NASCA Awards Periscope Holdings, with its state partner, Arkansas, As the Excellence Through Collaboration Award Recipient

Thursday, August 26, 2021

LEXINGTON, Ky — 

The National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) announced that Periscope Holdings, along with state partner Arkansas, has been awarded the association’s 2021 Excellence through Collaboration award.

This award recognizes corporate partner companies that have partnered with a state to implement a program, project or service that positively impacts its service to the state. The nominations are reviewed by experienced state Chief Administrators based on collaboration and value added to the state.

This year’s recipient, Periscope Holdings, partnered with the State of Arkansas, for their project “Partnering for Procurement Transformation.”  Periscope Holdings, and the State of Arkansas as their partner, was announced as the recipient at NASCA’s CAO Leadership Summit in Coronado, California.

“Periscope Holdings collaboration with the State of Arkansas exemplifies the successful execution of a state and corporate partnership working together for the good of state employees, customers and citizens,” said Pam Goins, Executive Director of NASCA.  “The joint implementation of ARBuy streamlines processes, saves time and money and overall is a win-win for all involved.”

The focus of “Partnering for Procurement Transformation” between the State of Arkansas and Periscope Holdings is their ARBuy project.  ARBuy simplifies the procurement process, while making it easier for Arkansas local businesses to bid on contracts, saving taxpayers time and money.   Governor Hutchinson lauded it as “another step in transforming the way the state does business so that we are even more transparent and efficient.”

ARBuy is quite innovative because it is being achieved at no direct cost to the State – using a self-funded model developed by Periscope Holdings. In addition to providing the technology, implementation services and training to State departments and entities, Periscope Holdings markets the State ARBuy system to local governments, encouraging adoption of the system and purchases on Statewide contracts. Periscope Holdings also provides complete supplier enablement services and performs strategic sourcing research to identify savings opportunities – again, at no direct cost to the State.

“We are honored to receive this award for our collaboration with the State of Arkansas, “ said Brian Utley, CEO of Periscope Holdings. “Secretary Fecher and the entire procurement team in Arkansas have been outstanding partners, understanding the value of procurement technology that connects and empowers buyers and suppliers.  After 20 years in public procurement transformation, it is particularly rewarding to see this project in action.  ARBuy is fulfilling our purpose of eradicating waste and maximizing the value of every dollar spent, at zero cost to the state.”

“Arkansas is delighted to collaborate with Periscope Holdings to implement a state-of-the-art digital procurement system. I am proud of our team at the Department of Transformation and Shared Services (TSS) that worked diligently to implement the ARBuy system in record time,” said Arkansas TSS Secretary Amy Fecher.  “Our department continually strives to find efficiencies and improve state processes. ARBuy is one more way we are keeping our promise of improving services and saving Arkansan’s money.”

For more information about NASCA’s Awards Program, please visit www.nasca.org.