The Vendor Management Office: Day 4: From the Floor of the 2010 ISM Annual Conference

Stephen Guth's Vendor Management Office Blog

All Things Sourcing, Procurement, Negotiations, and Contracting

Books and Downloads by Stephen Guth
Visit Stephen Guth's World of Fiction
- The Jinn, a Horror Thriller
Stephen R. Guth, Esq.
Stephen has over 15-years of procurement, outsourcing, and vendor management experience. He has worked for Aflac Insurance, Dell Computer, and Ryder System. Stephen is a licensed attorney and a member of the District of Columbia and Virginia Bars. He is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Law (J.D.), the University of Maryland University College (MSM), and Saint Leo University (B.A., summa cum laude). He holds the following professional certifications: Certified Professional in Supply Management; Certified Commercial Contract Manager; Certified Purchasing Manager; Certified Technology Procurement Executive; Fellow, Life Management Institute.

Stephen has taught procurement-related courses as an adjunct professor with the University of Maryland University College’s Graduate School of Management and Technology. He has served on the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee of the National Contract Management Association Board of Directors.

The views expressed herein are the views of the contributors and commentators, and such views do not necessarily reflect the views of Stephen's employer.
Publications by or including Stephen Guth
Quick Search

Search only in titles: Keyword:

Search in:

Date Range:

Advanced Search

Basic Search
Subscribe

Blog Post
Cool Links

Day 4: From the Floor of the 2010 ISM Annual Conference

Not only did Day 4 of the 2010 ISM Annual Conference start off overcast, it was actually raining. So much for my week in paradise (although it did brighten up later in the day). The agenda started early so that departing attendees could get in at least one last session before they left. "Services Procurement: Improving Statements of Work, Supplier Selection and the Contracting Process", presented by Merle Roberts, CPSM, C.P.M., was my choice of the morning. Merle included some great SOW preparation guidelines. One guideline is to NOT include background information in the SOW—that cuts both ways in my opinion and I sometimes include relevant background. You decide.

After the first session, the San Diego Convention Center hallways were noticeably less busy as attendees began heading to the airport. My next session was "Scorecards: The Key to Accountability" which focused on accountability to drive staff performance. I was tempted to attend the "Earned Value Project Management" session—I wish ISM had more repeat sessions, but I understand that conferences have revenue / cost issues to contend with.

I'd also like to see more presentations by practitioners and less by consultants, and I'd like to see more of an emphasis on practical "take backs." I'd also like to see more "facilitated" networking, where ISM brings members together to get to know each other (such as roundtables and Q&A forums).

The closing keynote speaker at brunch was Dave Barry, who was absolutely hysterical. At the beginning of the brunch, there were more attendees than tables, so the convention center staff had to bring out more tables and food. Dave started by thanking ISM for having him speak at the conference, and he went on to explain his understanding of supply management. He commented to the attendees that he knew we were all supply management experts—people who, for example, would most certainly know how many people would be coming to an event (like a brunch) and who would most certainly ensure that there were enough tables and enough food. A basic supply / demand management issue. And that Dave, as a mere "civilian," certainly wouldn't be smart enough to do that. The audience roared—and continued to roar as Dave took us through one funny situation after another.

All in all, a good conference, worth the time and expense. Of course, getting continuing ed credits for for certification purposes was also a nice byproduct of attending. San Diego was a great location for the conference, but the weather was a little disappointing. The Hilton Bayfront was an ideal place to stay (I highly recommend it) and the new section of the convention center was perfect.