The NC Department of Administration last night was presented the 2024 Innovation in State Government: Modernization Award at the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) annual conference.
The department was honored for its recent upgrade to the NC electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), a procurement hub for vendors and purchasing agents across the state.
“We’re honored to receive this esteemed award. This new portal consolidates and streamlines the procurement process for thousands of vendors and users, saving time, money and resources,” said Department of Administration Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell. “The new eVP is just one of many ways our Purchase and Contract employees are modernizing the way goods and services are procured across the state.”
View award acceptance video here.
Launched in July 2023, the new eVP consolidates the functionality of state government’s three procurement applications into a single, cloud-based system, allowing for greater efficiency among North Carolina businesses and state procurement professionals. Since implementation, the new eVP has transformed public procurement in North Carolina, improving the number of vendor purchase orders by 20% and increasing the number of state registered vendors by 50%.
With the help of DOA’s information technology team and operational partner, Accenture, the new eVP improves and simplifies access for North Carolina businesses by allowing them to perform multiple functions in one platform. In the new streamlined system, vendors can:
- register to do business with the state (a feature of the old eVP platform);
- view and submit bid opportunities to state entities (a function of the former Interactive Purchasing System and its subsite the NC Business Invitation Delivery System);
- register for NC Small Business Enterprise or Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) certifications;
- and view bid tabulations, and awards.
The system also simplifies and improves operations among state agencies and institutions, improving processes for the hundreds of procurement professionals that use it. The new eVP eliminates double entry of all solicitation postings, addenda, tabulations, and awards by automatically transferring the data into the new system.
“The new eVP is a game-changer for the North Carolina purchasing community,” said David O’Neal, the state purchasing officer. “The new eVP represents a truly innovative change for public procurement across the state and provides a foundation for future innovation that will continue to serve our state’s needs.”
Each year, NASCA honors the work of government agencies across the country during its annual Institute. This two-day event fosters connections among state-wide agency leaders and corporate partners providing networking and educational opportunities while celebrating excellence.
For more information on the award winning eVP system, visit the P&C website.
About NCDOA and the Division of Purchase & Contract
The NC Department of Administration acts as the business manager for North Carolina state government. Under the leadership of Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell, the department oversees government operations and advocacy programs. The department's advocacy programs help to promote and assist diverse segments of the state's population that have been traditionally underserved. The NC Division of Purchase & Contract is the state’s central procurement authority that oversees purchasing for all state departments, institutions, agencies, universities, and community colleges in North Carolina.
About NASCA
The National Association of State Chief Administrators, is a membership-based organization for public and private sector professionals, offering networking opportunities among state chief administrative officers and corporate partners. The mission of NASCA is to engage states in transforming government operations through the power of shared knowledge, operational excellence, and thought leadership. For more information, visit nasca.org.