Celebrating Excellence in Our Region: Nominations Now Open! 

Centralina’s annual Region of Excellence Awards are back, and this year, we’re raising the bar to celebrate the incredible strides made across our communities. These awards recognize local governments, nonprofits, individuals and regional stakeholders who have gone above and beyond in expanding opportunities, driving innovation and improving quality of life in our local communities. 

Whether you’ve seen impressive local government innovation, a project that strengthened community connection or leadership that inspired real change, we want to hear about it. Nominations are now open across the following categories: 

  • Local Government Innovation 
  • Improving Quality of Life 
  • Connected Communities 
  • Aging in Action 
  • James D. Prosser Excellence in Government Leadership Award 
  • Nance Award for Regional Collaboration 

This is your chance to spotlight impactful work and give well-deserved recognition to those shaping a brighter future for our region. Submit a nomination today and help us celebrate the changemakers moving our communities forward. 

Deadline: August 15, 2025 

Have questions? Reach out to Communications Administrator MaeLynn Joyner

Federal funds are commonly passed through state agencies in North Carolina before being awarded to local governments, which can make the original funding source less obvious. Before proceeding with a procurement, local governments should verify whether an award originates from a federal source. This determination affects compliance obligations, including procurement standards, reporting, and audit requirements.

When a construction or repair contract over $300,000 involves a building, the procurement and contract are subject to additional requirements under N.C.G.S. 143-128. Therefore, this question must be answered to determine whether the additional statutory requirements apply to this procurement scenario.

The micro-purchase threshold is a federal procurement threshold under which competitive procurement is not required. The default micro-purchase threshold is $15,000, but local governments may increase the micro-purchase threshold up to $50,000. An explanation of increasing the micro-purchase threshold and a template for the required annual self-certification is available here.