Now more than ever, public agencies are recognizing the value and need for a strong procurement team as purchasing has proven to be nimble and creative through challenges over the last two years. As you’re working with a lean procurement department, maybe just a team of one, having a cooperative purchasing organization in your strategy is a best practice saving you time, money and resources.
One of the many advantages of cooperative purchasing is the partnership with some of the most elite procurement teams in the nation serving as lead agencies. OMNIA Partners lead agency, University of California (UC), has a powerhouse procurement office offering strategic sourcing to their 10-campus system. You can leverage their vast buying power and “piggyback” on their industry-leading cooperative contracts.
Let’s look at how partnering with a cooperative opens the door to three areas of value through its powerful lead agencies.
1. Time & Cost Savings
Purchasing can make for a lengthy process when done alone but while partnering with a cooperative, you have the opportunity to dedicate more time to strengthening relationships, instead of working on the mechanics of an RFP. Lead agencies like UC have done the groundwork for you.
The lead agencies within a cooperative’s portfolio have laid the foundation for your organization to unlock both time and cost savings. Behind the scenes of all UC contracts, their procurement team uses a seven-step strategic sourcing process. This process makes for a successful outcome for all of their programs.
Here are the seven steps included in the UC’s sourcing process.
2. Access Diverse Solutions
Procurement is expected to be an expert in a variety of categories— IT, facilities, business/education products and services—but it’s difficult for any team to master everything you need to know about purchasing for each industry.
This is another area where the value of cooperative lead agency, University of California, comes into play. Think about the structure of a university. Higher education institutions are similar to small cities, from food service to light manufacturing, every different industry co-exists in one place. This ensures that the wide range of UC contracts are diverse enough to meet all of your school or agency’s unique purchasing needs.
3. Peace of Mind
When leveraging a lead agency’s contract, the contract is backed by extensive knowledge and expertise. Your agency or school can have confidence in UC’s unmatched experience reflected in their contracts along with the consultative support from the cooperative’s experienced public procurement team.
“Of course, we don’t know everything,” says Justin Sullivan, Executive Director, Strategic Sourcing at UC. “And that’s where OMNIA Partners comes in. They have higher education procurement experts who are deeply embedded in each region of the United States. They give us valuable insight— not to mention a massive supplier network—so we can make our contracts even stronger and more inclusive.”
All the contracts in a cooperative’s portfolio have been through a rigorous process in which they're evaluated to ensure proper terms and conditions and that they meet all regulations. You can rest easy knowing the contract you're purchasing from is in full compliance with all standards and has been fully vetted by a knowledgeable team.
Your Key to Success
University of California (UC) is one of OMNIA Partners' many lead agencies bringing you industry-leading products and solutions.
Through cooperative purchasing, you have access to the largest portfolio of world-class cooperative contracts with maximum value.
To learn more about the lead agency benefits through a cooperative, access your free copy of The California Gold Standard: How University of California became Higher Ed’s Procurement Role Model- and Secret Weapon.
