Beaufort County Procurement Director Dave Thomas was recently recognized by the South Carolina Association of Government Procurement Officials (SCAGPO) as recipient of the 2025 James H. Barnes Award for Service in local Government. This award is given to someone who has made outstanding contributions through the association, as well as promoting the procurement profession. 

Mr. Thomas holds a number of professional certifications and has been County Procurement Director for close to 18 years. He is an active member of SCAGPO having served as President in 2005 and was previously named Manager of the Year in 2012. Mr. Thomas previously served on the National Purchasing Institute Board for three years and is a Certified Public Procurement Officer and Certified Professional Public Buyer both through the National Institute of Public Procurement.

"I am deeply humbled and honored to be chosen for the 2025 James H. Barnes Award, SCAGPO’s most prestigious honor," said Mr. Thomas. "I also sincerely appreciate the ongoing support from the County Administrator, CFO, and County Council, especially regarding professional certification, membership, and participation in SCAGPO’s procurement training. This includes SCAGPO training and certification events for my department's staff. Being nominated and selected for this award would not have been possible without their backing."

"It has been a pleasure to work with Mr. Thomas over the years," said Chief Financial Officer Pinky Harriott. "He truly has a passion for procurement."

The Beaufort County Procurement Services Department's focus is to maximize the value of public funds in procurement, by contracting and management of efficient services, capital equipment, and material investments, while providing a quality procurement system that upholds tenets of integrity, responsiveness, and fairness to both internal and external customers.

To learn more about the department, click here.

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