New York State Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn M. Destito today announced that OGS is holding free training sessions statewide from April through November to help local governments, colleges, school districts, and non-profit organizations use state contracts more effectively. Attendees will also be given the opportunity to discuss ideas and issues with OGS Chief Procurement Officer Sean Carroll or other OGS procurement leaders in an open forum setting.

“By traveling to communities across New York in recent years, members of the OGS Procurement Services team have been able to help our customers understand how to use and get the most out of our new and innovative state contracts for commodities, services, and technology,” Commissioner Destito said. “Our seasoned procurement professionals will, once again, present information about centralized contracts at each of these training sessions and offer advice aimed at improving efficiency and accountability with an eye to reaching substantial cost savings.”

Topics to be covered at the training sessions may include purchasing protocols; the Vehicle Marketplace; IT centralized contracts; roadway and fuel contracts, food and milk contracts, and the eMarketplace, New York’s State’s online shopping site, which offers a quick and easy way to buy items from preferred sources and OGS centralized contracts. OGS team members will also share information about the 1122 public safety program, which allows certified state and local governments to purchase equipment from specific federal sources for counter-drug, homeland security, and emergency response activities.

Training at each of the following locations will begin at 10 a.m. and end by 1 p.m.

To register for the sessions and learn more about upcoming training opportunities, visit nyspro.ogs.ny.gov.

Dates and locations for training sessions in the Southern Tier and Capital Region will be announced later this year.