METRO NASHVILLE purchase orders , and sign-off through digital signatures .
“ I feel extraordinarily privileged that we operate in such a cutting-edge electronic procurement system , because from my discussions with peers and suppliers , many have struggled to successfully make this digital transformation ,” Hernandez Lane says . “ We had to adjust some of our internal business processes , which we ' ve done very well , but from the standpoint of day-to-day work and the procurement process , it was largely digital already , and we were fully able to execute our functions in an efficient manner .”
This digital readiness mitigated much of the impact of the pandemic . When meeting physically was no longer an option , the team simply pivoted to a variety of digital platforms , such as WebEx and Zoom . In fact , these efficiencies will be carried forward at Metro Nashville . Still to define exactly what return-to-office work will look like , whether it ’ s fulltime on-premises or a hybrid approach , Hernandez Lane intends to take the digital tools that have kept them operating throughout the crisis into the future .
“ No one wants this efficiency at the cost of something as horrific as the pandemic ,” she says . “ But the silver lining for me is that
“ I feel extraordinarily privileged that we operate in such a cutting-edge electronic procurement system ”
MICHELLE HERNANDEZ LANE CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER , METRO NASHVILLE
DID YOU KNOW ...
MICHELLE HERNANDEZ LANE ON DIVERSITY
“ Diversity and inclusion are important to us . We ' re always going to include that in our solicitation processes , in our competitive processes for construction . We have a sound partnership with the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce , and our efforts are to ensure that those business types are included in all of the outreach that we would engage for any other business , but especially with our small disadvantaged businesses . “ This is not just specific to procurement . I think it is a broader initiative across government . I had the privilege prior to this role to serve as the Chief Diversity Officer for the city , and we have a new Chief Diversity , Equity and Inclusion Officer who ' s picking up that work . One of the things that was really important was how do we identify those areas where we should be developing leadership pipelines within government . “ I don ' t want to tell you that it ' s 100 % there , but it is something that we continue to work on within my office , specifically . Nashville has a very diverse resident base , and I ' m very pleased that we look like Nashville . Our people bring a variety of thoughts and a variety of backgrounds and experiences . I try to ensure that folks understand that there is a leadership path here , and that everyone here has an opportunity to grow and develop .”
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