Civic Marketplace Joins the NIGP Business Council to Help Shape the Future of Public Procurement

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Civic Marketplace, the AI-powered procurement platform for local governments, today announced its appointment to the NIGP Business Council—an invitation-only group of 12 organizations that work directly with the NIGP Governing Board to help shape the future of public procurement.

The NIGP Business Council brings together a select group of leading organizations, including Canon, Graybar, and AWS, to foster collaboration between suppliers and procurement practitioners. The Council plays a key role in influencing certification programs, best practices, and standards that guide procurement professionals nationwide.

“Procurement teams today are being asked to do more with fewer resources while increasing transparency, accelerating timelines, and supporting economic growth,” said Al Hleileh, Founder and CEO of Civic Marketplace. “Joining the NIGP Business Council gives us the opportunity to contribute directly to the standards and guidance that will define how modern procurement evolves.”

Civic Marketplace brings a technology-forward perspective grounded in the real challenges procurement teams face every day. Many agencies are still operating with outdated systems, fragmented data, and manual processes that slow down decision-making and limit their ability to deliver strategic value.

Through its platform, Civic Marketplace helps agencies unlock the potential of structured contract data and artificial intelligence. These capabilities make it easier to discover cooperative purchasing opportunities, identify compliant suppliers, reduce administrative burden, and generate actionable insights from procurement activity.

By participating in the Business Council, Civic Marketplace aims to support the responsible adoption of emerging technologies like AI—ensuring they align with the profession’s core values of transparency, fairness, accountability, and public value.

“The procurement profession is at an inflection point,” added Hleileh. “The tools are ready, but the standards that govern their use are still being defined. We’re honored to contribute to that conversation and support the community shaping what comes next.”

About NIGP

NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement is the premier association for public procurement professionals. Through education, certification, research, consulting, and community, NIGP supports more than 19,000 professionals working in public procurement across North America. NIGP is dedicated to advancing the profession and helping agencies deliver greater value to the communities they serve.

Learn more at www.NIGP.org.

About Civic Marketplace

Civic Marketplace is the AI procurement platform built for local governments and free for every SLED entity to use. By removing cost as a barrier, we make it easier for cities, counties, and school districts to modernize how they buy goods and services without adding strain to already tight budgets.

Our platform connects government buyers to a network of pre-approved suppliers, ensuring every contract meets compliance and quality standards from the start. We're especially committed to expanding access for historically underutilized businesses, helping local governments support regional suppliers and strengthen the communities they serve.

Procurement doesn't have to be slow, complicated, or expensive. Civic Marketplace is backed by venture investment and built to prove it.

Learn more at civicmarketplace.com.

Join the Civic Marketplace Community

For Government Agencies: Looking to streamline procurement while maintaining compliance and transparency?

Join Civic Marketplace to access vetted vendors, standardized workflows, and tools designed for public sector procurement.

For Suppliers: Interested in doing business with local governments?

Join the Civic Marketplace suppliers network to access public sector opportunities and work with agencies across your region.