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This Week

Features
State Strategically Sources Savings
States' Rights Take Center Stage at NCSL
Buying Smarter
Military Bases Find ID Cards "Keys" to Security
News
Why Did the Moose Cross the Road?
DOJ to Provide $33.6 million to Replace Zylon Vests
News of the Weird

Features

Strategically Sourced Savings--Pennsylvania's Story

Please join us on August 30, 2005, 2:00 p.m. EST, for "Transforming Procurement in Pennsylvania--Strategic Sourcing and Shared Services"--a lively webcast detailing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's successful efforts at transforming procurement operations. Our presenter will be David P. Yarkin who led the reforms as Deputy Secretary for Procurement before leaving last month to launch his own business. During Mr. Yarkin's tenure, Pennsylvania established itself as one of the most successful states in the nation in implementing strategic sourcing, saving more than $140 million on an annualized basis.

Mr. Yarkin's presentation will cover the following topics:

--The decision to change the Commonwealth's procurement philosophy and adopt a strategic sourcing methodology;
--How the Commonwealth structured its strategic sourcing engagement to maximize savings, knowledge transfer and agency buy-in;
--The use of an expanded "toolbox" of tactics including RFIs, RFPs, reverse auctions, best value multiple award contracts and piggyback purchasing;
--The critical role of the chief executive in ensuring success;
--How Pennsylvania achieved success in increasing MWBE participation rates--from 2% enterprise-wide to more than 25% on strategically sourced contracts; and
--Why and how the Commonwealth transitioned from a decentralized procurement organization to a centralized, Shared Services model.

To register, Click Here

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States' Rights Take Center Stage at NCSL

State legislators kicked off their four-day national conference calling for less federal intrusion and fewer costly mandates from Washington, D.C.

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Buying Smarter

A nonprofit consortium of colleges in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley is a textbook model for entities seeking to establish a purchasing consortium of their own.

The John Deere 4000 Twenty Series Compact Utility Tractors: With increased power, improved comfort and high versatility, this tractor solution is capable of handling the toughest projects on the worksite. The John Deere 2.4L turbo-charged engine offers up to 21-percent more horsepower and up to a 30- percent torque rise, providing more power on demand. For all the details, visit us at John Deere.

Military Bases Find ID Cards "Keys" to Security

During the last decade, many military bases have thrown out their old mechanical keys for bachelor housing access to cut down re-keying costs and enhance security--opting instead for electronic key card locks.

For related articles and products, visit the Homeland Security Zone.

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News

Why Did the Moose Cross the Road?

Transportation and wildlife departments are designing a series of "critter crossings" -- underpasses, overpasses and fences -- so that animals aren't fenced in by roads. The goal is to reduce the harm highways inflict on habitats as suburban sprawl carries roads deeper into forests and wetlands while making roadways safer for humans and animals. Read More.

DOJ to Provide $33.6 million to Replace Zylon Vests

The Department of Justice (DOJ), as part of its ongoing Body Armor Safety Initiative testing, announced that test results indicate that used Zylon-containing body armor vests may not provide the intended level of ballistic resistance. As a result, DOJ will adopt new interim requirements for its body armor compliance testing program, and will add an additional $10 million to the $23.6 million already available to law enforcement through DOJ's Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) program to assist in the replacement of Zylon-based body armor vests.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research, development, and evaluation arm of DOJ, conducted extensive testing on used Zylon-based body armor. The testing was carried out as part of the Attorney General's Body Armor Safety Initiative, which began in November 2003. To view the latest report, NIJ's Third Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities, Click Here.

News of the Weird
For bizarre but true stories about real people,

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