Successful supply chain management relies on a well-developed infrastructure, appropriate tactical resources, and thorough analysis. This process is multi-faceted and involves solid relationships within the utility, as well as strategic relationships with vendors to mitigate risk to the overall supply chain. This forum offers an opportunity for supply chain procurement managers and specialists to come together with their industry partners and suppliers for roundtable discussions and expert presentations. Topics include KPIs, supplier relationship management, sustainability, and best practices in purchasing and contracting. CEHs are offered for CPSMs through the Institute for Supply Management.
General Details
- Program Chair(s)
- Chris Humm, Category Lead Expert, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
- Program Location
- Bently Reserve
- 301 Battery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111 - Who Should Attend
- Procurement managers
- Buyers
- Sourcing managers
- Purchasing Managers
- Contract administrators/agents
- Supply chain managers
- Supply chain analysts
- Materials managers
- Inventory and salvage managers
- Suppliers and service companies
- Registration Options
Member: $649 USD
Regular: $1,119 USD
Registration prices increase $100 after August 9, 2017. Registration includes networking reception and dinner, meeting materials, breakfasts and lunch. Guest tickets are available for $100 and allow a personal guest (a spouse or partner who does not work in the energy industry) to accompany a registered attendee at the event.
- General Cancellation Policy
- Due to contractual obligations, cancellations received 15 business days prior to the program will receive a full refund. Cancellations received 6 to 14 business days prior to the event will receive a refund, less a $100 administrative fee. No shows and last minute cancellations, 5 business days prior to the event or less, will be responsible for the full registration fee. Substitutions from your organization for the same event are always welcome.
- Participation Policy
- Western Energy Institute programs and events are open to energy companies (including gas production and electric generation, gas and electric transmission and gas and electric distribution utilities). Select programs and events are open to energy industry product and service suppliers. Programs and events are closed to all media representatives and to the general public.
- For more information contact Christopher Lee, Senior Program Manager at (971) 255-4967.
Agenda
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Registration
Meeting is being held in the Adriatic Room at the Bently Reserve Conference Center. Entrance is located at 400 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Welcome to Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Speaker(s): Steve Coleman, Sr. Director, Sourcing, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Pacific Gas and Electric Company is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Hear directly how PG&E manages their supply chain that provides support for natural gas and electric service to approximately 16 million people throughout a 70,000-square-mile service area in northern and central California.
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Introductions and Roundtable Discussion on Current Issues
Facilitator(s): Chris Humm, Category Lead Expert, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Ever wonder if there are others in the industry facing the same challenges you are or if they have already found answers to those challenges? This session allows an opportunity to “break the ice” with other procurement professionals in the utility industry and explore these challenges. Come prepared to share your current challenges as well as any success stories from your company. It’s a great way to find out what everyone hopes to get out of the conference and identify who may have similar challenges that you can further discuss during the networking time.
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Networking Hour at Pacific Gas and Electric Company
77 Beale Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Photo ID is REQUIRED to check-in with security.
(Dinner on your own)
Thursday, September 7, 2017
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Breakfast
Meeting is being held in the Adriatic Room at the Bently Reserve Conference Center. Entrance is located at 400 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Category Management and Category Plans
Facilitator(s): Chris Humm, Category Lead Expert, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Speaker(s): Marc Lyman, Category Manager, Supply Chain, Avista Utilities, Michelle Cheng, Senior Category Lead, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
PG&E and Avista will present on their respective approaches for category management, which will contrast the size of staff and number of categories. Avista’s presentation will include how they integrated with different business units and gained buy-in during the process.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Challenges with Non-Standard Contracts and Legal Approval
Facilitator(s): Tasha Bullard, Procurement Supervisor, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Michelle Pierson, Sr. Procurement Specialist, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Facilitated roundtable to discuss common issues faced when seeking legal approval for contracts and to explore possible solutions when working with key internal stakeholders. Please be prepared to discuss the following.
