Cooperative purchasing solution for shovel-ready projects

Cooperative Purchasing using Choice Facility Partners will help cities, counties and school districts quickly access funds from the economic stimulus package. Cities, counties and school districts may use the competitively pre-bid, legal contracts awarded by Choice Facility Partners for construction, renovation, energy management, building envelope assistance and roofing solutions, elevator maintenance, and technology, such as sound systems. Many more products and services, literally a multitude of products and services needed in maintaining or renovating facilities, are available through the Choice Facility Partners cooperative purchasing division of Harris County Department of Education.

Governmental entities that need to quickly begin their shovel-ready projects using funds from the stimulus package should look at the option of using the job order contracts that can be accessed through cooperative purchasing and Choice Facility Partners. Thirteen companies have been approved as partners to do Job Order Contracting, which is a quick and effective means of construction, remodeling and renovation. Job Order Contractors work with local sub-contractors, also providing the benefit of jobs in the local community.

For more information on cooperative purchasing click here.
           
A special workshop about financing and the stimulus package will be held for school district facility and finance staff from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. on April 1 at Choice Facility Partner in Houston. The workshop, BUILDING RELIEF: Financing and Facility Solutions for Shovel-Ready Projects, will feature Jesus J. Amezcua, CPA, HCDE assistant superintendent for business support services and Gary B. Marek, REFP, director of school facilities, State Funding Division, Texas Education Agency.

            Three Continuing Education Units will be awarded to attendees.

            To RSVP, contact Joann Nichols at 713-696-2122 or joann@choicefacilitypartners.org.

Unique solutions exist when space is tight and bond financing is not an option. At the workshop participants will learn how to reinvent and renovate space, and add traditional and new modular space, using available financing and cooperative purchasing             

Cooperative purchasing options that provide control over funds include: 
    ·         Capital program management and software,
    ·         Energy conservation through management, reasonable and transparent purchase     
          pricing or purchase through a Choice Facility Partners aggregator,
    ·         Building envelope assessment and roofing solutions, and 
    ·        Other specialized technology, such as meeting management tools and security 
          systems.

Choice Facility Partners is growing as governmental entities have discovered the value of cooperative purchasing. Two new consultants have been added to the resource list at Choice Facility Partners: Stuart Verdon, who is well known for innovative cooperative purchasing strategies, has joined Choice Facility Partners as a strategic cooperative consultant, and Doug Rupe, a specialist in cooperative purchasing contracts and management, is a contract consultant.  Mr. Verdon and Mr. Rupe will work to expand options available through the competitively pre-bid, legal contracts at Choice Facility Partners.

“We are pleased to welcome Stuart and Doug to our team,” said Dean Zajicek, Choice Facility Partners director. “As the demand for our services has increased, we have expanding our cooperative purchasing offerings  and capabilities to meet these needs.”

Any school district, college, municipality, county or other governmental entity may access the cooperative purchasing contracts when they become a member of Choice Facility Partners by signing an interlocal agreement with Choice Facility Partners/Harris County Department of Education.

For more information on cooperative purchasing, contact 713-696-2122 or go to www.choicefacilitypartners.org .