U.S. Communities

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U.S. Communities
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U.S. Communities

• National Collaborative Purchasing Program
• Operates on the same principles as local and
  regional coops
• National structure for public agencies to
  aggregate collective purchasing power
• Improve the overall effectiveness of their
  purchasing processes
• Non-Profit Organization

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Public Agency Value

• Competitively solicited contract by a lead public
  agency
• No cost to agencies to participate
• Best government pricing
• Optional and non-exclusive contracts no minimum
  spending requirements

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Founding Co-Sponsors

• Presence Credibility
• Association of School Business Officials
  International (ASBO)
• National Association of Counties (NACo)
• National Institute of Governmental Purchasing
  (NIGP)
• National League of Cities (NLC)
• United States Conference of Mayors (USCM)

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The Advisory Board
Public Procurement Professionals

• Allegheny County, PA
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg, NC
• Cobb County, GA
• Dallas County, TX
• Davis JUSD, CA
• Denver, CO
• Detroit Public Schools, MI
• Fairfax County PS, VA
• Fairfax County, VA
• Harford Co. Schools, MD
• Hennepin County, MN

• Hillsborough Schools, FL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles County, CA
• Maricopa County, AZ
• Miami-Dade County, FL
• San Antonio, TX
• San Diego County, CA
• San Diego City Schools, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Wichita Public Schools, KS

Advisory Board Program Purchases Over 120
Million in 2006
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Products Available

• Office School Supplies
• Office Furniture
• School Furniture
• Office Machines
• P.E. Supplies
• Janitorial Supplies
• Carpet Flooring
• Roofing Supplies Services

• Auto Parts Accessories Technology Products
  Solutions
• Telecommunications Supplies
• Maintenance Hardware Supplies
• Homeland Security Public Safety
• Electrical Products  Park Playground

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Eligible Agencies

• Cities
• Counties
• K12
• Special Districts
• Universities/Colleges
• Non Profits
• State Agencies

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Nationwide Agency Participation
Over 27,000 Participating Agencies
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Supplier Advantage

• One contract for all public agencies
• Capture new revenue through selling while your
  competitors wait to bid
• Extend existing relationships without exposure to
  a public solicitation
• Increase revenue at twice the rate of traditional
  sales methods
• Improved profitability

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Leverage Our Expertise

• National Sponsors
• Advisory Board of Public Procurement
  Professionals
• Regional Program Managers
• Legal and Administrative Resources
• Other Using Public Agencies
• Lead Public Agency (Fairfax County)

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What US Communities RMs Can Do For You

• Supplier Training
• Supplier Resource
• Largest Agencies in Largest Metro Areas
• Public Agency Group Presentations
• Public Purchasing Official Meetings
• Annual Conferences
• NIGP, ASBO, NACo, NAEP

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Regional Contacts
Corey Imhoff   US (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, WA)   CA (BC, YU) Corey Imhoff   US (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, WA)   CA (BC, YU)   Chris Mellis   US (DE, FL, GA, PA, NJ)   CA (NB, NL, NS, PE)   Chris Mellis   US (DE, FL, GA, PA, NJ)   CA (NB, NL, NS, PE)
  Program Manager4034 S. Huachuca WayChandler, AZ 85249cimhoff_at_uscommunities.orgMobile [phone]Fax [phone]     Program Manager 830 Harper Ave. Drexel Hill, PA 19026cmellis_at_uscommunities.orgMobile [phone] Fax [phone] 
  Scott Wilson   US (MN, MT, ND, NM, OK, SD, TX, UT, WY)   CA (AB, MB, NT, NU, SK)   Scott Wilson   US (MN, MT, ND, NM, OK, SD, TX, UT, WY)   CA (AB, MB, NT, NU, SK)   Chris Robb   US ( AL, AR, DC, IL, LA, MD, MS, VA)  CA (ON)   Chris Robb   US ( AL, AR, DC, IL, LA, MD, MS, VA)  CA (ON)
  Program Manager2772 Barnhill LaneFrisco, TX 75034swilson_at_uscommunities.orgMobile [phone] Fax [phone]    Program Manager3 Pondsedge CourtStafford, VA 22554 crobb_at_uscommunities.orgMobile [phone]Fax [phone]
Doug Looney   US (CO, IA, KS, MO, NE, WI) Doug Looney   US (CO, IA, KS, MO, NE, WI)   Alexis Turner   US (MI, NY, IN, OH, WV)   Alexis Turner   US (MI, NY, IN, OH, WV)
  Program Manager10379 Tuxford Dr.St. Louis, MO 63146 dlooney_at_uscommunities.orgMobile [phone]Fax [phone]    Program Manager 166 Elizabeth St. New York, NY 10012aturner_at_uscommunities.orgMobile [phone] Fax [phone]
Mary Pelfrey   US (CT, KY, MA, ME, NC, NH, RI, SC, TN, VT)  CA (QC) Mary Pelfrey   US (CT, KY, MA, ME, NC, NH, RI, SC, TN, VT)  CA (QC)
  Program Manager 9124 Drayton Lane Fort Mill, SC 29715mpelfrey_at_uscommunities.orgMobile [phone] Fax [phone]
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The Edge

