TxPPA What is it?

Texas Public Purchasing Association is the first multi-agency organization for Public Purchasing Professionals across the great state of Texas. This new organization will begin its journey January 1, 2008. In November 2006, the Texas County Purchasing Association (TCPA) and the Texas Purchasing Management Association (TPMA) agreed to merge and TxPPA is the result.

Many of my ISM friends work in public purchasing. You know they are sort of a special group. They get to do things a little different than the rest of us.

A foundation committee was formed, consisting of representatives from cities, counties, schools, special districts, state agencies and higher education. This committee has been diligently working to firmly establish the Texas Public Purchasing Association. This committee has been meeting since March 1, 2006 (over 20 meetings). The committee members are from all over our great state of Texas.

Goals have been set; one which stands out is “Establish cooperative relationships among its members for the development of efficient purchasing methods and practices in the field of public purchasing.” 

Public purchasing people still like the word “purchasing”. This tells what most of us do. We still buy stuff. Their board of directors has been named, three events are scheduled:

Spring Workshop, Summer Conference, and Fall Workshop. The summer conference is scheduled at South Padre Island. Lots of sand on a beautiful beach. All I have to do is find a job in public purchasing and I am ready to go. This conference has been at South Padre for over 10 years and people keep coming back.

Who can join TxPPA? 

An Individual: Any state, county, municipal, special district, publicly owned utility, school, federal (while headquartered or physically reporting to an office within Texas), or publicly-funded non-profit employee in good standing primarily responsible for the purchasing or materials management function of their respective agency, upon payment of the annual membership fee, shall be eligible for membership.

An Agency: Any entity as described above that is the employer of personnel primarily responsible for the purchasing or materials management function of their respective agency, upon payment of the annual membership fee, shall be eligible for membership.

Associate Membership may be sought by any person indirectly involved in public or non-profit purchasing meeting certain criteria, such as elected officials, department heads or employees in related fields, such as judges, commissioners, treasurers, auditors, financial officers, city managers, etc. or working for an agency or association directly involved with above described entities, such as TML, TAC, COGs, etc.

If you live in the great state of Texas and have any questions contact Carol Cooper, City of Garland, 972-205-2425, cacooper@ci.garland.tx.us. Carol has contributed many hours in the formation of TxPPA. Now is the time to become charter members. It is really great to be a charter member of an organization. Your name is like written in stone when you are a charter member.

If you join an organization, plan to participate, get involved, and know what is going on. You will remain a member if you are an active member. The members that drop out are ones that say they get nothing out of it. Could it be because they do not get involved?

The journey has begun and their website will be coming soon: http://www.txppa.org

This is your opportunity to be a part of a new beginning.