Buyer Training Courses

The OSD Training Team offers various educational opportunities for public purchasers and procurement professionals to learn how to purchase goods and services from Statewide Contracts and conduct their own procurements.

Advanced Purchasing in COMMBUYS

Course Type: Instructor-led (3 hours)

 

Prerequisite: All participants are required to attend OSD’s COMMBUYS Purchasing class prior to attending the Advanced Purchasing course.

This three-hour, hands-on class presents instruction on processing Solicitation Enabled, Request for Payment Authorization (RPA), and Request for Payment Authorization Release (RPA Release) transactions.  This course is designed for experienced COMMBUYS users who have already attended the COMMBUYS Purchasing course.

Participants will receive an in-depth overview of the two types of RPAs in COMMBUYS along with the process involved with ordering from Solicitation Enabled Statewide Contracts.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

COMMBUYS Organizational Administrator Set-Up and Maintenance

Course Type: Instructor-led (1 day)

This is an intensive class for those identified as Organization Administrators (OA) in COMMBUYS. OA training provides an in-depth review of and hands-on practice with COMMBUYS, including organization information, approvals, workflow, and user profile set-up activities. Upon completion of this training, OAs will be prepared to fulfill their roles in COMMBUYS, including set-up activities and maintenance tasks.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

Conducting Procurements in COMMBUYS

Course Type: Instructor-led (1 day)

This session is recommended for staff with the responsibility of conducting procurements for goods and/or services not available on Statewide Contract. The class covers: the creation of a bid, the use of templates, how to manage attachments, online bid evaluation and contract award, and posting awarded contracts online in COMMBUYS.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

COMMBUYS – PunchOut & Line Item Catalog Ordering

Course Type: Webinar (1 hour)

This webinar provides instruction on how to order catalog items in COMMBUYS, either as fixed price items or as zero dollar items where the item price fluctuates throughout the life of the contract.

The webinar also covers ordering items through online PunchOut catalogs hosted in COMMBUYS with a link to the seller’s customized e-procurement Statewide Contract website.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

COMMBUYS Purchasing Training for Eligible Non-Profits

Course Type: Instructor-led (3 hours)

This training is for all eligible non-profit staff responsible for the purchase of goods and/or services from Statewide Contracts. Participants will learn to use COMMBUYS to search for items/services and create a request using a requisition document. Attendees will learn to search for specific items/services using a line item or a PunchOut catalog and add items to a requisition. The requisition, once approved, is converted to a purchase order. The scope of this class also provides an introduction to COMMBUYS, new terminology, systems navigation, and policy. This 3-hour, hands-on training provides an overview and practice of COMMBUYS purchasing for non-profit organizations.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

COMMBUYS Purchasing for Eligible Non-Profits

Course Type: Webinar (30 minutes)

This 30-minute webinar will provide an overview of COMMBUYS purchasing for non-profit organizations.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

COMMBUYS - RPA Release & RPA Release Enabled Contracts

Course Type: Webinar (1 hour)

A request for payment authorization (RPA) release is used to document in COMMBUYS a contract purchase that has taken place or to request funds for products and services that have already been purchased.

This webinar will provide instruction on how to create an RPA release requisition in COMMBUYS and convert an RPA release requisition to a release purchase.

Review the Buyer Schedule

Essentials of State Procurement

Course Type: Instructor-led (1 day)

This one-day class introduces procurement professionals to the Operational Services Division (OSD) and how the state manages the procurement of goods and services. The class provides an overview of the policy and procedures related to purchasing and procuring goods or services in the Commonwealth. In addition, participants will receive hands-on training in COMMBUYS to search for Statewide Contracts, goods and services, as well as bids, contracts, and sellers. Participants completing this course will have a basic understanding of:

The goals of the Operational Services Division, purchasing from a statewide contract, policies and procedures for conducting a procurement, cost saving opportunities within the Commonwealth, and OSD’s procurement programs such as the Environmentally Preferable Products, and basic navigation in COMMBUYS.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

How to Create a Departmental Master Blanket Purchase Order in COMMBUYS

Course Type: Instructor-led (3.5 Hours)

