Supply chain disruptions can occur from a wide range of factors, impacting the availability and timely delivery of goods and services globally. State procurement offices are still at the forefront of developing new strategies to maintain business continuity in times of unpredictability.

By NASPO’s Rebecca Montaño-Smith, Deputy Chief Learning Officer: Research and Innovation for American City & County.

Natural disasters alone have caused substantial disruptions in the United States in recent years. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 2021, the U.S. was hit by 20 different weather and climate disasters that each caused more than $145 billion in damage. This made 2021 the year with the second-highest number of billion-dollar disasters, surpassed only by 2020, which had 22 such events. Recent emergencies, from devastating floods in North Carolina to destructive fires in Los Angeles, highlight the sudden disruption challenges that can hinder procurement leaders’ abilities to execute timely initiatives and secure essential goods and services for their communities.

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