Tennessee CPO Local Chronicle - July 2026
📰 Tennessee CPO Local Chronicle 📰
In this newsletter:
- Message from Laitin Beecham, Director of Category Management
- Employee Spotlight
- Statewide Contract Spotlight
- Statewide Contracts Updates
- Knowledge Burst Highlight
- Quick Links
Trivia Question: Which Tennessee city was the first capital of the state? Answer at the end of this newsletter
Message from Laitin Beecham, Director of Category Management – CPO
Welcome to the fourth edition of the Tennessee CPO Local Chronicle! We hope everyone had an enjoyable Fourth of July celebrating the United States on our 250th birthday.
In this issue, you’ll find updates across several categories, a spotlight on Statewide Contract (SWC) 3999: NASPO Service Value Added Reseller (SVAR) Software, and an employee profile featuring Zohreh Hurd, one of our dedicated Commodities Category Specialists.
We also want to encourage our local government partners to use Procurated to share feedback on Statewide Contract suppliers. Your reviews help CPO better understand supplier performance, identify areas for improvement, and recognize contractors who are providing strong service to our customers. More information on how to access Procurated and submit a review is included later in this edition.
Have a question about a specific statewide contract—or statewide contracts in general? Email us at CPO.SWC@tn.gov. Your question may even be featured in an upcoming “Ask CPO” segment!
Thank you for your continued partnership. We look forward to supporting your organization’s goals and seeing how SWCs help you succeed throughout 2026!
Laitin W. Beecham
Director of Category Management
Employee Spotlight – Zohreh Hurd
How long have you been with the State? I joined the Department of General Services, Central Procurement Office, in November 2021.
What’s your favorite hobby? As a Jehovah's Witness, I spend much of my free time in ministry, visiting my neighbors and sharing what the Bible teaches. I enjoy connecting with people and having meaningful conversations, and I find it rewarding to help others.
Do you have a favorite spot in Tennessee? Tennessee is such a beautiful state, but I can’t say I have a favorite place to visit. For me, it’s really about the company. Any place feels special when I’m there with my husband.
Education: I graduated with a double B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
Work History: I spent many years in the private sector working in data analytics and process improvement, developing tools and reporting solutions to improve workflows and support decision-making. I've always enjoyed finding practical ways to help people work more efficiently. Since joining the State, I've applied that experience to procurement, contract analysis, and supplier management.
On what contracts are you listed as the Contract Administrator? I am the contract administrator for SWC195 Telematics Hardware Services & Accessories, SWC393 Electronic Fingerprinting Services, SWC3011 UPS (LAN) Power Supplies, SWC3014 NASPO Computers, SWC3019 Esper Software, SWC3054 SAS Software, SWC3995 Summize AI Software, and SWC3999 NASPO SVAR Software.
Do you have a favorite quote or motto? “Observe intently the birds of heaven; they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are?”—Matthew 6:26.
Do you have any advice for locals wishing to use SWCs? I recommend starting with the resources on the CPO website to learn how statewide contracts work. Then, review the guidance for the specific contract you plan to use. If you have questions, contact the contract administrator early in the process. They're there to help and can provide guidance before issues arise.
🔦 Statewide Contract Spotlight: SWC 3999 NASPO SVAR Software
SWC3999 NASPO SVAR Software is part of NASPO ValuePoint’s Software Value‑Added Reseller (SVAR) portfolio, which provides statewide access to commercial off‑the‑shelf (COTS) software through multiple authorized resellers. Under STS direction, the CPO has entered Participating Agreements (PAs) with five approved resellers: SHI, Insight, Zones, CDW‑G, and Dell. These PAs, more commonly known as contracts, support a wide range of software needs across state and local agencies. This multi‑reseller model gives purchasing entities the flexibility to compare options, request competitive quotes, and efficiently source software that meets their operational requirements.
The following are some of the most broadly useful COTS products:
- Microsoft Office 365: essential productivity suite for email, documents, spreadsheets, and collaboration
- Adobe Creative Cloud: industry-standard tools for design, graphics, and media creation
- CrowdStrike: leading endpoint protection and threat detection platform
- VMware: core virtualization platform for servers, desktops, and cloud workloads
- Tableau: easy-to-use data visualization and dashboarding tool for analytics
The contract is set to expire on April 24, 2027, and it will not be renewed or extended. Once it ends, SWC3021 NASPO Comprehensive Cloud contract is expected to take over the functions currently covered by the COTS contract, with more information to come.
