Hello Chapter Members,
December Chapter Meeting. Please join us on Friday, December 5th, 2025, for our Chapter Membership Meeting and State of the Chapter. We will vote on the 2026 Budget and vote in the 2026-2027 Treasurer nominee and the Board of Directors’ approved nominees for the three (3) new board positions! Price is $15 in person, including lunch, and $0.00 virtual attendance. The Chapter Membership Meeting and presentation is 12:00 PM (lunch in-person), 12:30 PM meeting, and State of the Chapter at 1PM. Register at December 5, 2025 Membership Meeting and State of the Chapter - Events - Central Florida Chapter of NIGP
26th Reverse Trade Show and 2nd Trade Show. On Friday, November 7, 2025, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld the Chapter held its 26th Reverse Trade Show and 2nd Trade Show. The response from the vendor community, Central Florida area agencies, and our volunteers was fantastic! We had 12 Diamond Sponsors, 9 Gold Sponsor, and 35 Silver Sponsors for a grand total of 56 Sponsors! It was the first time we created a Trade Show DIAMOND WAY for our Diamond Sponsors! The event brought together approximately 400 vendor attendees and 110 agency attendees! Of these agency attendees, 26 have volunteered in various positions to make the event as smooth as possible. Thank you to the vendor community, Central Florida area agencies, and our volunteers for your support of our Chapter! Special thanks to our Diamond Sponsors for supporting our 2nd Trade Show at the event!
Sponsor Logos and Advertisements. Diamond and Gold Sponsors have their logos on the front page of our website, www.cfcnigp.org. Many logos are directed to their websites. This newsletter and the next newsletter will have our Sponsor advertisements in them. We are honored that these firms are sponsoring our Chapter! Please share them with your agencies.
RTS Vendor Contact Information. RTS Vendor Contact Information is provided to our Chapter Members. Please reach out to them and thank them for attending. Give special thanks to our Sponsors!
RTS Vendor Attendance Numbers. The event was attended by 335 different vendor firms. 496 vendor representatives registered to attend. 404 vendor representatives checked in at the event.
RTS Figures. Revenue (after credit card fees) $108,767.79. Expenses $22,057.43. Income $86,710.36. Highest income in RTS history! Fun Fact: We went through 16 gallons of coffee/ tea in the morning!
2025 Scholarship Deferment Survey. Do you have scholarship funds? The Chapter’s 2025 Scholarship Deferment Survey is open on our website! The five (5) question survey allows you to defer unused scholarship fund to the following year. The survey closes on December 15th, 2025. NOTE: This is the last day to complete the survey. Log in on the website. Go to Member Resources, select Surveys, select the 2025 Scholarship Deferment Survey. Complete the survey and submit response. Surveys - Central Florida Chapter of NIGP
Scholarship Redemptions. Scholarship redemptions for 2025 must be completed and received by November 30, 2025. After this date, scholarship redemption fulfillments will be on hold until 2026.
January 23, 2026 Chapter Meeting Evaluation Committee Discussion Speaker/Panelist Opportunity.
We are looking for a few chapter members to serve as panelists on our Evaluation Committee Discussion Panel at the Friday, January 23, 2026 Chapter Meeting! Must attend in person! For further information please reach out to Vice President Elect Nick Canjar at james.canjar@palmbayfl.gov!
2025 Scholarship Application. The 2025 Scholarship Application is available on our website at Scholarships - Central Florida Chapter of NIGP Log in on the website. Go to Member Resources, select Scholarships, select the 2025 Scholarship Application. Download the application. Note: BACKUP DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED with the Scholarship Application. All scholarship applications and backup documentation must be submitted by January 31st annually in accordance with the application form.
Buyer/Manager of the Year Application. Do you have an amazing team member that you would like to acknowledge? Do you appreciate your work? This is your chance to nominate a team member or yourself for recognition! The Buyer of the Year and Manager of the Year Application is available on our website under Documents, Folder Member Awards, Document Library - Central Florida Chapter of NIGP. (Remember to log in to the website first.) This Award recognizes contributions to the entity, profession, and Chapter during the period of January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2025. It is a self-nomination or peer-nomination application. The due date is January 26, 2026 to president@cfcnigp.org.