•What are your challenges with Legal, Risk, Audit, Info Security review?
•What are your negotiating delays?
•Are you seeing your approval routing list grow?
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Transitioning Procurement Organization – From Tactical to Strategic
Facilitator(s): Mark Bond, Supply Chain Manager, NorthWestern Energy
Speaker(s): Conrad Snover, Executive Vice President, ProcureAbility, David Kevane, Director, Sourcing Operations, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Many utilities would like to take a more strategic approach to their procurement functions. ProcureAbility will share things to consider while making this shift in your organization. PG&E has recently reorganized to create a strategic sourcing group separate from tactical operations and will share the challenges they faced. A roundtable will follow to discuss what other companies are doing and any success that can be shared.
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Break
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Driving Supplier Performance Through Scorecarding and KPIs
Facilitator(s): Rachel Kirkendall, Administrator/Corporate Purchasing, Southwest Gas Corporation, Ryan Darwick, Manager/Contract Administration, Southwest Gas Corporation
Speaker(s): Jordan Coons, Sr. Analyst, Southwest Gas Corporation, Robert Buschow, Manager, Corporate Purchasing & Inventory Management, Southwest Gas Corporation, Skip Peeples, Purchasing Manager, Salt River Project
SW Gas will give a demonstration to show the Oracle dashboard they are using for KPIs. SRP will show how they utilize SAP and Sharepoint for their reporting.
A roundtable discussion will follow to explore:
What’s being reported and how is it being used?
What level of resource is required to produce metrics on a regular basis?
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
WEI Hosted Networking Dinner
Schroeder’s Restaurant
240 Front Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
Friday, September 8, 2017
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Breakfast
Meeting is being held in the Adriatic Room at the Bently Reserve Conference Center. Entrance is located at 400 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
PG&E Ariba Implementation
Speaker(s): Dina Arellanes, Supply Chain System Implementation Specialist, Chief, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
PG&E recently implemented Ariba and will share some of the success and lessons learned from the project.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
Focused Roundtable Discussion
Facilitator(s): Laurie Heagle, Manager-Materials Mgmt, Avista Corp., Marty Borrevik, Buyer, NW Natural, Dan Quinn, Supply Chain Manager, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
New Material Implementation and Old Material Phase-Out
•How do we reduce the obsolescence of existing materials?
•How do we partner or communicate with engineering to mitigate the cost of introducing new materials.
•Can we recoup any of the value? If so, how is it distributed?
Enterprise Content Management (ECM)
•Are utilities developing ECM systems?
•What business objectives are being targeted as top priority?
9:45 AM - 10:00 AM
Break
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Open Roundtable and Wrap Up
This roundtable will be an opportunity to follow up on topics needing further discussion or address issues that have not yet been covered.
11:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Conference Adjourns
Hotel + Travel
- Hotel Griffon
- 155 Steuart St
- San Francisco, California 94105
- Phone: (415) 495-2100
Click here to make your reservation now.
- Hotel Griffon invites you to experience what was voted "Best Boutique Hotel" and "Best 24-Hour Getaway" by San Francisco Magazine. Situated along San Francisco's stylish Embarcadero waterfront, our certified green hotel is the perfect choice for business and leisure travelers who seek a pleasant and charming alternative to a chain hotel. Indulge in an appealing, historic San Francisco boutique hotel (originally built in 1901) inspired by European flair and enjoy exceptional amenities that include well-appointed guestrooms and luxury suites, onsite dining at Perry's on the Embarcadero - a San Francisco institution serving classic American food - and a distinguished meeting space for business while you travel.
- Reservation Instructions
Please contact the hotel directly at (415) 495-2100 to reserve your room. Identify yourself as being with Western Energy Instituteand use the discount code ‘Procurement Mgmt’ to receive a special rate of $199/night. This rate is guaranteed until August 9, 2017 or until the WEI room block is full.