Membership Benefits

OPPA members gain many benefits from participation in OPPA and in their affiliation with NIGP. Some of those benefits are as follows:

Networking: The single most important benefit in belonging to any professional organization is interaction and networking with your peers. OPPA members come from many different public agencies (state, federal, city, county, education, and special district), and have a broad range of experience and knowledge.

Workshops: OPPA offers workshops with pertinent work related topics, discussions, and information that is needed by effective purchasing professionals.

Professional Certification: NIGP chapter members have the opportunity to attend NIGP seminars at reduced costs and to use that training to earn professional certification: CPPB, Certified Professional Public Buyer; CPPO, Certified Professional Purchasing Officer.

Newsletter: To keep members informed in months between workshops, OPPA publishes the OPPA Newsletter.

National Affiliation: As a chapter of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, OPPA members may participate in the annual professional development forum and product exposition, training seminars, the NIGP bid specifications library, the NIGP commodity code, Procurement professional magazine, bulletins, audit consultation, professional certification, and many other benefits.

Mentoring Program: OPPA endeavors to develop its members' careers through mentorship, using the transference of knowledge and experience from learned members, to those seeking the betterment of public procurement.

Scholarships: OPPA has established a scholarship program to assist it's members in furthering their professional development. With the challenges that public entities face with constrained budgets, OPPA recognizes that it has become increasingly difficult for public entities to provide funding for professional development and continuing education.

The OPPA Scholarship Program provides scholarships to members who have a desire to further their knowledge and expertise in public procurement through continuing education, are a member in good standing, and have made contributions to OPPA through service to the organization or to public procurement in general. Click here for the OPPA Scholarship Program guidelines and application.