Kaine makes statement about electronic procurement, Telework!VA

Kaine makes statement about electronic procurement, Telework!VA

By Staff

July 20, 2009, 12 a.m. - Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced that eVA, the commonwealth’s Electronic Procurement System, has surpassed $20 billion in purchases of goods and services and saved the commonwealth and taxpayers more than $280 million through streamlined purchasing and improved transparency and accountability of the procurement process.

“eVA has introduced a whole new level of procurement transparency and accountability to state officials and the general public and it has leveled the playing field for small, women, and minority-owned businesses to participate in the state’s business opportunities,” Kaine said. “eVA has increased the commonwealth’s efficiency, reduced the cost of government, and allowed us to leverage our buying power, all critical objectives during these tough budget times.”

Since the program was started in 2001, eVA has had more than five million products posted online and more than 38,000 private vendors registered. The eVA program leverages Virginia’s buying power and reduces purchasing time and administrative costs. More than 171 state agencies and 575 local governments do business using eVA. In 2008 alone eVA processed more than 580,000 purchase transactions.

Kaine announces Telework!VA

Kaine joined Telework!VA and Telework Exchange in encouraging individuals and organizations to pledge to telework from home or a remote location on Telework Day – Monday, Aug. 3, 2009.

Employees and organization representatives across Virginia can visit www.teleworkexchange.com/teleworkday to sign up to telework, calculate the potential cost savings and environmental savings realized by teleworking, determine telework eligibility, and access additional telework-related resources.

“Telework is a family-friendly, business-friendly public policy that promotes workplace efficiency, reduces strain on transportation infrastructure, and provides an opportunity to ‘green’ Virginia,” Kaine said. “We encourage organizations and individuals in Virginia to take the Telework Day pledge and see how telework can help them improve productivity and business operations, while also benefiting the environment.”

Telework Day follows on Kaine’s June 10, 2009 executive order to reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency at executive branch agencies and institutions. The goal of Telework Day is to encourage private employers to offer telework to their employees on this one day as a catalyst to drive more pervasive telework adoption across Virginia.

For more information on Telework Day, to make an individual pledge, or to make a pledge on behalf of an organization, visit the state's website.