The Purchasing Department at the City of Edmond, Oklahoma was recently recognized, for the third straight year, with the National Purchasing Institute (NPI) Achievement in Excellence in Procurement Award. The 2008 achievement award was presented to Brenda Mayer, Purchasing Manager, at the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing Annual Forum earlier this year.

In 2006, the City of Edmond was the first city in the state to be recognized with the award. The award recognizes organizational excellence in public procurement and demonstrates excellence by measuring innovation, professionalism, productivity, e-procurement and leadership attributes of the procurement organization.

"This type of recognition assures our residents that we maintain the highest standards in our stewardship of their taxpayer dollars," said City Manager Larry Stevens. "This award is evidence of the purchasing department's dedication to excellence."

The AEP award is recognized by all six of the nation's most respected public procurement organizations. The award is presented annually to public or non-profit organizations that meet a high standard of performance on standardized criteria such as ethical standards, requirements contracting, organizational structure, and environmental purchasing policy. The criteria are changed each year to reflect changes in the purchasing profession and in the government arena.

In 1995, the National Purchasing Institute (NPI) established the "Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award" to recognize achievement in public procurement on a national basis.

The NPI is a not-for-profit education and research organization dedicated to helping governments manage tax dollars wisely. For more information, visit www.nationalpurcashinginstitute.com. For more information about the City of Edmond's Purchasing Department, visit www.edmondok.com.