Focus on the Future: How Procurement Priorities Are Evolving
Our journey through 2025 has officially begun and we here at NASPO have been looking toward the Top Ten Priorities for State Procurement Offices that CPOs from each state have told us they are focused on this year. Every year CPOs from each state are surveyed to gather insights into the challenges and objectives for public procurement in the upcoming year. This annual top ten list serves as a key resource for NASPO, shaping the focus of our research, educational content, conferences, and training.
We work hard to utilize and refer to this list throughout the year as we plan our resources, and we hope that as we move forward together you will reach out to us with any specific wants or ideas you may have around these topics. Be on the lookout for new resources from NASPO in 2025!
As reported by our primary members, the top priorities for 2025 are:
1. Modernizing the Procurement Process:
Digitization of solicitations, bids, contracts, and record keeping; automation of processes.
2. eProcurement:
Start-to-finish system creation and adoption; increased statewide agency utilization of eProcurement/ERP solutions.
3. Talent Management and Succession Planning:
Recruiting and retaining skilled procurement professionals; remote work capacity; succession planning; talent management strategies.
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4. Training and Certification:
Promoting training and certification programs that elevate the procurement profession and develop skillsets for the future.
5. Central Procurement Office as a Strategic Leader:
Strategic leadership; active participation in policy setting and statewide planning; comprehensive governance and oversight; centralized data gathering and analysis for increased business insight and responsiveness to stakeholder needs.
6. Continuous Process Improvement:
Continuous review and improvement of current procurement processes to eliminate waste and gain new sources of value and efficiencies.
7. Customer Service to Agency Stakeholders:
Responsiveness to agency stakeholders’ needs; maintaining trust, compliance with service level agreements, and high satisfaction levels.
8. Analytics for Data-driven Decision Making:
Using data analytics and tools to drive better procurement decisions state-wide.
9. Artificial Intelligence in Procurement:
Implementing A.I. technologies into procurement processes; understanding data and security implications for A.I.-enabled products.
10.Change Management:
Managing organizational change (process, administrative, new technologies or systems) and ensuring successful adoption and buy-in once implementation is completed.
If you would like to see how procurement priorities have evolved, check out past Top Ten Priorities lists in the NASPO Content Library. While you are there, browse through all the procurement topics listed to find more informational resources to address your office’s priorities this year. Watch for upcoming publications, events, and educational opportunities on NASPO.org as we continue to produce resources based on the Top Ten throughout 2025.