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"Plain Language for Government"

Presented by: Valerie Hiltz, State of Michigan/ DTMB Central Procurement Services

How many times have you read a document, created internally or externally, and had wished that it just got to the point or didn't try to baffle you with their brilliance!

This webinar will touch on the Plain Language movement that began as a federal government initiative to help us unlearn all the writing habits we have been taught that make our messages too wordy and difficult to understand. Let's examine how to streamline our writing for impact and understanding. It isn't as easy as you think!

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November 2025 Lunch and Learn - 11/18/2025

"The Challenge of Procuring Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations"

Presented by Dean Peterson, Compliance Analyst with MDOT Office of Passenger Transportation



There are more than 10,000 EV charging stations in Michigan and more are being added all of the time, and the uniqueness of these systems pose significant challenges to procurement specialist.



In this presentation our speaker and fellow MPPOA member will discuss the challenges he has encountered and share his experiences, both good and bad, in establishing EV charging stations for rural transit agencies and their EV bus fleets.

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January 20, 2026- Lunch and Learn



MPPOA Lunch and Learn- January 2026



"Your Project Isn't Telling You the Truth: The warning signs that never appear in dashboards, reports or slide decks"

Presented by Matthew Oleniuk, The Risk Insider. Matthew is a former public sector senior executive who provided oversight on major government projects.

Most public sector projects watch the dashboard, not the road.

Leaders review familiar metrics and feel reassured by “green” indicators — even as real dangers form outside the reporting frame. Dashboards capture activity, not vulnerability, and they routinely filter out the uncomfortable messages leaders most need to hear.

This session teaches public sector leaders how to detect the early, subtle signals of project collapse long before timelines slip or issues become public. Using real‐world examples, Matthew shows why the conditions that matter most never appear in slide decks, why routine reporting blinds teams at critical moments, and how project instability can take root when no one is looking.

To Register for this session, click on the button below:

MPPOA Lunch and Learn- Your Project Isn't Telling You the Truth- 3/17/2026

"Federal Funds: Spending Them the Right Way"

Presented by Michelle Whitlow, Ann Arbor Area Transit and Arnita Clark, City of Detroit

This Lunch and Learn session will enlighten members regarding:

• The functions and principles of federally funded procurements
• The basic framework pertaining to federally funded procurements from solicitation to selection

To Register for this event, click on the button below:

April Lunch and Learn- Federal Funds: Spending Them the Right Way - 4/21/2026

"AI in Public Procurement"

Presented by OpenGov

As AI adoption in public procurement accelerates, agencies are evaluating where it can add value to the procurement process and how to implement it without sacrificing compliance.

In this session, we’ll demystify AI for government procurement professionals and show how agencies are already using it to streamline workflows, reduce administrative burden, and elevate the quality of solicitations and contracts.

Attendees will learn where AI delivers real value today, what risks to avoid, and how to build a roadmap that aligns with policy, compliance, and operational goals. Through real examples, we’ll explore how AI can strengthen vendor engagement, accelerate cycle times, and enhance decision-making.

May Lunch and Learn - AI in Public Procurement - 5/19/2026