Applying for the NPI AEP Award? Pavilion is here to help – at no cost

Earning the NPI Achievement of Excellence in Procurement® (AEP) Award is a prestigious accomplishment. Here’s how Pavilion can support you in meeting key award criteria for your application:

‍

1. Electronic procurement manual (AEP Criteria 2)

To meet this criterion, your procurement manual must:

Pavilion makes it simple to publish your purchasing policies online and embed them directly into workflows where users search for contracts & suppliers. By centralizing your policies in a convenient, user-friendly format, you:

• Save time for procurement teams and departments
• Reduce the risk of non-compliance by making guidelines clear and accessible
• Simplify policies for end users, enabling smoother processes

‍Example: The Volusia County, FL uses Pavilion to make their policies more easily accessible and integrated for their entity.
‍

‍

2. Formal training for user departments (AEP Criteria 4c)

The Continuous Improvement criterion requires that your end-user training addresses a broad range of topics.
‍

Strengthen your end-user education program by providing departments with the knowledge they need to navigate cooperative procurement effectively. With Pavilion’s customizable training materials, you can clearly explain how cooperative procurement works, empowering end users to simplify and streamline the procurement process.
‍

3. Supplier training as part of continuous improvement (AEP Criteria 4d)

To satisfy the Continuous Improvement criterion, your program must include a formal vendor training session within the past year, complete with a scheduled and agendized workshop.
‍

Pavilion can host custom training sessions for your suppliers on topics such as:

• Navigating procurement processes for different types of entities (e.g., local gov, K-12, higher ed)
• How to sell more through cooperative contracts
• SLED procurement technologies
• Understanding RFP costs
• And more!
  ‍

4. Cooperative procurement staff training (AEP Criteria 16)

To meet the Cooperative Procurement Strategy criterion, procurement teams can demonstrate attendance at trainings or webinars focused on cooperative purchasing and industry trends.
‍

Pavilion supports this by offering:

• Monthly webinars on latest procurement trends and rotating topics
• Team training sessions on best practices in cooperative purchasing

‍

5. Documentation for cooperative contracts (AEP Criteria 16)

Another way to fulfill the Cooperative Procurement Strategy criterion is by documenting cooperative or joint procurement contracts where your entity served as the lead agency.

By adding your entity’s contracts to Pavilion, your entity receives a dedicated Pavilion page to showcase these cooperative agreements, complete with solicitation and award documentation.This makes it easier for users within your entity to find your contracts quickly while also reducing public records requests.

‍Example: Orange County, CA and City of Austin, TX use Pavilion to share their contracts nationwide.
‍

________________________________________________________________________________

Get your AEP application ready for submission on OpenWater! This enhanced application platform will offer a fresh, streamlined experience for all Achievement of Excellence in Procurement® (AEP) applicants. NPI has developed helpful resources to provide guidance as you navigate the new platform, which you can access here.

Learn more about how Pavilion can support your entity in fulfilling AEP award criteria, while improving procurement processes across the board.
‍