Old Dominion University's Stephen Gordon has a passion for procurement. You could say he is a proponent of parsimonious partitioning of the public purse.

Alliteration aside, Gordon joined the university in 2011 after more than 35 years as one of the country's leading experts in public procurement, which is the effective acquisition of necessary goods and services by the public sector.

He founded Old Dominion's Graduate Certificate in Public Procurement and Contract Management (GCPPCM) program, one of the first in the country created specifically to teach skills to students and professionals in the complex areas of purchasing and contracting for public organizations.

In 2014, the GCPPCM hosted its first ever Public Procurement and Contract Management Symposium at Old Dominion. The event was a huge success, with more than 200 participants.

For the second annual symposium on Tuesday, June 16, the GCPPCM is taking the show to the Gannett Conference Center in McLean, Virginia, near Washington, D.C.

The day-long event features strategic and leadership perspectives from keynote speakers in the field of acquisition, as well as executive panels discussing the challenges and impacts of developing a capable and quality workforce.

Keynote addresses will be given by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Anne Rung, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy.

The symposium also features "deep dive" sessions, where participants will fill the gaps in their knowledge about public procurement and contract management in the areas of skills development, acquiring the right acquisition employees and measuring success.

"This event and discussion is vital to both public and private sector organizations, including: federal, state and local governments; industry and nonprofit entities; and academic institutions," Gordon said. "All play a major role in the planning and development of a workforce to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow."

The Symposium is ideal for individuals in the acquisition, procurement and contracting environments. This includes elected officials; senior executives; acquisition and contracting professionals; faculty, staff, and students; human capital and talent management professionals; and others.

To register for the event, see the symposium website. Registration discounts are available for ODU faculty, staff, students or alumni.

For more information, call 1-800-426-7576 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. For information about the Graduate Certificate in Public Procurement and Contract Management, see the program Website.