California Counties Benefit From Free Online Procurement Solution: Public Purchase
Riverside, Sacramento, and San Joaquin Counties have experienced an increase in bid competitiveness and procurement management efficiency while saving taxpayer dollars by using The Public Group's free online
procurement solution, Public Purchase. From posting bids to communicating with vendors to tabulating results, Public Purchase has streamlined the procurement process for the agencies, whether the item needed is
banknote paper, aggregate material, or demolition services.
Riverside County recently needed banknote paper for its vital records department. By using Public Purchase, the County was able to pre-qualify vendors, issue addenda automatically, and monitor vendor interest
throughout the process. Riverside County also utilized The Public Group's research services to identify qualified vendors that had not responded to previous RFP's from Riverside County and invite them to bid.
This ensured that a good-sized pool of qualified vendors responded, resulting in a cost reduction from the previous contract.
San Joaquin County released a bid for aggregate material and was able to easily compare the bids for multiple line items and award the bid using to the tabulation features of Public Purchase. Typically, buyers
create spreadsheets or print up quotes and compare the bids on paper. Public Purchase automatically tabulates the bids and allows buyers to compare the bids based on overall cost or per line item, which can save
money and ensure that the lowest bidder of a particular material is awarded the contract. Since the comparisons can be easily viewed online, less paper and paper storage is required.
Sacramento County just recently registered with Public Purchase after using an in-house system to post bids. The cost savings of not having to print and mail out RFP's, addenda and bid results will have a significant
impact on the department's budget. Vendor management will also be more more efficient as Sacramento County takes advantage of Public Vendor, another free solution from TPG. Agency buyers will easily be able to
identify and contact vendors for specific upcoming bids, and keep track of necessary licenses, insurance and certification information.
About Public Purchase
Public Purchase is an online procurement solution created by The Public Group. From creation of bid templates to bid creation and bid/vendor management, this full-featured solution saves agency buyers time and money.
Buyers can create RFP's, basic bids, line-item bids, reverse auctions, RFQ's, or use the service as a bid notification tool. All required information, such as bid documents, addenda, drawings, and terms & conditions,
can be posted to the website for vendors to download, and questions can be asked and answered through Public Purchase. Bid bonds, plan holders lists and contractors lists can be accommodated by Public Purchase as well.
In the past, the biggest barrier to entry for agencies and vendors to start using an online procurement service was cost. Public Purchase is free to both agencies and vendors, and in fact can save both agencies and
vendors money.