ASU students win national procurement competition

Four Arizona State University business students claimed first place — and the $5,000 top prize — at the National Association of State Procurement Officials' third annual Procurement Case Competition on Feb. 7, marking ASU’s first time hosting and competing in the event.

After 24 hours of analysis and presentations, the W. P. Carey School of Business undergraduates emerged victorious.

"It was rewarding to see our work come together," says Srihitha Jaligama, a supply chain management major, who competed alongside teammates Meet Save, Shreya Shahane, and Jayani Gunda, all of whom are students in W. P. Carey’s supply chain and business data analytics programs.

"This competition reminded me how important real research is — not surface-level understanding, but genuinely digging into the problem and its context," says Save.

The three-day event included 36 students from nine universities nationwide. It reflects the growing collaboration between NASPO and the W. P. Carey School of Business, which expanded last November with a $35 million gift from NASPO to the school's supply chain department. The gift will support new academic initiatives, scholarships, research, strategic partnerships and endowed faculty positions at W. P. Carey. 

"The case competition represents NASPO's commitment to developing the next generation of public procurement professionals," says NASPO’s Director of Strategic Initiatives Brandi Ann Willard. "We want students to see public procurement as a dynamic, mission-driven career path where they can make a difference. The idea around the case competition isn't just to educate students, but to inspire them to consider how their skills can serve the public good."

The competition focused on strengthening students' critical thinking skills in procurement strategy and procurement process ethics, while helping them understand how purchasing decisions affect taxpayers and communities.

For Gunda, the competition was an opportunity to apply her skills intentionally and strategically.

"It pushed me to become comfortable and rely on strong research, collaboration and structured problem-solving," she says.

Shahane advises next year's competitors to choose teammates who are eager to collaborate and have diverse skill sets.

"With limited time and a lot of pressure, you need people whose strengths complement each other and who can work toward the same goal," she says. "Everyone should bring a unique skill to the table, and those skills should help move the team forward together."

Jaligama says the experience reaffirmed the team's passion for procurement and supply chain strategy. 

"We learned how to approach challenges from different perspectives and communicate complex solutions clearly and persuasively," she says. "Representing ASU on a national stage made this achievement especially significant, and we’re proud to contribute to the university’s continued legacy of excellence. We hope this success inspires future Sun Devils to reach even greater heights at NASPO and beyond."

W. P. Carey also hosted a ceremony on Feb. 6 to formally name its NASPO Department of Supply Chain Management. Attendees included school leadership, supply chain faculty and staff, NASPO executives, including CEO Lindle Hatton, and several members of the NASPO Board of Directors.

Ohad Kadan, Charles J. Robel Dean and W. P. Carey Distinguished Chair in Business, described NASPO as a natural partner, noting that both organizations serve the public through innovative collaboration and accessible, high-quality education.

"We engage with businesses, policymakers and communities, and we provide value to them," he said. "Partnerships with organizations like NASPO are in our DNA. It's what we do at ASU: provide value through innovation."

Hatton recalled visiting the Tempe campus for the first time 14 years ago, when NASPO began cultivating its relationship with W. P. Carey.

"We now have an opportunity to collaborate to advance the profession," he said. "We're very excited to be involved with ASU. We could not have picked a better partner and are looking forward to this journey."

The program featured presentations by NASPO Endowed Department Chair Adegoke Oke and supply chain management Professor Thomas Kull and concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Oke. Panelists included Colorado Chief Procurement Officer and NASPO Board President Sherri Maxwell; North Carolina Chief Procurement Officer and NASPO Board Secretary-Treasurer David O'Neal; and Arizona Department of Administration Procurement Administrator David Steuber. The discussion focused on how NASPO serves its stakeholders, the evolving role of government procurement, and how the organization’s gift will strengthen procurement research and build a sustainable talent pipeline.

"Procurement is becoming more complex. There are geopolitical tensions, and there's AI. Technology makes purchasing more complicated every year," Maxwell said. "We can't have a skills gap — we can't afford it. It's important in our communities to have the best people buying the things that will serve all of our citizens."

As the need for skilled procurement professionals grows more urgent, W. P. Carey's partnership with NASPO demonstrates how academia and industry can work together to develop talent, protect public resources and serve communities nationwide.