Pro-D Opportunities Scholarships. The 2026 schedule is below. Please sign up for opportunities through the Survey section of our website. Remember to sign in to your account first! Surveys - Central Florida Chapter of NIGP
- Feb 10-11, 2026 Introduction to Public Procurement VIRTUAL $383 value
- Mar 10-11, 2026 Core Certificate: Foundations of Planning and Analysis VIRTUAL $383 value
- Apr 14-15, 2026 Core Certificate: Foundations of Strategy and Policy VIRTUAL $383 value
- Apr 28-29, 2026 Specialization Certificate: Cloud Procurement VIRTUAL $383 value
- Jun 09-11, 2026 Specialization Certificate: Construction Procurement VIRTUAL $536 value
- Jun 23-25, 2026 Core Certificate: Foundations of Sourcing and Contracting VIRTUAL $536 value
- Core Certificate Three (3) Course Bundle VIRTUAL $1,302 value
- Other Pro-D opportunities may include NIGP VCON, Aug 2026 NIGP FORUM, and in person classes.
Community Services: The Chapter will provide a special donation to UCF School of Business Scholarship Fund in honor of Chapter Member David Wheeler per the family’s request. We will be using his Scholarship Funds for this donation. Additional annual community outreach support and fundraisers will be decided at the December meeting. We are considering 2nd Harvest Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity – Veteran’s Build. We are collecting monetary donations at the December meeting!
Ronald McDonald House. On Saturday, December 6, 2025, the Chapter will participate in the program Share-A-Meal at their Nemours House. Members will make dinner in our Ronald McDonald House kitchens, allowing families to enjoy something delicious during an otherwise stressful time. Located at the RMH Nemours Campus at 6551 Nemours Pkwy., Orlando, FL 32827. Date and Times: Saturday December 6th, 2025, 3:30 - 7:00 PM. At the time of this message, there was still an available registration opportunity. Volunteer Event - Share-A-Meal at Ronald McDonald House! Location: Campus of Nemours House - Events - Central Florida Chapter of NIGP
Chapter Check In. On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 12 PM we had a virtual Points to Progress Turning Engagement into Scholarships presentation and discussion! We explored the Chapter’s Professional Development (Pro-D) and Scholarship Program and how you and your agency can benefit from Chapter involvement. The event was a success with approximately 40 Chapter Members in attendance!
2026 Membership Registration: The new membership year begins in 2026. Please add a “save the date” to your calendar to pay for your membership in January 2026. The cost is $40 for Full and Associate Members.
2026 Meeting Location: We are pleased to announce, the 2026 meetings will be held virtually and in-person at the Renaissance Senior Center at South Econ Community Park, 3800 S Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando, FL 32829.
2026 Committee Boot Camp: The 3rd Chapter Committee Boot Camp on Friday, January 23, 2026, 10 AM, at the Renaissance Senior Center before the Chapter meeting (In-Person Event). Elevate your leadership! Join our Committee Leadership Bootcamp for impactful insights, growth, and collaborative excellence. Register for the Committee Boot Camp and attend the Chapter meeting in person and lunch is FREE! Call or email me to schedule you for the meeting after you register for the Committee Boot Camp.
January 23, 2026 Chapter Membership Meeting: Register for the Friday, January 23, 2026, Chapter Membership Meeting and presentation. Chapter meeting is in person and virtual. We will be installing the new Board of Directors! Register at January 23, 2026 Membership Meeting - Events - Central Florida Chapter of NIGP.
Engagement. I want to encourage members to evaluate talents and strengths and identify if there are any committees or task forces opportunities that you would be willing to volunteer for in 2026/2027. Committee chair, member, and RTS positions are available. We have a lot of work to do as a chapter this year and we can benefit from having active volunteers. Please do not hesitate to contact me or one of the other board members with any questions you might have. Let’s make this year a fantastic year for your Chapter!
Thank you!
Tabatha Freedman, MBA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, CPPB
2022-2025 President
president@cfcnigp.org