Like many public organizations, the Dorchester County, South Carolina procurement team is constrained by budget, bandwidth and staffing. The team serves a fast-growing community part of the three-county Charleston metropolitan area with citizens in a mix of suburban and rural lifestyles. Former Purchasing Services Manager John Tigert says finding a solution to free up some bandwidth was critical as his team was responsible for setting procurement policy and managing procurement processes for all of their county departments in the heart of the South Carolina Lowcountry.  

“What I love about public procurement is the feeling of helping so many county departments execute their missions to serve our residents on a daily basis,” says Tigert. 

Challenge

Watch the videos below to learn more about two recent challenges that Tigert and his team solved more seamlessly by teaming up with a cooperative purchasing organization. 

Strategy for Success

Watch the video below to hear how cooperative purchasing has strengthened Tigert’s overall procurement strategy while streamlining processes.  

Savings

Lower prices. Time savings. Providing end users with goods and services they need without a lengthy process. Tigert says they’ve been able to save between 3 and 16 weeks for each cooperative contract, which is even more important now with the ongoing supply chain issues organizations face.

Watch the video below to hear the significant cost savings the county has experienced through cooperative purchasing.

Solutions

With forward thinking staff members that started Dorchester County’s move to cooperative purchasing, Tigert says he’s grateful to continue pushing this valuable strategy forward.

Watch the video below to hear Tigert’s insight about the future of the procurement industry.