The Chapter Officers and the Board of Advisors held our first meeting on January 13, 1999. It was a very relaxed, informal and productive meeting with the discussion centering around whether the Chapter is providing a valuable service to its members and the Advisors' organizations. I am very pleased with the results. The Chapter Officers have a better understanding of the educational needs of our members and the acquisition community. Two of the several questions that we put to the Board are presented below along with their responses. This will give you some idea of the Chapter's direction in the coming months.

How does NCMA create value for your organization?

1. NCMA provides an opportunity for the development of leadership skills by participation on the Board. Recognizing this, senior executive managers need to encourage active employee participation.

2. NCMA provides current and relevant educational topics at a low cost and a convenient location; however, the Chapter should guard against repetitive program topics and/or speakers, and see if the cost of lunch can be reduced, just a little.

3. NCMA provides an opportunity for members to network and share information on current community issues and events as well as acquisition education.

What can NCMA do to improve the value of the Association to your organization and its members?

1. NCMA should establish mutually beneficial relationships with other similar associations, such as the National Association of Purchasing Managers, and local centers of education, such as the University of Tennessee Law School.

2. NCMA should encourage the increased participation of its members in new ways, such as requesting organizations to sponsor articles for the newsletter.

3. NCMA should improve its response time to changing acquisition environments, such as the new SBA regulations and our local Y-12 Modernization project.

4. NCMA should sustain our members' interest with variety, such as having an occasional breakfast meeting.

Finally, I want to acknowledge an oversight on my part last month. I was so preoccupied with the season of gift buying, wrapping and giving that I failed to mention one of the best gifts that our country received - the gift of Martin Luther King, Jr. I hope you enjoyed the Holiday and gave some thought to the freedoms that we enjoy in this great country.

The 1999 National Education Seminar (NES) "Innovative Contracting: Practical Approaches" will be held April 7, 1999, at the Garden Plaza Hotel in Oak Ridge. The NES will focus on those acquisition streamlining initiatives that have emerged and are ready to be used by the contract community. Penne Howard is the registrar and can be reached at telephone number 423/220-2480, fax 423/220-2109, or e-mail pghoward@bechtel.com. A registration form can be obtained from Penne or use the one on page 58 of the January 1999 issue of Contract Management. The registration fee of $145 includes a manual, CD-ROM, resource book, lunch and refreshments - a real value compared to other seminars. Please mark your calendar and contact Penne to make your registration soon.