Community of Practice
The purpose of this group is to connect people who have an interest in procurement-related topics. Discussion topics include tools, processes, lessons learned, and networking opportunities.
Meetings
April 11, 2024 1-2 pm | Procurement Optimization, revised procurement SPG, expense reporting tool upgrade
- Procurement Optimization Program—Tally Thrasher, assistant vice president and chief procurement officer, will share an update on the Procurement Optimization Program.
- Revised Procurement SPG—A revised Standard Practice Guide recently went into effect and offers units more purchasing flexibility. Adam Michoski, PO center manager, will review the process to make purchases between $10,000 and less than $50,000 per the revised policy.
- Chrome River update—Procurement Services is partnering with the Shared Services Center to upgrade U-M’s expense reporting system to a new software solution called Chrome River, with a targeted go-live date of August 1, 2024. Karin Feher, assistant director travel & expense and business operations, will provide an update on the transition and discuss Chrome River’s interface and features.
Materials
January 18, 2024 1-2 pm | Procurement Optimization, sole source justification, and out-of-pocket expense reimbursements
- Procurement Optimization Program—Tally Thrasher, assistant vice president and chief procurement officer, will share an update on the Procurement Optimization Program. She’ll also provide an update on the recently announced bid threshold changes and take questions from attendees.
- Sole Source Justification (SSJ) update—Procurement Services, in partnership with Michigan Medicine Contracts and Procurement, recently launched a more user-friendly Sole Source Justification (SSJ) form. Jim Kozich, assistant director of category management in Procurement Services, will discuss the sole source justification process and how the new form will expedite purchasing while helping units save money.
- Out-of-pocket expense reimbursements—Ed Jennings, tax director, and Lisa Brown, expense program manager, will discuss how the IRS’ increased attention to late out-of-pocket expense reimbursements is impacting enforcement of U-M’s Travel and Business Hosting Expense Policy.
Materials
October 26, 2023 10-11 am | New Bid Limit, Sustainability, and Supplier Diversity
- Looking ahead and U-M’s new bid limit— Hear Tally Thrasher, assistant vice president and chief procurement officer, discuss our vision for the future of procurement, including how we’re beginning to transform our teams, processes, and technologies to meet the evolving needs of U-M. Tally will also provide an update on the recently announced bid threshold change and answer your questions.
- Understanding socially responsible procurement— This segment will focus on our long-term commitment to socially responsible procurement practices, with a particular emphasis on supplier diversity and sustainable purchasing. Kristine Komives, senior director of supply chain strategy and procurement at Michigan Medicine, and Chip Reese, associate director of procurement services, will provide an update on this key effort —which supports U-M’s sustainability and DEI initiatives.
Materials
July 27, 2023 10-11 am | Strategic Sourcing, Major Incident Process, Travel Transformation
Based on the suggestions provided during our inaugural Buying Blue event in April, the agenda included the following topics:
- Understanding strategic sourcing—Strategic sourcing initiatives across U-M optimize resources, improve quality, mitigate risks, and foster long-term relationships with reliable suppliers. Against that backdrop, Kristine Komives, senior director of supply chain strategy and procurement at Michigan Medicine, and Chip Reese, associate director of procurement services, will provide an update on this key initiative.
- Unveiling a blueprint for incident management—A major incident is an emergency-level outage, event, or loss of service that causes a significant business disruption. Learn more about our new Major Incident Process, the numerous systems and services we support, and how to stay informed about supply chain disruptions.
- Navigating U-M’s travel transformation—Jeanette Frost, travel and expense program manager, will discuss U-M’s new travel booking and reimbursement processes and resources available to help support the transition.
Materials
April 14, 2023 10-11 am | Inaugural Event
During the initial CoP event/webinar, the U-M community was able to meet a number of leaders, including Brian Smith, associate vice president for finance, Pam Gabel, assistant vice president–Shared Services Center, and Tally Thrasher, U-M’s recently appointed chief procurement officer, learn more about major procurement initiatives, and submit topics for upcoming CoP events. U-M employees who have a role in purchasing goods and services, such as PCard holders, M-Marketsite users, and/or M-Pathways ePro Requisition users were invited to register for the event and share the information with colleagues.
Materials