RELEASE DATE: October 4, 2000

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – The Purchasing Department at Orange County Water District (OCWD) was recently notified of their receipt of the 2000 Excellence in Procurement Award. This national award is presented to public and non-profit organizations who demonstrate and encourage excellence in procurement by obtaining a high score on standardized criteria measuring innovation, professionalism, productivity and leadership attributes of the purchasing function.

OCWD’s Purchasing Department is one of forty-eight organizations in the United States to receive this award. Recipients of this award must achieve 100 points on the standardized criteria of excellence application. Some criteria for achieving this award include publishing a "How to do Business" booklet, publishing an "Ethics" policy statement, establishing a formal buyer training program, utilizing electronic commerce by having a home page with a direct link to purchasing activities, having a comprehensive inventory system maintained by the purchasing department and participation in a national or regional conference as a presenter or panel member.

"Achieving this national award shows one way OCWD continues to provide value to Orange County’s water users," said Irv Pickler, president of the board of directors at OCWD.

The 2000 Excellence in Procurement Award is sponsored by the National Purchasing Institute, Inc., California Association of Public Purchasing Officers and the National Association of Purchasing Management.

In the past, recipients have come from counties, cities, school districts and universities. This year, OCWD accepts this award along with other California organizations including East Bay Municipal Utility District, Orange County Transportation Authority, the City of Palo Alto and the City of Sunnyvale as well as several others throughout the country.

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