When Winning National Awards Becomes an Annual Routine

In 2026, the City of Richmond's Department of Procurement Services received the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement award from the National Procurement Institute for the third consecutive year. The AEP is a national benchmark, measuring procurement operations against criteria covering innovation, professionalism, productivity, e-procurement and leadership. Richmond's department, led by Director Rene Almaraz, handles everything from road salt to construction contracts, and it has picked up Virginia Association of Governmental Procurement honours over the same period, including Buyer of the Year, Manager of the Year and the Leading Light award for vendor outreach.

Alfred Komolafe, a Senior Procurement Analyst who has been part of all three award years, marked the occasion the way few procurement professionals would: he wrote a poem. It names his colleagues individually, which tells you something about how the department understands the win.

In the heart of Richmond’s purpose, where service shapes the day,
A quiet truth keeps rising in a strong, consistent way.
Three years of national honor, earned with discipline and pride—
A rhythm of achievement no headline can deny.

The National Procurement Institute once again has seen
How excellence, when nurtured well, becomes a constant theme.
Not luck, nor fleeting glory, but effort—clear and clean—
For Richmond’s Procurement team, it’s now routine.

At the forefront stands Rene Almaraz, steady in his aim,
A Director whose leadership gives purpose to our name.
With Scott Lyons working tirelessly, firm in every choice,
And Sue Kockhanski strengthening each process with her voice.

Alongside them, contracting officers uphold each vital thread:
Jerry Tuttle with precision, ensuring fairness is widespread;
Corliss Spurlock charting pathways where transparency prevails;
Daniel Mullery shaping contracts where accountability never fails.

But leadership shines brightest when all hands share the light—
From analysts to specialists, each day and every night.
Every staff member’s effort forms the backbone of our stride,
For excellence is collective when commitment stands beside.

In guiding this great mission stands the Mayor of the City of Richmond, Dr. Danny Avula
A leader whose commitment helps strengthen all we plan.
His charge toward thriving futures fuels the work we’ve set in motion,
A citywide momentum built on unity and devotion.

This triumph echoes deeply through the Mayor’s MAP design,
Where thriving is the standard, not a goal left undefined.
A thriving City Hall where service is the call,
Thriving neighborhoods uplifted, leaving no one small.
Thriving families supported with care that feels sincere,
A thriving economy moving Richmond forward year by year.
Thriving, inclusive communities where every voice is heard,
A thriving, sustainable built environment—promise kept, word for word.
And a city that tells its stories so its future may be known,
A Richmond rising proudly, in its strength and in its tone.

So let this third-year honor stand as testament and sign
That excellence in procurement is Richmond’s steady line.
When national awards become routine, it simply proves what’s true:
That greatness is achieved each day by everything we do.

Awards like the AEP are earned in the unglamorous middle of the work: solicitations run cleanly, contracts administered properly, suppliers treated fairly. Richmond has now done it three times in a row.