Orange County Procurement Division Wins Again! Named Best of the Best For 30 Years Running

Orange County Procurement Division Wins Again! Named Best of the Best For 30 Years Running

Awards come and go­-unless you are the Orange County Procurement team, in which case they just keeping coming, year after year. Thirty years, 30 awards. Now that's consistency.

Once again, the National Procurement Institute awarded the 2025 Achievement of Excellence in Procurement® Award to the Orange County Government Procurement Division, continuing their 30-year streak.

County Procurement Manager Carrie Mathes, said the award is like the "Super Bowl trophy of procurement."

"We are super proud to earn this award and bring it home to Orange County year after year," she continued. "We have a long-standing history of doing things the right way…For us, it speaks to our credibility, and it means we have been meeting and exceeding national standards and expectations for procurement operations."

Orange County was one of 216 agencies in the United States and Canada and one of only 48 U.S. counties to receive the award. The County is also one of only four agencies to consistently receive the award since the award's inception in 1995, and the only agency in Florida to receive the accolade.

Mathes said the recognition affirms how effectively they are fostering innovation, implementing sound practices and high standards, and earning the community's trust. It's also gratifying to know that other agencies look to Orange County as a model for industry standards which gives them a competitive advantage for recruiting top talent.

"We have been successfully recognized as creators of best practices, and I am really proud of that fact," she said. "We have become an organization that people aspire to work for."

Mathes' team of 40 managed over 1,000 contracts last fiscal year, awarding a staggering $1.1 billion in contracts. "It's a lot of money and we take it seriously," she said…"We have sound procurement practices that stand up to scrutiny."

The National Procurement Institute's mission is to promote excellence in public procurement by encouraging efficient purchasing methods and practices through education, certification, professional development and networking. The Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award is points-based, recognizing organizations that demonstrate a commitment to innovation, professionalism, e-procurement, productivity and leadership attributes.

"We are not just looking to earn the award, but looking at how we can improve," she said. "It's our compass in terms of continuous improvement."

Their overall mission reflects an unwavering standard of excellence.

Orange County's Procurement Division is committed to fiscal responsibility and the prudent stewardship of taxpayer dollars. The team works diligently to ensure transparent, compliant, and efficient procurement operations while delivering exceptional customer service and maintaining the highest standards of operational excellence.

For more information about Procurement Division policies and procedures, check out the Procurement Procedures Manual. For more information on how to do business with Orange County, go to Business with Orange County.