2. WE MAKE IT EASIER TO STRATEGICALLY PROCURE SOLUTIONS AND SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS
U.S. Communities was created by government for government. Our mission is to help government agencies save time and money in the competitive solicitation process. We make it easier for you by connecting you to our supplier partners. Through the U.S. Communities program, you can strategically procure solutions and know you are receiving the best value for your organization.
U.S. Communities connects government agencies to supplier partners
to make it easier so you can deliver quality services.

3. WHAT MAKES U.S. COMMUNITIES DIFFERENT?
Operates on the same principles as local and regional cooperatives
National structure for public agencies to aggregate collective purchasing power
Improves the overall effectiveness of the purchasing processes
NIGP Accredited Cooperative
Partnership dedicated to establishing solutions to save time and money
Dedicated team of field and administrative professionals to ensure supplier performance and public agency benefit
U.S. Communities is a cooperative purchasing alliance or cooperative purchasing program.
What is a cooperative purchasing program? Cooperatives operative on the same principles as local or regional coops. A cooperative aggregates the purchasing power of over 90,000 public agencies to save time in the purchasing process. By utilizing cooperative contracts, agencies can improve efficiencies.
What makes us different? U.S. Communities is first NIGP Accredited Cooperative. In addition, we are a non-profit dedicated to saving you time and money. We have a dedicated team to ensure supplier performance and for public agency benefit.

4. SETTING THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE
U.S. Communities is first cooperative program to earn the NIGP Accredited Cooperative (NAC) distinction.
NIGP’s CEO, Rick Grimm, congratulated U.S. Communities for its “tremendous achievement that further distinguishes the program in the cooperative marketplace and reflects its commitment to supporting the values and principles of professional practice in public procurement. Our members asked us to set the standard for good cooperative procurement practice. We accepted that obligation through the NAC accreditation that was developed by and for senior public procurement officials who formed our NAC Design Team.”
Just announced, June U.S. Communities is the first cooperative program to earn the NIGP Accredited Cooperative distinguish with NIGP. This is another distinguishing factor to show our standard of excellence and providing value to the public agencies we serve.

5. Advisory Board
Professional Oversight: Advisory Board of well-respected public procurement professionals to ensure responsible and ethical best practices
Auburn University, AL Beaverton School District, OR City and County of Denver, CO City of Charlotte, NC City of Chicago, IL City of El Paso, TX City of Houston, TX City of Kansas City, MO City of Los Angeles, CA City of Ocean City, NJ City of Seattle, WA Cobb County, GA Collier County Public Schools, FL Denver Public Schools, CO Emory University, GA Fairfax County, VA Fresno Unified School District, CA Great Valley School District, PA Harford County Public Schools, MD Hennepin County, MN Los Angeles County, CA Maricopa County, AZ Miami-Dade County, FL North Carolina State University, NC Onondaga County, NY Port of Portland, OR Prince William County Schools, VA San Diego Unified School District, CA State of Iowa State of Louisiana The Ohio State University, OH
Another differentiator for U.S. Communities is our Advisory Board. The U.S. Communities Advisory Board includes procurement professionals across the county and provide professional oversight to our contracts and program. In 2015, our Advisory Board purchased over $161 million through the program. They continue to provide guidance on new contracts, trends, serve as lead agencies and are committed to helping agencies receive value through these contracts and the program.
Advisory Board Program Purchased Over $209 Million in 2017

6. Who Can Use U.S. Communities?
Cities
Counties
Special Districts
K-12 (Public or Private)
Universities and Colleges (Public and Private)
State Agencies
Nonprofit Organizations
Why can use U.S. Communities?

7. WHY USE U.S. COMMUNITIES?
NO COST TO USE CONTRACTS
IMPARTIAL LEAD PUBLIC AGENCY
BEST OVERALL GOVERNMENT PRICING
COMMITMENT BY U.S. COMMUNITIES & SUPPLIER PARTNERS
Free to use
No cost to participate
No minimum or maximum spend
Lead public agency competitively solicits, evaluates and awards all contracts.
Lead public agency owns and manages the contract after solicitation and award.
Supplier commitment to provide the lowest overall public agency pricing
Suppliers held to stringent commitments and Program Manager committed to helping agencies
Why use U.S. Communities? This is free for any agency to join the program. There is no cost to participate and no minimum or max spend. You can buy one chair or use various contracts with a new build.
U.S. Communities solicitations are run by a Lead Public Agency. The RFP or ITB is issued by the lead public agency and an evaluation is performed and award is made. Contracts are held and managed day to day by LPA.
Supplier partners commit to their best overall government pricing along with best value. This value goes beyond price through our partnership and commitment to government agencies. We are committed to providing resources you need and hold our supplier partners accountable to their contract pricing.

8. NEED TO SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS
Challenges of today’s procurement process
Let’s talk about challenges. These days we often hear – we are short staffed, we don’t have enough resources, RFPs are time consuming and by the time the contract is ready – the specifications have changed… All of these challenges make it more difficult for procurement and end-users to serve their communities.
LACK OF RESOURCES
NEED TO SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS
TURNOVER & LESS TIME

9. $ SAVINGS & EFFICIENCY Reduce time for contract solicitation
Immediate access to competitively-solicited contracts
Connect agencies to solutions
Here is where U.S. Communities can help. U.S. Communities can help reduce time for contract solicitation, provide access to competitively-solicitied contracts and connect you to the solutions you need without having to do the research.

10. True partnership with a focus on solutions
VALUE
Dedicated support
Independent reviews, audits and supplier management to ensure compliance
True partnership with a focus on solutions
Our partnership goes beyond price, U.S. Communities strives to provide the best value to all of our participants. We have a dedicated field team, supplier management team and product management as an extension of your teams! We work with you beyond just the purchase. We conduct independent reviews and audits to ensure supplier compliance. We host webinars and have on-demand videos to better understand suppliers’ solutions and we are there when you are looking for something new but are not sure where to find it.

11. Here you will find all of the U.S. Communities contracts and solutions. [Point out new contracts and discuss as necessary].

12. How to Participate www.uscommunities.org/register
1. Complete registration information
2. Can register more than one dept. and buyer
3. Registration enables agency to use program and to be automatically notified of new contracts and solutions
Already a customer of a supplier partner?
Never worked with a company?
Work directly with your current representative and request “best U.S. Communities pricing”.
Work with Program Manager to connect with sales representative.
Pay exactly as you always have.
Set up an account and pay the company directly.
What next?

13. Rob Fiorilli Senior Program Manager Phone: