Β THE PROCUREMENT DESK
Your Procurement Office β Without the Vacancy
Your Procurement Manager/Director seat is vacant. Solicitations and contracts are delayed, files are incomplete, and the auditors are not going to wait for the recruitment to close. And with hiring freezes spreading and ARPA-funded positions sunsetting, refilling that seat may not even be an option.
Book a CallWHO IT'S FOR
The Procurement Desk is a subscription-based, outsourced procurement office led by a former Chief Procurement Officer β the full throughput of the vacant seat, under published service levels, for less than the loaded cost of one mid-level hire.
Submit by 6 p.m.
Your team sends a scope request or purchase need through a simple intake form.
Reviewed draft by 9 a.m.
Assembled overnight from a state-specific clause library. A credentialed professional signs off on every document.Β
Audit-ready file, always
Local ordinance, state procurement code, publicrecords law, and 2 CFR 200 compliance built in documented to survive any records request or audit.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
What the Desk Covers
Your Masterclass enrollment includes:
β Solicitation drafting and formal bid builds
β Evaluation instruments and protest-risk review
β Quotes and under-threshold purchase files
βΒ Bid tabulation and responsiveness checks
β Contract administration and obligations calendar
βΒ Cooperative purchasing and price benchmarking
βΒ Spend, cycle-time, and small/local business participation dashboard
βΒ Federal grant (2 CFR 200) compliance
Subscription Services
| Service | What you get | Market comparison |
|---|---|---|
| 90-Day Vacancy Pilot | Full Desk coverage while you recruit, plus an operating-model memo at hand-off. Buy it on quotes and a PO β mobilized in 5β10 business days. | vs. a 4β6-month vacancy + recruiting costs |
| Desk Core | Day-to-day purchasing, handled end to end β solicitation drafts in 5 days, purchase files in 48 hours, monthly KPI report. | vs. $125Kβ$140K loaded FTE cost |
| Desk Plus | Core, plus formal solicitation builds, protest-risk red-team on every release, and a quarterly governance review. | Boutique assessments run $45K+ each |
| Desk Executive (Fractional CPO) | A named fractional CPO: staff mentoring, policy modernization, board representation, audit-response support. | Fractional CPOs bill $150β$300/hr |
| Interim CPO Coverage | Full interim executive coverage, 3β4 days per week, for leadership gaps and turnarounds. | Parity with a vacant CPO salary line |
Led by the Person Who Held the Seat
Melody Thelwell, MPA, MSIRE
Founder & CEO | Former Chief Procurement Officer
20+ years of public-sector procurement leadership, including three Chief Procurement Officer appointments.
Executive Leadership
Three Chief Procurement Officer appointments: Palm Beach County, Florida Atlantic University, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Additional Expertise
COVID-19 testing facilities procured in 45 days. ERP functional lead: CGI Advantage, Workday, and SAP/Ariba.
Professional Credentials
SPSM Β· NIGP-CPP & CPSM candidates (2026) Β· Doctoral candidate, Public Administration
