Insights from CPOs highlight the key priorities driving modernization, technology adoption, and service excellence

Lexington, KY – The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) 2026 Top 10 Priorities for State Procurement identifies areas of importance for state procurement offices and staff to best serve their state agencies and taxpayers.

The Top 10 Priorities for State Procurement represent the collective voice of all 54 Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs)— who make up NASPO’s Primary Members and identified the focus areas expected to shape procurement policies and practices in the year ahead. These priorities guide NASPO’s publications, research, conference programming, and webinars, ensuring that the most current and emerging best practices are shared across the states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories.

For the second year in a row, Modernizing the Procurement Process holds the number one spot. CPOs continue to emphasize process automation and digital transformation, including the digitization of solicitations, bids, contracts, and records to improve efficiency, transparency, and accessibility.

eProcurement remains firmly in second place, reflecting states’ ongoing commitment to broadening agency adoption of seamless, end-to-end procurement systems.

This year’s third priority, Customer Service (number 4 last year), highlights the critical role communication and partnership play in public procurement. Procurement professionals are placing a renewed focus on delivering clear guidance, providing training, solving problems collaboratively, gathering feedback, and strengthening relationships with agency stakeholders.

Here is a full list of the Top 10 Priorities for state central procurement offices in 2026:

1. Modernizing the Procurement Process
2. eProcurement/ERP
3. Customer Service to Agency Stakeholders
4. Central Procurement Office as a Strategic Leader
5. Training and Certification
6. Innovative Procurement Methods
7. Artificial Intelligence in Public Procurement
8. Talent Management and Succession Planning
9. Analytics for Data-Driven Decision Making
10. Information Technology Goals

To access the 2026 Top 10 Priorities for State Procurement, please click here or to view the Top 10 priorities by region click the [East], [Midwest], [South], and [West].

About NASPO: The National Association of State Procurement Officials (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 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. To learn more, please visit www.naspo.org.

Media Contact:


Rebecca Montaño-Smith
Deputy Chief Learning Officer, NASPO
rmsmith@naspo.org