Next Level Purchasing

06/24/2026

You’ve managed Procurement teams for years. So why get certified now?

Experience matters. But experience alone doesn’t always provide:
• Executive-level credibility
• Structured frameworks for modern challenges
• Clear alignment between Procurement KPIs and business outcomes

CPOM (Certified Procurement Operations Manager) is designed for leaders responsible for performance, reporting, and strategic impact.

You’ll develop advanced capability in:
→ Supply chain quality
→ Operations management
→ Procurement finance
→ KPI development
→ Executive business acumen

CPOM helps you connect procurement performance to what leadership actually cares about - profitability, working capital, and enterprise value.

If you’re already doing the work, earn the recognition too.

Start here: https://zurl.co/hsAIc

06/22/2026

💡 Procurement Negotiation Tip:

Don’t negotiate positions.
Understand interests.

❌ Position: “We need a 15% price reduction.”
✅ Interest: “We need lower total cost while maintaining quality and supply continuity.”

The best Procurement professionals don’t just push for price cuts.
They create value-driven outcomes that strengthen supplier relationships and deliver long-term results.

Before any negotiation, ask:
✓ What are we actually trying to achieve?
✓ What matters most to the supplier?
✓ What trade-offs create mutual value?
✓ What does long-term success look like?

Great negotiations create partnerships, not just savings.

06/18/2026

Link "Despite U.S. deregulation, Procurement faces MORE compliance pressure, not less.

EU tightens regulations (CSRD, CBAM, CSDDD). U.S. states (CA, NY, CO) pass their own emissions laws. The result? Fragmentation.

Recent data shows 75% of businesses accelerated Scope 3 efforts but 45% lack confidence in their data accuracy.

Source: https://zurl.co/AEkcV

The gap: Visibility into Tier 2 and 3 suppliers. Without it, you can't prove compliance or avoid regulatory exposure.

Organizations building supply chain visibility now are positioning for competitive advantage while others scramble to catch up.

"

Companies only trading and producing domestically are no less off the hook, with states taking up the gauntlet and proposing their own environmental policies.

06/15/2026

NLPA is the only provider combining education, training, certification, consulting, and assessment into one connected capability-building model.
NLPA helps teams: → Identify capability gaps → Build targeted skills → Implement best practices → Deliver measurable results

For individuals: A structured path from Specialist → Professional → Manager → Executive.

For organizations: Assessment, implementation support, and measurable Procurement improvement.

This isn’t just training. It’s procurement transformation with support.

https://zurl.co/DxsgC

06/12/2026

Is your Procurement team a bottleneck or a strategic partner?

Jeff Dean, VP of Education at NLPA, shares a framework that is helping Procurement teams move from transactional support to strategic value creation.

“Procurement is almost always upstream from the legal team. That might be an opportunity for you to create value by owning these factors before they reach legal.”

When Procurement takes ownership of key upstream activities, organizations can improve contract flow, reduce delays, and create a more efficient process across teams.

Watch the full breakdown:
https://zurl.co/HSgSB

06/11/2026

"The biggest gains don't come from beating up suppliers on price. They come from working together to reduce costs without cutting profit." — Kate Vitasek University of Tennessee, creator of the Vested business model

Aggressive cost-cutting can damage supplier relationships, increase risk, and create disruptions that cost more long term.

Strong Procurement leaders understand that collaboration drives: → Cost reduction → Innovation → Supply continuity → Long-term resilience

The best Procurement relationships create value for both sides.

06/08/2026

Our whitepaper, State of Artificial Intelligence in Procurement and Supply Chain Management: 2026 Executive Report, explains how Procurement professionals can stay competitive, strategic, and indispensable in an AI-driven environment. Learn about:

• How agentic AI is transforming sourcing, contract management, and supplier collaboration
• What separates organizations seeing real ROI from those stuck in pilot mode
• The skills Procurement leaders need to develop now
• How infrastructure and governance will shape the next three years

Written by Jeff Dean, Vice President of Education at NLPA, this report bridges technology strategy with practical Procurement ex*****on, helping professionals translate AI adoption into measurable business value and career growth.

Download the Whitepaper here: https://zurl.co/4BQP2

06/05/2026

Is your procurement team working harder, but the metrics aren't improving?

Effort up. Savings flat. Leadership asking for ROI.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.

The challenge often isn't capability, it's translating day-to-day work into the KPIs leadership actually tracks.

Next Level Purchasing Association works alongside Procurement teams to turn strategy into measurable business results:
✓ Identify and realize cost savings
✓ Improve process efficiency
✓ Optimize workflows
✓ Build capabilities that stick
✓ Align Procurement performance with business goals

We don't replace your team. We enable them, helping you demonstrate value in metrics leadership understands.
Ready to move your numbers?

👉 Book a consultation: https://zurl.co/WXpoi

06/04/2026

Successful contract negotiations rarely begin 90 days before renewal.

In Cobblestone Software’s recent webinar, Jeff Dean, VP of Education at NLPA, explains why contract expiration dates should be viewed as strategic planning milestones, not just deadlines.

“Time is my best friend in Procurement, and I don’t get to hang out with my best friend very much.”

The organizations that consistently achieve stronger negotiation outcomes are often the ones that start earlier, create more visibility, and give themselves the flexibility to evaluate options before pressure builds.

Watch Jeff break down how to build 18+ months of negotiation runway:
https://zurl.co/Euy5y

06/03/2026

AI agents are executing Procurement tasks autonomously, not just suggesting actions.

Specialized agents now handle contract milestone monitoring, pricing anomaly detection, automated reorders, and invoice validation without human initiation.
Key data points:

Procurement AI adoption jumped from 50% to 94% between 2023-2024, leading all enterprise functions (AI at Wharton research).

But workloads are increasing 10% while budgets grow just 1%, a 9% efficiency gap only technology can close (Hackett Group 2025).

Source: https://zurl.co/NyyE8

NLPA helps Procurement teams deploy AI strategically, redesigning processes to leverage autonomous capabilities effectively.
https://zurl.co/fPiNg