The goal of this class is to assist Executive Department procurement professionals in setting up departmental contracts in COMMBUYS. The class will outline the different types of master blanket purchase orders and catalogs, including a catalog upload tool available to assist with this process. Attendees will participate in hands-on exercises that guide users on how to create single vendor and distributor model master blanket purchase orders, along with different methods of catalog creation.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

How to use Master Blanket Purchase Orders (SWC)

Course Type: Webinar  (1 Hour)

Learn about the goods and services on Statewide Contracts, cost saving opportunities, and how to locate and use the contracts.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

Introduction to Statewide Contracts and COMMBUYS

Course Type: Instructor-led (3.5 hours)

Through hands-on exercises, this course covers information on how to use Statewide Contracts and COMMBUYS. This class should be attended by all new and existing procurement and purchasing staff (eligible entities included) responsible for purchasing goods, supplies, equipment, or services as needed for agency operations from Statewide or departmental contracts. Topics included in this class are:

A description of the Operational Services Division, understanding master blanket purchase orders, ground rules for using master blanket purchase orders, where to find master blanket purchase order information, benefits of using master blanket purchase orders, and online resources.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

Purchasing in COMMBUYS – Creating Release Requisitions & Purchase Orders

Course Type: Instructor-led (1 day)

This one-day, hands-on class introduces participants to the COMMBUYS Market Center and details how to perform various purchasing tasks within the system. This course is designed for those who are new to COMMBUYS as well as those who have taken previous COMMBUYS Purchasing courses and wish to acquire additional COMMBUYS functionality skills. Participants receive an in-depth overview of the Commonwealth’s purchasing process and policy, as well as hands-on practice with COMMBUYS. Participants will learn to:

Locate and use Statewide Contracts and User Guides, search for sellers, items, contracts, and documents within COMMBUYS, purchase from various catalog types, create a change order, and clone a requisition.

Review the Buyer Schedule for class dates and times.

Strategic Sourcing Certificate Program

Course Type: Instructor-led (5 Full Days)

Prerequisite: All participants are required to attend OSD’s "Essentials of State Procurement" prior to attending the SSCP.

The Strategic Sourcing Certificate Program (SSCP) is designed to educate Commonwealth Procurement Professionals about essential strategic sourcing fundamentals that provide necessary skill and knowledge to conduct effective procurements on behalf of their agencies. As an operational model, the 7-step Strategic Sourcing framework promotes more efficient sourcing while offering success in meeting the Commonwealth’s socioeconomic goals. The program is structured in a sequence which enables the learner to build knowledge component by component through attending weekly classes. Please note that attendance is required at all classroom sessions to receive a certificate.

The certificate program consists of five one-day module courses per session. Classes will be offered at locations across the Commonwealth. Participants will be expected to make a commitment to attend all five classes offered within a section.

Audience

Required for CPOs as well as all new and existing department staff responsible for preparing new bid solicitations or renewals, reviewing evaluations, negotiating and reviewing contract documents, providing advice and assistance in solicitation preparation, analyzing bid responses and related documents, monitoring the execution of contracts, and partnering with staff and vendors.

Benefits You Can Expect from the Program

• The SSCP offers practical knowledge and skills that participants can begin using immediately. A few objectives of the program include:
• Learn the industry-wide best practices involved in strategic sourcing and conducting effective procurements;
• Learn state policies, procedures and tools available to you;
• Collaborate with others and work in teams;
• Practice key skills such as creating buyer profiles, evaluating quotes, developing communication strategies to effectively manage and monitor your contract;
• Discuss a current sourcing event you’re working on.

Registration Process

Please complete application below and Fax to [phone] or email to [e-mail]

SSCP Application-Section 56 Virtual

SSCP Application - Section 57 - Virtual

 

Inclement Weather – Cancellation Policy

Training will be cancelled if any of the following occur:

1. Non-essential government workers have been advised to stay home or if the State Office Buildings are closed due to inclement weather.
2. If the public schools are closed in the city where the session is being conducted due to inclement weather.

If you are registered for training on a stormy day, please check your local weather forecasts and the mass.gov website for Weather Alerts. The Massachusetts Alerts app is currently available for iOS (Apple) and Android platforms. Download it today by searching for "Massachusetts Alerts" on the App Store or Android Market.