The Division of Purchases in Metro Nashville has recently secured a prestigious mark of excellence within the public procurement community. The department has been awarded the Quality Public Procurement Department (QPPD) distinction by NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement. This recognition places Metro Nashville among a select group of 36 public sector organizations in the United States and Canada renowned for adhering to industry best practices.
To earn this accreditation, an entity has to thoroughly to commit and demonstrate their alignment with NIGP's Global Best Practices through a rigorous value-driven self-assessment process. The Division of Purchases has successfully met an impressive 107 of the 125 criteria set forth for excellence by the NIGP. This accomplishment underscores the department's dedication to continuous enhancement of its procurement processes. "This is a major achievement for our organization and demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement," Dennis Rowland, Metro Nashville's Purchasing Agent and Chief Procurement Officer, asserted in a statement obtained by the official press release. Rowland also expressed gratitude toward the contributions from the team, including previous Purchasing Agent Michelle Lane.
Commendations for this milestone came from Chanda Carpenter, Director of Content Research and Design at NIGP, who extended "congratulations and thanks for this accomplishment and commitment to professional procurement practice," according to the announcement. Such acknowledgments reflect not only on the efforts made since 2020 when the journey began but also on the support from Metro Nashville's administration, departmental leadership, and policy makers.
With this status, the Division of Purchases has set a new standard for procurement protocols within the public sector. It is now bound to keep up with the recognized best practices until at least June 30, 2028, which is when the current accreditation is set to expire.
