The City of Richmond’s Department of Procurement Services has received the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award from the National Procurement Institute, officials announced Sunday.

Richmond was one of only four Virginia entities among 194 national honorees last year. The award recognizes the department’s commitment to excellence in procurement practices.

Rene Almaraz, director of City Procurement Services, praised his team’s efforts.

“This prestigious award represents our team’s focus to continually improve our approach, processes, and customer focus,”

Almaraz said. “We look forward to building on this milestone by incorporating more best practices, leveraging technologies, and continuing to grow a professional staff who are committed to serving the residents of Richmond.”

Recent achievements include implementing a new procurement system and enabling city departments to operate with greater autonomy.

“I cannot thank our team enough for their hard work and diligence toward making DPS one of the best procurement organizations in the nation,” Almaraz added.

The award follows Almaraz’s profile in CPOstrategy Magazine as a national leader in procurement. He brings 33 years of experience from the Department of Defense and the private sector.