The Airport Purchasing Group (APG) -

Welcome to the Airport Purchasing Group (APG) Web Site
The Airport Purchasing Group (APG) is a valuable resource for airport purchasing offices to use in improving processes and solving problems.

If you are involved in some aspect of purchasing for an airport, whether as a member of an airport purchasing office, as an individual with assigned purchasing responsibilities, or as a member of a city, county, or other entity purchasing office, then APG can benefit you.

Mission
The APG exists as a group to "Enhance the effectiveness of airport purchasing by sharing knowledge, collaborating on purchases and purchasing issues where feasible, and developing a broad knowledge base of best practices and methods." The APG provides a valuable resource for airport purchasing offices to use in improving processes and solving problems.

A Message from our President
If your airport is like most airports, funding for travel has either been reduced or eliminated. However, I would like to point out some of the benefits of attending a conference where the interchange of cost saving information could help your airport save money during these tight economic times or find other uses for the dollars being saved through your efforts.

Next year, the APG conference will again partner with NIGP Forum being held in San Antonio, Texas in August. Please consider this your first invitation to point out some of the benefits of attending you will find at least one money-saving idea that will more than pay for your efforts.

This year’s conference was located in St. Louis and was our affiliation kickoff with the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) who agreed to help with the logistics of our APG conference and assist with hotel and meeting room locations as well as support the conference with advertising in their national publication GO PRO. NIGP President Paul Brennan and NIGP CEO Rick Grimm welcomed APG into this partnership. (The two organizations are collaborating in the sharing of resources and knowledge. There are no financial arraignments or commitments between the two.).

Our conference was attended by an enthusiastic group that was involved in discussions and presentations by experts from Oshkosh Equipment, Cryotech Chemical and the FAA. Oshkosh gave a presentation on the value of incorporating the use of life-cycle costing methods into bid documents and as part of the awarding criteria. Oshkosh also gave a brief over-view about the airport equipment they manufacture. From Cyrotech, we learned about the differences in runway chemicals and the best and most efficient manner to bid them. In addition, we learned what company representatives tell our maintenance folks about the correct timing to apply various chemicals and materials to use under specific weather conditions. While not a strict science, timing is crucial in their application and could mean the difference between closing down a runway or an airport. It is Purchasing’s responsibility to locate the right chemicals for the best price. Cyrotech presented information to us as purchasing professionals so we could better understand the reasoning why our maintenance people ask for specific chemicals and how dollars can be saved by applying chemicals in the proper amounts and at just the right time during a snow/ice event.

The FAA was represented by Nancy Williams from the Airport Planning and Programming Division, Washington, DC, and a Regional Representative, Mike Rottinghaus. We had six hours of discussion and presentations that focused on the American Reinvestment Act, the use of stimulus dollars and FAA bid requirements when using FAA grant money. “Fair and Open” competition is the goal and basis of FAA requirements and seeks to keep a fair playing field by requiring standard specifications that all potential suppliers can meet rather than using a model number, brand names, or proprietary specifications unless an airport is given a waiver. Ms. Williams talked about the extensive reporting required by the FAA if you should choose to use stimulus dollars. We had ample opportunities to ask questions and the Director was very open and straight forward in her responses. “If you don’t like our rules, don’t take our money.” We left feeling the FAA had a better understanding of the frustration purchasing professionals have in working through the FAA rules and getting well qualified suppliers and products. FAA rules are in place – to promote and keep companies viable and available to provide fair competition. “Buy America” is high on the list of requirements unless a waiver is granted.

The networking was great. We had people attending from places like Orlando, Broward County, Tampa, Fort Wayne, Portland, Little Rock, Jackson Mississippi and Washington just to name a few. One of the benefits of joining APG is to network with other professionals. Next year please join us.

The following people were elected to two-year positions on the board:

Tom Middleton, President, Louisville Regional Airport Authority

Larry Waxman, Vice President, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Erin Henderson, Secretary, Roanoke Regional Airport Commission

Missy Jones, Treasurer, Wayne County Airport Authority (Detroit)

Denise Schneider, Greater Orlando Airport Authority, appointed to the Public Relations position (one-year term)

I know I can speak on the behalf of the Board of Directors that each and everyone of us are more than happy to share ideas or information on any topic relating to the Airport Industry. Try us. We’re here for you.

Look around our web site. Feel free to contact our membership chair, Brad Johnson or myself. You can find our contact information under Board & Committees. We’ll be glad to chat with you and share our experience as members of the APG. For $50 per agency you’ll never find a better bargain.