What makes U.S. Communities Different?

• Public Benefit & Purpose• Founders-Founded, owned and governed by Association of School

Business Officials International, National Association of Counties, National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, National League of Cities, United States Conference of Mayors (“Associations”) for the benefit of Public Agencies

• Organization-Non profit partnership of associations dedicated to establishing options, solutions and opportunities for public agencies to save time and money

• Principles-Stringent Supplier commitments and standards to ensure public agencies interests are served

• Professional Oversight• Procurement-Advisory Board of well-respected Public Procurement

Professionals to ensure responsible and ethical best practices

• Administration-Dedicated team of field and administrative professionals to ensure Supplier performance and public agency benefit

• Accountability and Transparency• Solicitations-Awards by well recognized Lead Public Agencies to ensure

open and competitive solicitation process

• Integrity-Supplier audits and verification to ensure pricing integrity and public agency benefit

Lead Public Agency Model

• All contracts are competitively solicitied by a lead public agency

• Contract owned & maintained by lead public agency

• Quarterly reviews with suppliers to analyze contract performance

• Pricing of contract is uniform for all public agencies

National Evaluation Teams

• Solicitations evaluated by lead public agency and committee of public purchasing officials from around the country

• Team evaluates responses to ensure awarded vendor is capable of handling the contract nationally

• Make-up of Evaluation Team covers broad scope of interest, i.e. cities, counties, school districts, universities, housing authorities, etc.

Webinars

• Free educational webinars to help your organization get the most out of cooperative purchasing

• Overview of U.S. Communities Program

• New supplier offerings & contract updates

• Market specific webinars to focus on contracts that benefit that sector

Local NIGP Chapter Meetings

• Provide educational sessions on the benefits of cooperative purchasing

• Overview of U.S. Communities contracts

• Supplier specific presentations when requested

Sustainability

• One stop source for public agency access to buy and live green

• Offers broad line of green products, services and resources

• www.gogreencommunities.org

Product Management

• Product and service ideas generated from the Advisory Board and other Public Agencies

• Face to Face meetings with Senior level executives to discuss overall opportunity and contract potential

• Face to Face Meetings to discuss U.S. Communities commitments including best price commitment

Proven Value

• Best supplier overall government pricing

• No user fees

• Soft cost savings

• No minimum spending requirements

• Non-exclusive

Marketing

• Website ease of use • Supplier websites – Cohesive, easy to find

contract information • Collateral that outlines program information

• Program & Supplier consistent communication

Transparency

• Audits

• Benchmarking analysis

• Accountability

• All contract documents available on public website

• Consistent with most cooperative purchasing laws and policy

E-Commerce Marketplace

• Free online system• Single login to access many different vendor

catalogs, increasing purchasing efficiency• Ability to place purchases with pcard or PO• Quick visibility into products and pricing• Standardization for decentralized purchasing• Provides comprehensive reporting on past

purchases

E-Commerce Marketplace

Access the Marketplace by clicking the “Shop Now” button on the US Communities website (

www.uscommunities.org)

Send questions and requests for webinar trainings for your agency to

customerservice@uscommunities.org

Ecommerce Marketplace

Ecommerce Marketplace

New Contracts

• Office Supplies: Awarded to Independent Stationers

• Food Services: Awarded to Premier/U.S. Foodservice

• Automotive Parts and Accessories: CARQUEST

• Public Safety/Emergency Preparedness: Safeware/Mallory

• MRO and Industrial Supplies: HD Supply Facilities Maint., The Home Depot, & Applied Industrial Technologies

• Coming Soon: Carpet & Flooring