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- Computer Products
- Software
- Network Products
- Printers
- Videoconferencing Equipment
- Peripherals and Miscellaneous Products>
- Training
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Office Products
Currently awarded to Office Depot with various discount rates for
general office supplies and stationary, office furniture, electronic
equipment and other miscellaneous items. Additional discounts may
be available for electronic ordering and for large volume purchases.
The products are available for next day delivery if the entity is
within a 50-mile radius of an Office Depot Business Services Division
Customer Service Center or 48 hours if outside that radius. The contract
is available through the Office Depot website, or prices are valid
at a local Office Depot store if the entity has established a US Communities
account with the Office Depot's Business Services Services Division
and the entity has an Office Depot Store Purchasing Card.
Computer Equipment
Currently awarded to several vendors for a variety of computer hardware,
software, peripherals, and technical support. Vendors who were awarded
contracts on these bids include IBM, Dell, Gateway, MicronPC, CompUSA,
Wareforce, Comark and Software Spectrum. Prices contracted are at
or below Government Services Administration levels.
General Supplies
Currently awarded to GraybaR for electrical supplies, small tools,
lighting equipment and supplies, and communications/data products.
Products may be ordered through the company's Internet-based electronic
ordering system. A contract has also been awarded to Grainger for
janitorial, building supplies and small tools. Grainger also offers
access to their catalog through the Internet.
Office Furniture
Bids for systems furniture, office furniture and case goods. Bids
are currently awarded to Haworth, Herman Miller, Knoll and Steelcase.
Office Depot has been awarded a contract for stand-alone furniture
only.
USLease
US Lease is a management program to assist local governments manage
Lease Purchase financing. This type of financing allows agencies to
finance equipment acquisitions over the useful life of the equipment
without the added expense or added complexity of a traditional bond
issue. Questions about this type of financing are answered at the
USLease location on the U.S. Communities website. |
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To purchase products or services under any
of the U.S. Communities contracts, register your agency as an authorized
participant in the U.S. Communities program online at the
U.S. Communities web site. There are no restrictions on the
amount or size of a public agency order.
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Vendors pay a one percent fee based upon sales under the program.
No charge for governmental entities. |
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The National Association of Counties (NACo)
has joined the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), the National
Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) and the Higher Education
Cooperative Purchase Consortium (HECPC) in jointly sponsoring the
U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance (GPA), a non-profit
public benefit corporation. The alliance competitively bids contracts
for selected products through a single agency, which may be used
by governmental entities nationwide. There is no fee for governmental
entities to participate and the entities do not have to be a member
of another organization in order to use the awarded bids. The organization
has a multi-state Advisory Board, which consists of representatives
of public entities and the sponsoring associations. The lead entities
for existing bids are either Los Angeles County, California, or
Fairfax County, Virginia. GPA has been in operation for four years.
At the end of the second quarter of 2000 more than 6,000 public
entities were using the program.
Vendors who successfully bid items through
the GPA may submit a single competitive bid and, if successful,
execute a single contract that serves multiple public entities nationwide.
This reduction of administrative, legal and sales expenses associated
with responding to bids by many agencies across the nation, allows
the vendor to offer bulk volume discounts. Vendors pay a one percent
administrative fee based upon sales to the national program. The
sponsoring associations receive a share of this fee based upon sales
within the target market.
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New state law as of Sept. 1 allows governmental
entities in Texas to participate in GPA contracts. The contracts for
each category of products is posted on the website for U.S. Communities
for review, along with answers to a variety of questions about each
contract.
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