• Improved Purchasing Process
• Reduced Administrative Costs
• Competitively Solicited Contract
• No Cost to Participate
• No Obligation to Purchase

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Haworth/Lacasse Contract

• Discounts are product only
• Contracts includes separate pricing for all
  services
• Includes all product lines
• Dealer bills end user at US Comm discounts
  depending on tier
• Enter Order for program products through OFUSA
  and fax the Order Validation Form to Lacasse
• Dealer discounts are the standard OFUSA discounts
  for program products

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US Communities Contract Pricing and OFUSA Dealer
Margins
Product Group Shipping Zone Dealer Discount (GP) List Value Customer Discount
Nvision All Zones 50/20/20 (36) 50/20/20 (18.9) 50/20/20 0-50,000 50,001-200,000 Above 200,001 50 55 Neg. (contact OFUSA bid dept)
United Chair All Zones 50/20/8 (26.4) 50/20/8 (18.2) 50/20/8 0-50,000 50,001-200,000 Above 200,001 50 55 Neg. (contact OFUSA bid dept)
Education and Avenue (not available through OFUSA send orders direct to Groupe Lacasse) All Zones 50/20/9 (27.2) 50/20/9 (19.11) 50/20/10 0-50,000 50,001-200,000 Above 200,001 50 55 Neg.
All Lacasse Laminate, Steel and Quorum All Zone 50/20/8 (26.4) 50/20/8 (18.2) 50/20/8 0-50,000 50,001 - 200,000 Above 200,001 50 55 Neg. (contact OFUSA bid dept)
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Groupe Lacasse Service Matrix
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Selling Approach

• To lessen risk, public agencies will look to
  others to try something for the first time
• Local governments often have a herd mentality
  if one agency takes a risk, others will quickly
  follow
• Larger public agencies often pave the way for
  smaller ones. This magnet effect is evident in
  the U.S. Communities contracts

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Selling Approach

• Focus on selling, not bidding
• Sell at the Director of Procurement level or
  above
• Sell yourself and your company first (closing
  question)
• Establish the competitive solicitation and award
  by a public agency
• Provide the RFP, Master Agreement, MICPA and
  Statute.
• Utilize U.S. Communities as a vehicle to avoid
  the solicitation process
• Start the process 6 12 months prior to the end
  of their current contract
• Reference Advisory Board members and others in
  the region utilizing your USC contract

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Special Districts

• Identify type of Special District
• Independent or Dependent
• Reference other Special Districts utilizing
  program
• Show value of your product immediately-
  Analysis/TCO
• Use U.S. Communities protocol to help access
  Special District Market

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University/Colleges

• Tend to have de-centralized purchasing
• Purchasing looking to pull this in to their
  department
• Reference other Universities/Colleges utilizing
  program
• Show value of your product immediately-
  Analysis/TCO
• Use U.S. Communities protocol to help access
  University/College Market

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Nonprofits

• Little or no knowledge of U.S. Communities
• Need to explain program why non profits qualify
• Need to understand how they buy
• Who, what, where and when
• Usually dont have purchasing department
• Small ones used to paying retail
• Product mix is ideal for these organizations
• Can have immediate impact for suppliers
• No government bureaucracy
• By extending immediate savings, supplier will
  develop long term relationship

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Public Hospitals

• Public Hospitals historically are not familiar
  with U.S. Communities
• Target Central Purchasing or Materials Management
• Are they active in any GPOs?
• If so offer to show a price comparison for
  savings
• Do they follow specific Public Agency procurement
  codes (City, County)?
• Reference large users in area
• Reference U.S. Communities Public Hospital
  advisory board member Ted Lucas

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State/Local Govt Agencies, School Districts

• Target Procurement
• Review any immediate barriers
• Legal, Competition, Strategic sourcing
• Reference other States/Municipalities utilizing
  program
• Offer price comparison
• Need to show immediate impact
• Use U.S. Communities protocol to help access
  State Market

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Launch Your Market!

• Steps
• Advisory Board member(s)
• Agencies that have registered online
• Supplier login search feature
• Agencies by budget size
• List available from U.S. Communities
• Align targets with U.S. Communities Target
  Agencies
• Leverage the network of U.S. Communities Supplier
  Sales People

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US Communities Website Navigation

• How to log on
• How to search for users
• How to find contract information
• How to find State Statute, MICPA, RFP and master
  agreement information
• How to register yourself and end users
• Locating agencies by budget size
• Using US Communities protocol

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Questions and Suggestions