NIGP Forum 2026 Comes to Ohio: What Public Procurement Teams Should Know

One short month from now, public procurement professionals from across the country will be heading to our home state of Ohio for the NIGP Forum 2026, NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement’s annual conference and exposition. The event runs August 23–26, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. It brings together procurement professionals who prioritize their own professional development to help keep their agencies and organizations operationally strong and fiscally responsible. 

As a technology leader in the promotional product space, we work with public agencies across the country every day, so we are especially excited to have our customers, friends and peers gathering close by. As we prepare for the big show, allow us to share a quick primer on what Forum is, who’ll be there, and some of the event themes we’re watching.

What is NIGP Forum? 

NIGP Forum is an annual event by NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement. The membership group is the professional body that supports the public procurement community across North America, including more than 19,000 procurement professionals, over 2,400 agencies, and 65 regional chapters. The Forum brings together thought leaders, practitioners and suppliers to learn from each other, reconnect, and celebrate the profession. The event combines several days of education and certification with a vendor exposition. It’s here where attendees can see the tools, suppliers, and technologies shaping how the public sector buys. (Come say hello to the Consolidus team at Booth 413!) 

At Consolidus, our footprint is national, supporting public agencies in all 50 states with smart solutions to better manage their branded merchandise and promotional product spend. Our offices are based in Akron, Ohio – just two hours north of Columbus – so having NIGP Forum come to Ohio is an exciting and welcomed decision by their planning team. 

This year’s event theme is “A New Era: Where the Future of Public Procurement Takes Shape.” According to NIGP, the 2026 event marks “a fresh era, energized by new leadership, shaped by member feedback, and designed to drive the future of public procurement.” 

If you follow us on LinkedIn, you’ll see that our team attends a lot of events – large and small. When it comes to quality content, professional peers and growth opportunities, the NIGP Forum never disappoints.

Who attends?

NIGP Forum draws public procurement and purchasing officials from state and local government, higher education, K12, and special districts. The roles of those attending include chief procurement officers, contracting officers, category managers, and the buyers who make sure budgets are properly and legally spent for their communities. 

If your work touches sourcing, contracts or spend for a public agency, these are your people.

Why it matters this year

Procurement leaders and buyers are being asked to do more with tighter budgets, shorter timelines, and heavier scrutiny. That pressure is expected to drive conversations, both on the stage and at the Consolidus booth. 

A few topics you can expect at the show:

• Making use of cooperative contracts as a compliant way to move faster without dealing with a full RFP (including OMNIA Partners and GovMVMT, among others). 
• Spend visibility and reporting, including ways to stop fragmented, off-contract purchases.
• AI and automation in sourcing, approvals, and reporting.
• Operational compliance, diversity and sustainability as procurement priorities, including management solutions to simplify compliance with shifting mandates.

These are but a few of the themes worth watching. Our team members will be following the sessions closely and sharing what stands out as most useful for our customers. Again, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. 

Why we love Columbus for NIGP Forum 2026

As an Ohio-based company, we’ve watched Columbus become one of the easiest cities in the country for national events. It’s within a day’s drive or a one-hour flight of more than half the U.S. population, and John Glenn Columbus International Airport is just ten minutes from downtown. Orange barrels aside, that means the trip from curb to conference badge is refreshingly short. 

Once you’re near the Convention Center, you might be able to leave the rental car behind. The Convention Center is located in the heart of the Short North Arts District, the Arena District, downtown, and just a few blocks south to German Village and Brewery District. All five connected neighborhoods are strung along High Street, making them very walkable, bikeable, or a quick scooter ride away. Further north on High Street is The Ohio State University, home of the Buckeyes, about two miles north of the Convention Center.

USA Today has named Columbus one of the most walkable U.S. cities to visit, which is a good thing considering that Columbus boasts a food scene that Condé Nast Traveler called one of the best in the country (2025) and Essence named a top culinary travel destination (2024). 

Come say hello at Consolidus Booth 413

Thinking about attending the NIGP Forum 2026? We’d love to see you!  Stop by Booth 413 to meet with us. If you’d like to connect sooner, here’s a link to get started: https://www.consolidus.com/getting-started/.

About Consolidus

Consolidus is redefining the way leading universities, schools, non-profits and government offices purchase promotional products and custom-branded merchandise. If you can put a logo on it, they can help you get it on time, in bulk, and at a significant savings. From the basics like pens and tee shirts, to unique promo giveaways, gifts and gear, each customer is supported by a dedicated US-based account management team to help simplify the order process and efficiently manage high-volume demands. For procurement and brand licensing professionals, Consolidus technology is an absolute game-changer. Visit consolidus.com to get started.