The Muscogee County School District’s Purchasing Department of the Division of Financial Services has been awarded the 2019 Achievement of Excellence in Procurement® (AEP) award from the National Procurement Institute, Inc. (NPI). The program has been in existence for 24 years. The District is one of 23 school districts in the United States and Canada and one of 12 agencies in the state to earn this prestigious award.

The AEP Award is earned by public and non-profit agencies that demonstrate a commitment to procurement excellence. According to the NPI, this annual program recognizes procurement organizations that embrace innovation, professionalism, productivity, leadership and e-procurement demonstrated within the following criteria:

Establishment of procurement ethics standards

Published electronic procurement manual

Established staff professional development program

Maintenance of a continuous improvement program

Centralized procurement authority based in law

Organizational structure

Utilization of electronic commerce

Procurement (P) card system

Use of term/requirements contracts

Professional certifications

Educational attainment

Association leadership positions

Participation at a national, state, provincial, territorial or regional conference or a seminar as a presenter or co-presenter on a public procurement topic or author of a published article on public procurement topic

Adoption of Best Value Procurement Method

Environmental procurement policy

Cooperative procurement strategy

Authority of the Chief Procurement Official to solicit and award contracts

Continued pursuit of excellence
 
In addition to the National Procurement Institute, Inc. (NPI), the AEP is sponsored by the California Association of Public Procurement Officials (CAPPO), Canadian Public Procurement Council / Conseil canadien des marchés publics (CPPC), Florida Association of Public Procurement Officials (FAPPO), National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP), National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO), NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement and Texas Public Purchasing Association (TxPPA). The AEP is supported by the Airport Purchasing Group (APG), OMINA Partners, Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) and the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC).