Director's Message
Erin Henning
Director Supply Chain Services
Change is Necessary for Success! Change is tough for everyone. One major reason that makes change difficult is that we are not ready and willing for change. We may be comfortable where we are and even scared to step into the unknown. As long as our current state provides us with comfort and security, making the change will be difficult. Change is perceived as a threat and leads to distress for many people. I like to look at change in a different manner. I see it as a challenge or opportunity to improve or learn something new. When we challenge ourselves and learn something new, that is how we all grow mentality and physically, and find our paths to success. LADWP is on a similar journey of improvement and transformation in order to support our employees.They need the proper supplies, gear, equipment, and materials in order to continue being successful at providing our city with a reliable water and power service. That’s why LADWP and Supply Chain Services (SCS) recently awarded a contract to update and replace our procurement system and processes. I’m excited to announce that the design for the new LADWP electronic procurement system is underway. Yes, it’s actually happening! It’s been a long time coming and many people, including myself, are ready, eager, and excited for the changes to come. The new system will enhance the internal and external user experience with supplier
registration, solicitation management and contractor performance to support various procurement activities. We have assembled an experienced, knowledgeable, and talented team to lead this effort. But we also understand that too much change at one time may be difficult. Therefore, to be effective and help people adapt, we will be implementing changes in phases. The initial phase is anticipated to be deployed in early 2022. Functionality highlights include: • New self-service supplier portal • Online bidding and streamlined submission • Supplier diversity reporting and tracking In the coming months, we will also engage Vendors and Suppliers to join our implementation team. Customers First is an important value to LADWP and that’s why your voice and participation are key to a successful roll out of this new system. As we transform internally, we also need to ensure that those changes also improve and streamline the process for our stakeholders. As we continuously evaluate our processes for improvement, we will also keep in mind how those changes will impact and improve your experience.
Be on the lookout for future communications and status updates on this major project and undertaking.