WHAT BUYBOARD® CAN DO FOR YOU
Combining the purchase power of local
governments provides members—big and small—
the leverage to achieve better pricing on products,
equipment, and services they use every day. There
is power in numbers, and BuyBoard has delivered
the vast economies of scale in purchasing products
and services to members since 1998.
VALUE AND CHOICE
With a wide range of contracts available, members
will find almost everything needed to support their
organization. The BuyBoard philosophy has always
been that members know best which products they
need, and the choice of vendor is their decision to
make.
MEMBER GOVERNED
The Cooperative is governed by an eight-member
board of directors representing members from
different parts of the country. The board’s only
function is to govern the Cooperative and award all
the contracts directly with no delegation of
authority to staff.
EFFICIENCY AND COST SAVINGS
Because the competitive procurement process
has been completed, members save time and
resources that would have been spent preparing
and conducting a formal RFP. Cost savings can be
achieved through the competitive price of the
product and the reduction of internal
administrative time and effort.
ONE-STOP SHOP FOR
PROCUREMENT
COMPLIANCE AND TRANSPARENCY
BuyBoard contracts have already been through a
competitive procurement process, saving members
the time and cost of preparing RFPs and bids. In
many states, a purchasing cooperative enables
public entities governed by competitive bidding
requirements to take advantage of proposals
awarded by a cooperative.
This provides members compliance with local and
state procurement requirements and a
documented audit trail. Transparency in the
procurement process is treated with a high
degree of focus and is of paramount importance.
All vendors are treated on equal terms and are on
the same plane of competition.
REQUEST FOR QUOTES (RFQ) APPLICATION
BuyBoard’s RFQ functionality allows members to
request pricing on volume needs from multiple
vendors. This convenient and efficient process can
be finalized in a matter of days, versus weeks or
months, for a typical formal bid/proposal.
SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
BuyBoard was created to support and serve public
schools, municipalities, counties, and all types of
local government agencies and nonprofits. That
support and service is evidenced in the list of
organizations that sponsor the BuyBoard and in
turn support their respective membership.
Purchasing through the BuyBoard means your
agency is helping to support the statewide
organizations that support you.
Contact David Ricketts to see how the
(913) 424-5758
Frequently Asked Questions
What California laws govern the use of cooperative contracts or ‘piggybacking’? A: California law allows for the use of cooperative contracts as an alternative to a competitive bidding process under CHAPTER 5. Joint Exercise of Powers [6500 - 6599.3].
Does the BuyBoard meet the definition of a Public (Lead) Agency in California? A: Yes. Under California § 6500, as used in this article, "public agency" includes, but is not limited to, the federal government or any federal department or agency, this state, another state or any state department or agency, a county, county board of education, county superintendent of schools, city, public corporation, public district, regional transportation commission of this state or another state, or any joint powers authority formed pursuant to this article by any of these agencies. The National Purchasing Cooperative (BuyBoard) is a public agency created in accordance with Maryland state statues, MD. Code Ann., State Fin. & Proc. §13-110 (West 2009). Its purpose is to obtain the benefits and efficiencies that can accrue to members of a cooperative, to comply with state bidding requirements, and to identify qualified vendors of commodities, goods and services.
What does it cost to become a BuyBoard member?
A: There is no cost to join or use any of the contracts and is open to all types of local government agencies as well as non-profits. Revenue to operate the BuyBoard comes from a small service fee payable by participating contracted vendors and is generated only when a member makes a purchase.
How do I order products through the BuyBoard?
A: All awarded items, services or catalogs will be posted on the BuyBoard website, so that cooperative members can search for and select items. The steps for making a purchase are listed below:
1. Select an Awarded BuyBoard Vendor
2. Request a Quote per the BuyBoard Contract
3. Issue and send the PO to the Vendor and List Contract Number
4. Email copy of the PO to [email protected]
How do I join and who should I reach out to if I have further questions? A: Membership is super easy. You can go to the BuyBoard website, click on the National Tab and then "How to Join".
For questions - You can reach out to your BuyBoard contact, David Ricketts ([email protected]) at (913) 424-5758 for assistance or questions