In the film “Up in the Air,” George Clooney plays a veteran corporate downsizer who travels around the U.S. firing people - until his company hires a young employee who comes up with the idea of doing it via videoconference to save money. It’s a classic story of old and new ways of thinking, and it points to the importance of remaining open to change and embracing technology.
That’s what PlanetBids’ “Breaking Barriers” award is all about. It’s an acknowledgement of those professionals who have been open to change and have guided their organizations to greater levels of efficiency through automation. Change can be difficult, and these individuals are champions who “broke barriers” and led their agencies or organizations to greater levels of efficiency through eProcurement.
In honor of National Procurement Month, PlanetBids acknowledges the following 3 procurement professionals as agents for change:
Juliette Terry
Procurement Services Director, Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRTD), CA
SacRTD is an award-winning transit authority operating over 82 bus routes, 43 miles of light rail serving 53 light rail stations and ADA paratransit services within a 440-square-mile service area in Sacramento County. SacRTD’s innovation in reducing crime and fare evasion and for the highest standard of excellence have earned awards from the American Public Transportation Association in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Juliette Terry has worked for SacRTD for 24 years, directing the Procurement Services department since 2021. Terry was instrumental in spearheading the successful implementation of the PlanetBids eProcurement system, which has streamlined workflows, enhanced transparency, and reduced procurement timelines.
Among Terry’s accomplishments are:
- fostering a culture of accountability and ethical conduct within the agency's procurement team.
- emphasizing the importance of adhering to ethical guidelines and conducting business with honesty, fairness, and respect for all stakeholders.
- implementing performance metrics and benchmarking processes, enabling SacRTD to identify areas for enhancement and improvement.
- identifying cost-saving opportunities and negotiating favorable terms with suppliers that have yielded significant savings for the agency.
Beyond her technical expertise, Terry is known for her collaborative spirit and ability to foster strong partnerships both internally and externally. Her open communication style, coupled with her willingness to actively engage with stakeholders at all levels, has cultivated a culture of trust and collaboration within her procurement team and across departments.
Her nominator notes: “Juliette embodies the epitome of excellence in procurement leadership and ethics. Her remarkable achievements, innovative mindset, and unwavering dedication to driving operational excellence have left an indelible mark on our organization.”
Tiffany Kimball
Contracting Officer, Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, FL
In the mid-1960s, the Walt Disney World Company proposed building a recreation-oriented development on 25,000 acres of property in a remote area of Central Florida with power and water lines 10-15 miles away.
In 1967 the Florida State legislature, working with Walt Disney World Company, created a special taxing district that would act with the same authority and responsibility as a county government to turn 38.5 square miles of largely uninhabited pasture and swamp land into a global destination resort that welcomes millions of visitors every year.
The new legislation said that landowners, primarily Walt Disney World and not local taxpayers within the improvement district, would be solely responsible for paying the cost of providing typical municipal services like power, water, roads, fire protection etc.
Tiffany Kimball had the difficult job of taking over amid a tough political situation, working through a rebrand and tasked with building from the ground up a united and comprehensive procurement program to bring all the vendors and agencies together in Central Florida.
Kimball moved the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s bid processes online, utilizing PlanetBids’ Bid Management, Vendor Management, Business Certification, Insurance and Contract Management modules for advanced eBidding.
In addition, she has led the charge to create a Buy Local/ Buy Veteran program providing a central location for vendor certification in a five-county area: Orange, Osceola, Lake, Polk and Seminole.
The work Kimball and her team are doing to unite the community, spur local contracts and pave the way for economic growth is ground-breaking, and her nominator calls her “a true Procurement Hero.”
Karisa Katsuki
Planning Analyst, California State University Office of the Chancellor, CA
The CSU Board of Trustees requires all architectural firms seeking commissions on major capital outlay projects to be prequalified. The CSU Office of the Chancellor has an annual prequalification process for all 23 campuses.
Until recently the CSU Chancellor’s Office conducted the architectural prequalification manually via paper and compiled a list of qualified vendors. Campuses would then contact the Chancellor’s Office to request a list of qualified vendors.
In May of 2023, the CSU Chancellor’s Office launched the online Architectural Prequalification process using the PlanetBids eProcurement platform. Architects can now apply online and track their application status in real-time. When completing the application, vendors are asked to select areas of interest (Architecture, Civil Engineering, Interior Design, etc.), list their experiences and staff, and provide references as well as completing additional fields and submitting documentation.
The CSU Chancellor’s Office can track and manage the applications through PlanetBids’ PB System™, including reaching out to the applicant for corrections and requests for more information and even reference checks.
Karisa Katsuki led the charge in adopting automation and streamlining campus access to real-time approved architects. Her leadership in the discovery and implementation of an online eProcurement system for prequalification was instrumental in saving time, money and, in her words, thousands of trees.
PlanetBids acknowledges the role these 3 award-winning procurement professionals have had in leading their agencies to embrace technology and conduct procurement processes online.
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