Pathways

Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement

These certificates let you showcase greater depth and expertise in any number of specialty areas of public procurement. You can gain mastery and advance your learning in new and emerging focal areas of procurement or become a recognized thought leader by pushing your learning boundaries to build deep and specialized skills in growing areas of public procurement such as Technology Acquisitions, or Sustainability.

Course Availability:

View upcoming dates for this course.

April 9, 2025 - April 11, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Level: Advanced Practitioner
Virtual Instructor-Led
May 20, 2025 - May 22, 2025
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Member: Standard) $650.00
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Non-Member: Standard) $750.00
(prices valid until May 18, 2025)
Time: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Eastern Time
Level: Advanced Practitioner
Virtual Instructor-Led
June 23, 2025
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Member: Early) $520.00
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Non-Member: Standard) $750.00
(prices valid until Apr 24, 2025)
Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Level: Advanced Practitioner
Virtual Instructor-Led
July 14, 2025 - July 16, 2025
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Member: Early) $520.00
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Non-Member: Standard) $750.00
(prices valid until May 15, 2025)
Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Instructor: Mr. Kirk W. Buffington, MLS, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, FNIGP, MBA, C.P.M.
Level: Advanced Practitioner
Virtual Instructor-Led
August 20, 2025 - August 22, 2025
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Member: Early) $520.00
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Non-Member: Standard) $750.00
(prices valid until Jun 21, 2025)
Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Level: Advanced Practitioner
Virtual Instructor-Led
September 15, 2025 - September 17, 2025
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Member: Early) $520.00
Specialization Certificate: Technology Procurement (Non-Member: Standard) $750.00
(prices valid until Jul 17, 2025)
Time: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Eastern Time
Level: Advanced Practitioner
Virtual Instructor-Led

Description

Increasingly, governmental entities are embracing technology and IT infrastructure solutions in their desire to interact more strategically and beneficially with the communities they support. As a result, procurement professionals are expected to procure and negotiate contracts and agreements with more complex terms and conditions. Performing these tasks, however, requires the procurement professional to evaluate a multitude of topic-specific factors that affect stakeholders and the governmental entity alike. Promoting an overview of technology procurements, NIGP’s Foundations of Technology Procurement Specialty Certificate provides learners with an introduction to terminology, research practices and opinions, solicitation methods, strategies for risk identification, and common mistakes procurement professionals encounter when negotiating and managing awarded IT contracts. This Specialty Certificate introduces and promotes IT best practices by identifying concepts, common risks and issues, and the precise role of the procurement function and public procurement professional in governmental entities, empowering procurement professional to achieve a legal, flexible, and fair agreements or contracts with confidence.


Objectives

Upon successful completion of the certificate, the certificate holder will be able to:

  • Determine the appropriate procurement method for IT products, services, and/or solutions.
  • Develop the solicitation document associated with IT products, services, and/or solutions.
  • Identify proposal risk and evaluation methods for IT procurement.
  • Develop an IT demo process.
  • Develop final IT contract documents.
  • Prepare for post-award activities unique to IT.

Intended Audience

This certificate is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:

  • Public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.
  • Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.
  • Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.
  • Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.

Pre-Work

Prior to entering the classroom environment, students will be enrolled in the following self-paced courses to learn and practice necessary concepts.

  • Technology Fundamentals for Public Procurement
  • Negotiating Technology Agreements

Delivery Formats Available

Virtual Instructor-Led

In-Person (CURRENTLY BEING OFFERED VIRTUALLY)

(To schedule, contact events@nigp.org)

Contact Hours

27.5

CEUs

2.8

Length

Virtual Instructor-Led - 2 Weeks

In-Person (CURRENTLY BEING OFFERED VIRTUALLY) - 3 Days

Level

Advanced

Designed for public procurement professionals who have at least 5 years of experience in the profession.

Competency Alignments

NIGP’s Specialization Certificates require a strong foundation in the Public Procurement Competency Framework and are designed to be more advanced learnings.

UPPCC BOK

Domain 6

Available in these learning formats...

 Virtual Instructor-Led

This format combines the best of in-person learning by offering live participation with instructors and peers.


  In-Person (CURRENTLY BEING OFFERED VIRTUALLY)

Instructor led discussion style classroom setting for those who prefer focused learning with maximum in-person interactions with instructors and peers.

2 Week Course

  • Digitally-based learning experience housed in Aspire, NIGP’s learning management system.
  • Please Note: As part of this two-week period, learners are required to participate in one, two-hour OLLE per week of course instructional time.

Completion Requirements

In order to successfully complete the Specialization Certificate, learners must:

  • Complete any pre-work materials provided prior to the course start date.
  • Attend and participate in the entirety of the instructional event., including collaboration via Aspire-based discussion boards and submission of assignments.
  • Complete the post-course evaluation survey available in Aspire.
  • Participate in one, two-hour OLLE per week of course instructional time (two OLLEs total).
  • Complete the final assessment examination with a score of 73% or higher.

2 Day Course

Includes pre-class assignments at least one week in advance of the course and post-class follow up within one week.

 

Completion Requirements

In order to successfully complete the Specialization Certificate, learners must:

  • Complete any pre-work materials provided prior to the course start date.
  • Attend and participate in the entirety of the instructional event.
  • Complete the post-course evaluation survey available in Aspire.
  • Complete the final assessment examination with a score of 73% or higher.