The City of Santa Clarita was the recipient of the “Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award” (AEP) for 2014 from the National Procurement Institute (NPI) in recognition of the City’s commitment to purchasing innovation and leadership.  This is the fourth time the City has received this award in recognition of Santa Clarita’s purchasing policies and practices.

The AEP award is earned by organizations that demonstrate excellence in purchasing through innovation, professionalism, productivity, e-procurement and leadership.  The City of Santa Clarita’s Centralized Purchasing Authority and multiple-criteria bid received high honors and recognition among judges.  Several other areas were also accredited, including: the City’s Vendor Outreach program; the Purchasing & Risk Administrator’s participation as a panel member at a local business symposium; internal customer training programs; the use of electronic systems for bids, quotes and online surplus auctions; and the City’s employee Procurement Card program.

“It is an honor for the City to be recognized with this prestigious award,” said Mayor Laurene Weste.  “The City is committed to being a good steward of public funds.  We’ve worked hard to develop policies and practices that deliver a quality return on investment, maximize budgets, and allow staff to shop local and support local businesses whenever possible.”

The City of Santa Clarita was one of 198 organizations and 68 cities nationally-recognized in 2014.  The NPI, an association of government procurement professionals dedicated to education and networking for members associated with public sector procurement and supply management, is a founding sponsor of the AEP Award.

For more information about the AEP award, please contact the City’s Purchasing and Risk Administrator Joe Oerum at (661) 286-4184 or joerum@santa-clarita.com.