Category management

Category Management is the practice of buying common goods and services as an organized enterprise in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of acquisition activities. It helps organizations buy smarter when shopping for products, services, and solutions, including office supplies, travel and lodging, and housekeeping services. 

For the government, this means buying like an enterprise to get more value and savings by identifying core areas (categories of spend), using data to consolidate and reduce contracts when possible, better managing suppliers and demand, and reducing the total cost of ownership. 

The Office of Management and Budget issued the following Category Management guidance:

• M-22-03 (amends M-19-13): Advancing Equity in Federal Procurement, issued Dec. 2, 2021.
• M-19-13: Category Management: Making Smarter Use of Common Contract Solutions and Practices, issued March 20, 2019.

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