and construction contracting;
Purchasing ethics and conflicts of interest in public procurement;
Practical skills such as vendor relations, developing specifications, and preparing bid solicitations;
Purchasing policies and electronic bidding;
Decision analysis, motivational strategies, and effective communication;
Local government law overview, including open meetings and public records laws;
Budgeting and fiscal control;
Surplus property disposal; and
Tips for success from experienced local government purchasing professionals.

Scholarship Information

Civic Local Foundation Scholarship

Members of Civic Federal Credit Union (Civic) and Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU), who are local government employees, are eligible to apply for a scholarship towards tuition for conferences, classes, and seminars offered by the School of Government. There are four deadlines to submit applications:

March 1 (for courses starting between April 1 and June 30)
June 1 (for courses starting between July 1 and September 30)
September 1 (for courses starting between October 1 and December 31)
December 1 (for courses starting between January 1 and March 31)

Visit the Civic Foundation for more information and to submit an application

Additional information

The 2024 Agenda is on the Materials tab.

Registration Information coming soon

There currently are no scheduled offerings of this course.

All course materials including logistical details are provided in Canvas, a learning management system. Please click the link below for detailed instructions on setting up your Canvas account. If you've already set up an account for this or for another School of Government course, click HERE to log in to Canvas.

Canvas Instructions