Wisconsin Association of Public Purchasers

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About WAPP

The Wisconsin Association of Public Purchasers (WAPP) was established in 1943 and became an affiliate of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) in 1976. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the education, technical training and networking  needs of state, local, educational and other governmental purchasing officials in the State of Wisconsin.

WAPP's purpose is to:

  1. Promote and encourage professional development and competence through continuing education, seminars and training of public officials;
  2. Promote cooperation and understanding among public agencies and officials;
  3. Provide a professional forum for the exchange of ideas, research and experiences among public procurement officials;
  4. Support and promote continuing improvements in the field of public procurement;
  5. Support the principles and concepts of effective competition, increase public confidence in the public purchasing process and assure equitable treatment of all persons involved in public procurement; and
  6. Support on-going improvements in public procurement through seminars and technical workshops.

Chapter Services include:

  1. Quarterly meetings usually held in March, May, September, December held throughout the State.
  2. Quarterly newsletter mailed to all members;
  3. Annual vendor Expo.
  4. NIGP seminars;
  5. WAPP sponsored seminars;
  6. Opportunity of professional certification;
  7. Library of purchasing information;
  8. Outreach services to non-member municipalities; and
  9. Certificate of membership provided.

Goals of WAPP:

  1. Provide programs, educational meetings and workshops on a regular basis;
  2. Provide effective communication through an informative newsletter;
  3. Provide a scholarship program to be awarded annually;
  4. Achieve maximum participation from all members;
  5. Promote a Code of Ethics for WAPP members;
  6. Promote cooperative purchasing among all eligible members;
  7. Encourage professional development and competence through continuing education and seminars; and
  8. Inform others of the benefits of centralized purchasing and the importance of a professional purchasing career.

Code of Ethics -- Membership in the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing and in the Wisconsin Assoication of Public Purchasers is conditioned upon adherence to the following ethical principles which should govern the conduct of every person employed by any public sector procurement or materials management organization:

  1. Seeks or accepts a position as head or employee only when fully in accord with the professional principles applicable thereto, and when confident of possessing the qualifications to serve under those principles to the advantage of the employing organization;
  2. Believes in the dignity and worth of the services rendered by the organization and the social responsibilities assumed as a trusted public servant;
  3. Is governed by the highest ideals of honor and integrity in all public and personal relationships, in order to merit the respect and inspire the confidence of the organization and the public being served;
  4. Believes personal aggrandizement or personal profit obtained through misuse of public or personal relationship is dishonest and not tolerable;
  5. Identifies and eliminates participation of any individual in operational situations where a conflict of interest may be involved;
  6. Believes that members of the institute (association) and its staff should at no time, under any circumstances, accept directly or indirectly, gifts, gratuities or other things of value from suppliers;
  7. Keeps the governmental organization informed, through appropriate channels, of problems and progress of applicable operations, but personally remains in the background by emphasizing the importance of the facts;
  8. Resists encroachment on control of personnel in order to preserve integrity as a professional manager. Handles all personnel matters on a merit basis. Political, religious, race, gender and age considerations carry no weight in personnel administration in the agency being directed or served;
  9. Seeks or dispenses no personal favors. Handles each administrative problem objectively and emphatically on the basis of principles and justice without discrimination; and
  10. Subscribes to and supports the professional aims and objectives of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc.

Copyright 1999 - Wi Association of Public Purchasers