As the capital of Georgia, the city of Atlanta is a thriving metropolis with a large and diverse population. Like most major cities, Atlanta faces various challenges in resource management and acquiring necessary goods and services. Thanks to the efforts of Kevin S. Floyd, deputy chief procurement officer for Atlanta, the city has experienced a transformation over the last two years -- one that sets it apart from most cities. Floyd has worked to establish one of the only centers of excellence within the public sector. Through this initiative, Floyd and his team have achieved significant reductions in processing time, letting the Department of Procurement handle more contracts than ever before. His work has improved city operations in many other capacities, including efficiency, better sustainability, and a reduced carbon footprint.
Floyd began working for the city of Atlanta soon after he graduated from college. He had originally planned to only work within the public sector for one year and move into the private sector after he had garnered some experience. However, he realized his work with the Atlanta government was making a positive impact on the community. He enjoyed the visibility of being a good steward of taxpayers' money and investing in small minority businesses. As his passion for government work grew, he remained with the city and rose in the ranks. His talents were recognized when he became the youngest individual to hold the position of deputy chief procurement officer in the Department of Procurement in Atlanta.
In his position as the deputy chief procurement officer, Floyd established the city's center of excellence. While such centers are common throughout private sector organizations, they are exceptionally rare within the public center. The ingenuity of installing the center of excellence within the city government proved to be a success, allowing officials to focus on improvements, change management, and technological strategies.
Spearheading the implementation of the city's Oracle e-procurement platform, Floyd led a pivotal project that modernized procurement processes and increased operational efficiencies. Through the development of the ATLSuppliers.com website and transitioning the city's invoicing processes from paper to advanced electronic systems, Floyd's team set a new standard in administrative efficiency. Such efforts have significantly reduced waste in the city's operations, providing for better sustainability and future-proofing.
Floyd's position responsibilities and duties involved overseeing 80% of spending, including contracts, purchase orders, and more, with an annual budget of about $25 billion. He also managed the center of excellence, providing leadership and coaching to his team. Throughout multiple strategy meetings with the department, they set the vision and strategy to continue driving positive change for Atlanta and its citizens. Floyd's efforts have been recognized through several awards, including the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC) 2024 Supply Chain Advocate of the Year Award for Advocating for Small and Minority Businesses and the OnCon 2024 Top 50 Supply Chain and Procurement Professional Award.
Believing that his successful career stems from his unwavering faith, diligent work ethic and the blessings of being in the right place with the right people, Floyd reflects on his journey. "I attribute a lot of my success to being very intentional about trying to get into as many rooms as possible when I was starting out," he states, "Even if it meant sitting in the corner, just listening and taking notes on how leaders interacted with each other." After a decade of service to the City of Atlanta, Floyd has moved on to explore new endeavors.