Lexington, KY – The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) and the Procurement Professionals Alliance (PPA) are excited to announce the top finishers of the third annual Emerging Markets Initiative (EMI) pitch competition, held March 9-12, 2026, during the NASPO/PPA Exchange conference in Orlando, Florida. The competition highlighted innovative supplier solutions with the potential to elevate public procurement nationwide.

Twelve suppliers participated in the competition, presenting their products and services before a panel of NASPO and PPA staff and board members. The event highlighted emerging technologies and solutions designed to modernize and streamline state and cooperative purchasing.

Our top three winners for 2026 were:

First Place: Concourse

Concourse offers a smart search interface designed to streamline the experience of locating, assessing the value of, and utilizing statewide contracts – bringing greater efficiency and accessibility to the cooperative purchasing process.

Second Place: Filterbuy

Filterbuy provides innovative HVAC solutions developed through partnerships with manufacturers and industry experts, offering public sector entities a smarter approach to facilities and maintenance procurement.

Third Place: Hazel AI Technologies

Hazel AI Technologies offers an AI-powered procurement platform that supports vendor search, solicitation development, and proposal evaluations – bringing intelligent automation to the full procurement lifecycle.

“The Emerging Markets Initiative surfaces the kind of forward-thinking solutions that public procurement needs,” said Solomon Kingston, Chief Cooperative Procurement Officer, NASPO ValuePoint. “This year’s competition was our strongest yet, with these top three winners reflecting innovation that is practical, scalable, and built with the public sector in mind. We look forward to exploring how these solutions can create real value for states across the country.”

The EMI competition is a collaborative effort between NASPO ValuePoint and RFxPremier, designed to identify and elevate emerging supplier solutions that align with the evolving needs of state and cooperative procurement. This year’s competition drew a strong, diverse field of participants, with each supplier demonstrating potential to deliver impact across public-sector purchasing.

“What made the NASPO/PPA Exchange so exciting was the caliber of suppliers willing to step into the arena and make their case,” said Jared Gardner, Chief Cooperative Procurement Officer, RFxPremier. “The EMI pitch competition is about more than recognizing great ideas – it’s about building relationships between the procurement community and the suppliers who are shaping its future. Congratulations to our winners, and to every supplier who participated.”

NASPO ValuePoint and RFxPremier will continue to engage with the top three winners to explore next steps for collaboration, including potential pilot projects within their respective cooperative portfolios. All participating suppliers are encouraged to remain engaged as the initiative continues to grow and evolve. Future iterations of the EMI competition will offer additional opportunities for suppliers to re-engage, share solution updates, and demonstrate how their offerings have matured in response to public sector needs.

About NASPO: NASPO® is a non–profit association dedicated to advancing public procurement through leadership, excellence, and integrity. It is made up of the directors of the central purchasing offices in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of the United States. NASPO is an organization that helps its members achieve success as public procurement leaders through the promotion of best practices, education, professional development, research, and innovative procurement strategies.

About NASPO ValuePoint: NASPO ValuePoint® is the cooperative purchasing division of the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO), facilitating cooperative public procurement solicitations using a Lead State Model®. NASPO aggregates the demand of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the US territories, their political subdivisions, and other eligible entities, spurring best value, innovation, and competition in the marketplace. NASPO ValuePoint delivers high-value, reliable, and competitively sourced cooperative contracts – offering public entities outstanding prices, favorable terms and conditions, and value-added services. Learn more at www.naspovaluepoint.org.

About the Procurement Professionals Alliance: The Procurement Professionals Alliance (PPA) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association dedicated to advancing the procurement profession through collaboration, education, and innovation. Launched in August 2025, PPA unites procurement professionals nationwide under the principle “Elevating the Industry. Unifying the Profession.” Through its commitment to integrity, collaboration, and continuous growth, PPA empowers professionals to shape a more connected, knowledgeable, and empowered industry that honors its heritage while forging a bold future. Membership is open to all procurement professionals and stakeholders. For more information, visit www.joinppa.org.

About RFxPremier: RFxPremier is a new cooperative contracting organization dedicated to promoting procurement excellence and delivering outstanding value. Committed to enhancing transparency and collaboration, RFxPremier fosters meaningful connections between buyers and suppliers, driving efficiency and innovation in the procurement landscape, while empowering organizations of all sizes to make informed decisions and achieve their procurement goals effectively. RFxPremier works collaboratively with NASPO ValuePoint, the cooperative contracting division of NASPO, who was the catalyst for RFxPremier’s formation. Learn more at rfxpremier.org.

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Media Contact:

Kate Davila
Creative Accounts Director
kdavila@naspo.org