📣 SWC Recent Updates 📣
New Contract Awards
SWC 204 Vehicle & Equip Parts, Lt & Heavy Duty: The CPO has entered a participating agreement (PA) with NAPA (#90306). It is fully approved and executed with a begin date of May 20, 2026. The CPO has executed contracts with independent dealers, except for one, which will be added soon. These dealers include: Monkeytown Automotive Group (#90807), Mister Automotive of Newport (#90779), East TN Auto Parts Inc (#90805), Lewisburg Industrial & Welding Inc (#90781), P&D Enterprises Inc (#90771), K&A Auto Parts (#90754), Auto Tire & Parts (#90775), Quality Parts Express (#90774), Dustin Rainey (#90950). The CPO is also pursuing a PA with a new secondary supplier, AutoZone, to have the option of having multiple suppliers on contract. The PA is currently in negotiations.
Contract Administrator: Mike Neely
SWC 825 Debris Monitoring Services: Thompson Engineering Inc. (#90687), Neel-Schaffer Inc. (#90688), and Tetra Tech Inc. (#90689) were awarded from RFP 32110-82525 went into effect as of May 15, 2026 for a three-year term with two one-year renewal options at the State’s discretion.
Contract Administrator: Seth Lake
Solicitation Updates
SWC 225 Highway & Heavy Equipment: The CPO posted RFI Event (#32110–#13856) on May 19, 2026. A pre-response conference was held on May 28, 2026, and the Written Questions and Comments deadline was on June 1, 2026.
Contract Administrator: Mike Neely
SWC 246 Tractors with Specialty Mowers: The CPO is finalizing the award for this solicitation.
Contract Administrator: Adam Mamula
SWC 533 Sanofi Vaccine (Manufacturer): MMCAP is not renewing or entering a new contract with Sanofi Vaccines, so the current contract (#77354) will expire on June 30, 2026. The majority of Sanofi vaccines can be procured through SWC 534 from both distributors on that contract, FFF Enterprises (#88478) and Medico-Mart (#88469). If there are particular vaccines not sold through a distributor, individual agencies will need to review their procurement options to work directly with Sanofi.
Contract Administrator: Celena Milliken
SWC 227 Facility Protection Services: The CPO posted the solicitation event RFP#32110-22726 on Thursday, February 19, 2026. The response deadline was April 30 at 2:00 p.m. RFP Amendment 6 was executed on May 21 to amend the schedule to allow more time for technical evaluations. The current contract ends December 31, 2026. The Questions and Comments submission deadline was March 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Contract Administrator: Amber Lovell
SWC 247 Hotel Lodging & Reservation Services: The PA was executed on May 29, 2026, and will be effective June 1, 2026. Pilot agency onboarding is in process, with a tentative start date of the pilot program of June 1, 2026.
Contract Administrator: Taylor Dozier
SWC 387 MSP for Contract Labor: The Questions and Comments deadline was on May 28, and we received nearly 200 questions. The CPO is working on responses now.
Temporary Contract Administrator: Elle Lipinski
SWC 436 Lamps, Batteries, & Scrap Metal Recycling: The CPO has begun research to reprocure SWC 436. The current contract expires on January 17, 2027.
Contract Administrator: Seth Lake
SWC 504 Winter Road Maintenance Materials: The CPO issued RFI #32110-#13927 on June 2, 2025. The Pre-Response Conference will be held on June 12, 2026, and the Questions and Comments period ends on June 18, 2026. The current contract expires on October 26, 2026.
Contract Administrator: Amber Lovell
SWC 700 Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing, Boiler, & Chiller Systems Maintenance & Repair Services: The CPO issued a partial re-solicitation applicable only to the Electrical Maintenance and Repair Job Category for Hardin, Henderson, and Henry counties. The CPO is working on cost negotiations with respondents.
Contract Administrator: Taylor Dozier
SWC 820 Emergency Debris Removal Services: The CPO is coordinating RFP #32110-#82026 for Emergency Debris Removal Services, and is working with the COT to obtain final approval to release the RFP in June 2026.
Contract Administrator: Seth Lake
MOUs and Amendments:
SWC 317 Copy Paper: The CPO is processing a price increase on fifteen (15) core line items that will be presented at the June FRC meeting.
Contract Administrator: Kristine Mitchell
SWC 357 Firearms: The CPO is processing a price increase on one (1) core line item that will be presented at the June FRC meeting.
