Contact: Allison Matthews

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A Mississippi State department charged with stewarding the university’s taxpayer spending is being recognized for meeting and exceeding national professionalism standards in the field.

The Universal Public Procurement Certification Council recently named MSU and its Department of Procurement and Contracts as a 2015 recipient of the UPPCC Agency Certification Award in the mid-sized agency category. The award formally recognizes MSU’s commitment to the value of certification in the public sector.

“Your organization is a fine example of what is becoming a strong indicator of success within state and local governments. This accomplishment speaks volumes of your agency’s commitment and dedication to the profession and the skills and expertise that you bring to the public procurement industry,” said David P. Gragan, chair of the UPPCC Governing Board, in a letter informing MSU of its achievement. Gragan went on to say the award “should be highly regarded by your elected officials and the citizenry that you serve.”

MSU President Mark E. Keenum congratulated Don Buffum, director of procurement and contracts, as well as the entire team.

“Our university is truly blessed to have professionals in our procurement operations who are recognized across this state and nation as experts in their field,” Keenum said.

“Taxpayers expect us to be good stewards of the resources they entrust to us, and our Department of Procurement and Contracts continues to lead the way in consistently meeting those expectations. I’m very proud of Don Buffum and his team for the outstanding professional recognition they bring to MSU,” he added.

Last year, Buffum was recognized by Gov. Phil Bryant with the Excellence in Local and District Government Award. Since 2007, Buffum has directed and supervised all procurement and contract activity for the land-grant university, which enrolls nearly 21,000 students and has approximately 4,500 faculty and staff. He also oversees the offices of accounts payable, travel, property and receiving, and mail services.

Since joining the university, Buffum has initiated several projects to provide more value to taxpayers and MSU students, including the development of a strategic procurement philosophy, increased use of procurement cards for efficiency, and the standardization of service contracts and contract processes, among others. With more than 35 years of service to the state, Buffum also is a past president of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing: The Institute for Public Procurement.

Jennifer Mayfield and Jay Rester joined Buffum when they each achieved Certified Public Purchasing Officer designation, representing a significant staff accomplishment. The designation, also awarded by UPPCC, reflects established standards and competencies for those engaged in government procurement and attests to the designees’ abilities to obtain maximum value for taxpayer dollars.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.