- Operational Services Division
On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, more than 30 City of Revere employees participated in the Operational Services Division’s (OSD) Introduction to Statewide Contracts and Available Resources training session at Revere City Hall. Staff involved in purchasing learned about Statewide Contracts that support the city's purchasing needs and the advantages associated with their use.
The session, led by OSD Local Government Account Manager Jennifer Forsey and Senior Training and Development Specialist Renee O’Rourke, focused on purchasing activities, including how to:
- Access cost-effective solutions
- Ensure Chapter 30B compliance
- Make better use of Statewide Contracts and COMMBUYS tools
The session provided value for everyone — even those with years of procurement experience. Acadia Bombaci, Assistant Purchasing Agent, shared, “Because I work in purchasing every day, much of the content was familiar, but I was pleasantly surprised by the updated COMMBUYS interface. It’s far more user-friendly and approachable, and I think that will make people less intimidated and more willing to use Statewide Contracts.”
George Pazos, IT Director for the City, had a similar takeaway. He noted, “I use Statewide Contracts all the time, but the Contract Index OSD showed today was especially helpful. It’s a great tool for finding vendors for services with which I don’t already have a connection. For IT, it’ll make it easier to source equipment, installation services, and things like camera systems through state contract vendors.”
Building staff confidence in the procurement process is a top priority. Michael Piccardi, the City’s Purchasing Agent, emphasized the importance of this type of training, stating, “I’m a big believer that everyone should be trained on everything — more information is always better. I’ve wanted the staff to receive COMMBUYS training for a long time and having OSD come in to do it was perfect.”
Michael also noted, “This training will open people’s eyes to the Statewide Contracts that exist and the vendors on those contracts. It gives employees more options and helps them compare pricing and service instead of buying from the same companies out of habit.”
OSD’s Local Government team hears that municipalities rely on efficient procurement practices to stretch budgets, ensure transparency, and deliver high-quality services. Statewide Contracts — vetted and managed by OSD — allow local governments to purchase goods and services from reliable vendors and save them time and money.
Bring COMMBUYS to Your Community
Cities and towns interested in bringing an OSD training session to your community are encouraged to contact Eric Murphy, OSD’s Director of Local Government Enablement.
