The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) held its second Supply Chain Case Competition in Raleigh, North Carolina on October 4-5, 2024. This competition aims to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application while attracting the next generation of procurement professionals. This year, undergraduate students from nine universities nationwide participated in the immersive experience to better understand the complexities, challenges, and decision-making processes in public procurement.

Each team of three to four students had only 24 hours to research, develop, and present a strategic plan to evaluate and monitor a supplier diversity program. All groups delivered inspiring ideas and new perspectives, leaving the judges excited about the talent of the future workforce. Case competition judges included six NASPO members from state central procurement offices.

“This was my first time participating in NASPO’s Supply Chain Case Competition, and it was incredible! This case was no softball question – it was a serious challenge that many states are struggling to solve. The students approached the competition with innovation and serious passion, and the judges all felt a huge sense of responsibility,” said Valerie Bollinger, NASPO President and Chief Procurement Officer of Idaho. “The most exciting part was getting a glimpse of the incredible talent that is coming our way. Our profession will be extremely fortunate to have any of these fantastic students join our ranks!”

“Through projects like these, we continue our efforts in elevating the public procurement profession by opening students’ minds to the public sector. Thank you to all participating institutions, our state members for serving as judges, and our NASPO staff for making this event a success,” said Brandi Ann Willard, NASPO Director of Partnerships.

Competition Results:

• First Place: North Carolina State University
• Second Place: Howard University
• Third Place: Iowa State University
• Finalist: University of West Florida
• Most Effective Presenter: Ellen Joyce, Howard University

Participating institutions included: Brigham Young University, Florida International University, Howard University, Iowa State University, Lehigh University, North Carolina State University, Northeastern University, University of Kansas, and the University of West Florida.

About NASPO: The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) is a non-profit association dedicated to advancing public procurement through leadership, excellence, and integrity. It is made up of the directors of the central purchasing offices in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and territories of the United States. NASPO is an organization that helps its members achieve success as public procurement leaders through the promotion of best practices, education, professional development, research, and innovative procurement strategies. To learn more, please visit www.naspo.org.

Media Contact: 
Kate Davila
Director of Marketing and Communications, NASPO
kdavila@naspo.org