(Washington, DC) -- On Monday, August 25, the District’s City Administrator, Dan Tangherlini, and Chief Procurement Officer, David P. Gragan, greeted over 150 vendors during the inaugural Vendor Appreciation Day. The program was geared towards recognizing vendors who provide goods and services to the District government.
Tangherlini’s message to the standing-room-only audience was simple: We need you. We will work with you. And we are changing the way we do procurement to better serve you and the residents of the District of Columbia. “The District Government cannot do without your skills, services, goods and projects,” said Tangherlini. “We are making access easier and transforming the way we do business.”
Gragan introduced key staff, provided an overview of vendor-related improvements in the procurement process and discussed ways in which the District will improve communication between vendors and the District government. “We always look for the highest level of performance and value achieved through open competition on a level playing field,” he said. “I am very proud that we are conducting more and more of our business electronically and transparently, including requiring electronic bids, launching solicitation wiki pages and webcasting our bid openings.”
During the event, Tangherlini and Gragan were joined by Nicole Becton, Director of the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) as well as other members of the OCP staff.
For the second half of Vendor Appreciation Day, vendors were invited to meet and engage with contracting officers and specialists for various commodity-based procurements: Gena Johnson, Services; Callie Williams, Goods; Annie Watkins, Information Technology; James Roberts, Transportation and Specialty Equipment; Jerry Carter, Roads and Highways; Diane Wooden, Construction; and Leslie Ramdat, DC Supply Schedule.
Attendee reaction was very positive according to a survey passed out to participants and post-event emails and comments.
The next OCP event is the monthly Roundtable scheduled for Wednesday, September 17, 3 pm – 5 pm, 11th floor, One Judiciary Square/441 4th Street, NW. The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and the OCP Construction Group will be featured. During the first hour, UDC and the Construction Group will introduce their contracting specialists and discuss their buying process as well as disseminate a list of procurement opportunities. The second hour is set aside for five-minute, one-on-one vendor presentation meetings with contracting specialists.
Vendors are encouraged to sign up for these discussions by September 11 (Vendor Roundtable Registration Form). The list of vendors who attended the Vendor Appreciation Day is available from: Vendor Appreciation Day: List of Attendees*.
If you have questions about this topic, please contact Briant Coleman at (202) 724-3655 or briant.coleman@dc.gov.