Webinar- Procurement at the Crossroads: Workforce Disruption and the Rise of AI

Date/Time
Date(s) - 07/17/2025
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Watching Recording HERE

Join us for an exclusive webinar addressing “Procurement at a Crossroads,” hosted by IFMA Public Sector Council. Public procurement is currently facing significant challenges. Demographic shifts, an aging workforce, and talent shortages threaten to disrupt project delivery across various sectors, including higher education and construction. Simultaneously, artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the ways we issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs), evaluate submissions, and select suppliers. The future is not just approaching—it is already here. This session serves as a crucial wake-up call regarding two converging forces that are disrupting public procurement. Learn how to prepare your team for the future by embracing technology, addressing workforce gaps, and evolving your supplier evaluation practices in an AI-driven world.

Dr. Jake Smithwick is an associate professor at UNC Charlotte specializing in facility operations, O&M benchmarking, and workforce development. He has supported over $15 billion in procured services for government and public institutions, developed benchmarking tools used across 200,000+ buildings, and conducted field inspections on nearly 2,000 roofing systems nationwide. He has been the lead researcher on many of IFMA’s research products, including the Operations and Maintenance Benchmarking Reports, FM Salary and Compensation, Insights into the Personalities of Facility Managers, the Facility Manager’s Guide to Procuring Technology, Space Planning Benchmarks, and many others. A U.S. Air Force Reserve veteran, Jake also serves as Director of Education for the Center for Procurement Excellence.