USM OVPAF Rolls Out Procurement Processes to RDE Unit, Targets Organized Documentation

To ensure a more streamlined, transparent, and efficient acquisition of project resources, the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) – Office of the Vice President for Administration and Finance (OVPAF) initiated the conduct of a Procurement Workshop on May 7, 2026. Held at the UICTO Computer Laboratory, the session gathered clerks and staff from the Research, Development, and Extension (RDE) Unit.

“Improving procurement is not the responsibility of one office alone, so let us come to this space with openness,” said Dr. Debbie Marie B. Verzosa, VPRDE, as she welcomed the participants during the workshop.

The formal workshop started with a lecture session featuring a roster of experts from the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC): Procurement Staff Mr. Allynje Nalam, who discussed Market Scoping; Procurement Staff Ms. Lorraine Joy Berja, who covered Project Procurement Management Plan (PPMP) Preparation; and BAC Secretariat Head Myrna R. Tan, who tackled Procurement Modalities.

Special topics on PR Monitoring Fundamentals (for Research), the Importance of Monitoring, Workflow and Tracking Systems, and Tools and Reporting were also discussed to strengthen administrative oversight and ensure the timely delivery of materials.

To bridge theory and practice, participants were tasked with crafting a PPMP, which was then evaluated by the BAC. The workshop concluded with an open forum, sparking conversations between the BAC and the RDE Unit to reconcile technical requirements with the practical needs of researchers and extensionists.

The successful rollout was made possible through a strategic collaboration between the BAC, Procurement Team, and the Office of Budget and Finance. This was supported by BAC Chair Samsudin S. Panday, who also attended the meeting. In his message, Panday urged the participants to show unity amidst challenges to better serve the university and streamline institutional goals.

“Let us all understand our office’s own struggles and unite as one USM because we can all improve our systems once we open our minds for improvements.”

As the initiative continues its phased rollout, the OVPAF is set to conduct the same workshop for the next batch of participants on May 11, 2026.