Probably more than any other time, school specifiers have their hands full these days with furniture purchasing, thanks in no small part to evolving pedagogies due to the lingering effects of Covid, coupled with demand for flexible, cost-conscious solutions. This is where the benefits of participating in a cooperative purchasing agreement come in. Co-op contracts can help eliminate much of the time and hassle associated with shopping numerous suppliers, negotiating pricing, navigating lengthy bid processes, and hoping the delivered results are quality products that fit the need of the respective institution.
In addition to providing the cost-effective power of collaborative purchasing, co-op facilitators help streamline and take the guesswork out of the purchasing process by vetting potential suppliers and generally contracting with quality vendors. Contracted vendors, in turn, normally offer discounts unavailable to non-co-op members. And, the overall bid process is greatly simplified as countless lessor suppliers are winnowed from the selection pool, leaving only suppliers who meet co-op standards. Plus, in many cases, schools or districts can become a co-op member for free.
BioFit is a proud approved vendor of the multi-state cooperative ‒ TIPS ‒ The Interlocal Purchasing System. TIPS is open to K-12 school districts, charter schools, colleges and universities, among other education institutions, as well as government and tribal entities, hospitals, churches and select non-profit organizations. Get more information on TIPS here, and details on BioFit contracts for national educational cooperative purchasing here.
(Photo courtesy of College of Lake County)
