Municipal procurement can be a drawn-out, time-consuming process of researching products, writing specifications, opening bids and then evaluating those bids. All these steps require extra time, money and effort that could be spent on other projects and which complicate a simple task (say, buying a new sewer camera) with red tape. Using cooperative purchasing contracts takes the hassle out of procuring equipment and provides additional benefits that may not be available through the bidding process.

While the process of writing up a specification and taking bids does have its upsides, many factors outweigh those limited benefits. Often, municipalities prefer cooperative contracts because they recognize that low-bid equipment can carry hidden costs, forcing communities with limited resources to settle for a poorly suited product.

Click here to learn how to take advantage of cooperative purchasing and make getting the equipment you need faster and easier.