Contract Administrator: Kristine Mitchell
SWC 365 Paper & Plastic Goods: The CPO is processing a price increase on seven (7) core trash can liners and sixteen (16) additional core line items, including disposable culinary items, janitorial paper products and dispensers, and paper bags that will be presented at the June FRC meeting.
Contract Administrator: Kristine Mitchell
SWC 370 Uniform, Linen, and Dust Control Rental Services: Amendment #8 to SWC 370 has been executed, adding Uniform Svs., Cargo Pants, 65% Poly/35% Cotton, All Sizes, All Colors as Line Item 130.
Contract Administrator: Seth Lake
SWC 396 Legal Research Services: The CPO has executed an MOU to add non-generative AI services to Contract #84951 with Westlaw (Thompson Reuters). An amendment to add generative-AI services to Contract #84951 is in progress as well. The CPO is also open to pursuing the addition of generative and non-generative AI services offered by LexisNexis Risk Solutions FL, Inc. (#84952), and RELX, Inc. (LexisNexis; #84953).
Contract Administrator: Taylor Dozier
SWC 700 Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing, Boiler, and Chiller Systems Maintenance & Repair Services: The CPO is in the process of executing three MOUs with Jarrett Builders, Inc. (#90123), Johnson Controls, Inc. (#90124), and The Arcticom Group LLC (#90231) to add line-items awarded through the Revised Notice of Intent to Award. Three (3) name change amendments are also in process to change Acorn Engineering Technologies to Acorn Electrical Specialists, Inc. (#NV90006), Demand Mechanical LLP to National HVAC Service LLC (#NV90104), and Johnson Controls, Inc. to Tyco Technology GMBH (#NV90124).
Once executed, changes will be made to the "ABCDE Vendor & Contract Information" spreadsheet accordingly. These changes affect the ABCDE supplier ranking and corresponding contact information for several counties. Please be sure to check the Statewide Contract Instruction (SWC) page periodically. The latest Usage Instructions and ABCDE Spreadsheet are available there at all times.
Contract Administrator: Taylor Dozier
Renewals and Extensions
SWC 212 IMS Gases: The CPO is exercising the second renewal with Nexair (#75135) at the end of August. Currently, the Contract Administrator is gathering feedback from end users. Please reach out to share any feedback at your earliest opportunity.
Contract Administrator: Celena Milliken
SWC 215 Propane: The CPO is exercising the final renewal with Marsh LP Gas Inc. (#75863) and Amerigas Propane LP (#75866) at the end of September. Currently, the Contract Administrator is gathering feedback from end users. Please reach out to share feedback at your earliest convenience.
Contract Administrator: Will London
SWC 310 Employee Service Awards: The CPO is extending the Contract with Southern Trophy House Inc. (#71860) to allow continued service while the new solicitation is finalized. This request is being presented to the Fiscal Review Committee (FRC) during their June meeting. An amendment will authorize an extension of up to one year, if needed, to ensure uninterrupted service during the procurement process. Additional information about the upcoming solicitation will be shared with state agencies as soon as it becomes available.
Contract Administrator: Will London
SWC 529 Pharmaceutical Reverse Distribution: The CPO is processing an extension for PharmaLink Inc. contract (#81350) with a new expiration date of June 30, 2027.
Contract Administrator: Celena Milliken
SWC 531 Birth Control Devices: The contract with B Optima Health (#NV78929) will expire on June 30, 2026. This contract will not be extended at the supplier's request, so please plan accordingly when placing orders. The CPO is processing an extension for Global Protection (#78931) and Lifestyles (#78933) with a new expiration date of June 30, 2027.
Contract Administrator: Celena Milliken
SWC 136 Pest Control Services: The final renewal and reprocurement of SWC 136 are quickly approaching, and we are gathering end-user feedback to evaluate the current contract and inform the upcoming solicitation. Your input is valuable in identifying what is working well, where improvements may be needed, and how the contract can better support agency needs moving forward.
If you have a few minutes, please consider completing the brief feedback survey linked here. We will also be hosting focus groups soon to gather more detailed feedback. If you are interested in participating, please contact the Contract Administrator.
Contract Administrator: Taylor Dozier
SWC 419 Mailroom Equipment, Supplies, and Maintenance: The CPO exercised the final renewal options to contracts #79240 (PITNEY BOWES INC), #82940 (QUADIENT INC), and #83244 (DMT Solutions Global Corporations dba BlueCrest). The current contract end date is May 14, 2027.
Contract Administrator: Amber Lovell
SWC 422 IT Workforce Professional Services: The first renewal of SWC 422 is approaching, and we are gathering end-user feedback to help evaluate the contract. Your input is valuable in identifying what is working well, where improvements may be needed, and how the contract can better support agency needs moving forward. If you have a few minutes, please consider completing the brief feedback survey linked here.
Contract Administrator: Taylor Dozier
SWC 3015 Teammate Software: The current expiration date of this SWC is October 31, 2026. The CPO has approved the business case for this contract renewal, and it has been submitted to the FRC for review. This would make the new expiration date October 31, 2027.
Contract Administrator: Ryan Gaddis
Other Updates
SWC 316 Office Supplies: ODP Business Solutions (#88876) recently sent out a notice to state agencies that a fuel surcharge would be applied to orders placed under the NASPO ValuePoint Master Agreement. The CPO has confirmed with ODP, the NASPO Contract Administrator, and the Lead State of Oregon that these fuel surcharges will not be applied under the terms of this contract. If you receive any invoices with these charges added, please reach out to the CPO Contract Administrator.
Contract Administrator: Will London
SWC 439 Dental Equipment and Supplies: Patterson Dental (#87425) is now available on Smart Shop. However, Patterson Dental has requested a higher level of security to access their website. When creating a requisition, the SHIP-TO location MUST be chosen on the same page where DOC TYPE is chosen. If you are not allowed into the Smart Shop catalog at that time, please contact John Ostipwko at John.Ostipwko@pattersondental.com to gain access. If there are any questions, please contact the Contract Administrator.
Contract Administrator: Celena Milliken
SWC 439 and SWC 440 – Henry Schein: After a compliance review, there is significant spend on Henry Schein SWC 439 (#87041) and Henry Schein SWC 440 (#81388) that is not being attributed to a contract. Henry Schein’s medical contract under SWC 440 is still available on Smart Shop, but because Henry Schein has multiple contracts, the contract number does not automatically default. Please review before submission to ensure the correct contract is assigned to all Henry Schein purchases.
Contract Administrator: Celena Milliken
SWC 121 Shredding Services: The new shredding services contract with Stericycle Inc. (#89211) began March 1, 2026, and expires February 28, 2029. Any services performed on or after March 1, 2026 should be attributed to the new contract. Please reach out to the contract administrator if you have any questions.
Contract Administrator: Lauryen Harris
SWC 161 TPA Refuse & Waste Management Services: The Contract Administrator has been made aware that the e-mail address TN@rts.com is no longer being monitored. All requests to the Contractor should now be made through the RTS Portal or by emailing Support@rts.com to open a ticket. Updated Usage Instructions are available on the CPO Website and within Edison. If you have any questions, please contact the Contract Administrator.
Contract Administrator: Seth Lake
SWC 404 Digital Imaging Services: The contract with Vital Records Holdings, LLC, also known as VRC, (#80190) will end on October 14, 2026. The CPO has determined not to renew the contract due to extremely low utilization. Significant user feedback indicated that low utilization was due to the high customization requirements for projects within VRC’s scope, which would be better handled under agency-term contracts. The CPO intends to renew the contract with CANON U S A INC (#NV80189).
Contract Administrator: Amber Lovell
SWC 3010 NASPO PASS IT-RAC: The CPO has approved the procurement business case of this SWC. We have initiated the procurement process and are working through internal approvals to begin negotiations with the suppliers for Procurement Assistance Support Services (PASS) and IT Research, Advisory, and Consulting Services (IT-RAC).
Contract Administrator: Ryan Gaddis
SWC 195 Telematics Hardware, Services, and Accessories: The contract with Samsara, Inc. (#71019) will end on June 30, 2026. The CPO has initiated the reprocurement process to ensure continued availability of telematics hardware, services, and accessories for the State. To prevent any lapse in coverage between the expiration of the current contract and the reprocurement of a new one, the CPO has requested an amendment to extend the contract for up to one year. The anticipated expiration date is June 30, 2027.
Contract Administrator: Zohreh Hurd
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Procurated
The CPO has partnered with Procurated to gather reviews of our Statewide Contractors. Procurated can be accessed via CPO’s website. Simply click the Write a Statewide Contractor Review button at the top of the page to access the Tennessee CPO Procurated page. Statewide Contract suppliers are sorted alphabetically. If you have questions, please contact the CPO at CPO.SWC@tn.gov.
Trivia Answer: Knoxville