Whether you have worked with the National Joint Powers Alliance (NPJA) or are brand new to the community, you have probably noticed that it has undergone some major changes over the last year. NJPA is now Sourcewell, and they are celebrating 40 years of partnerships by making sure you know exactly who they are and how they contribute to this industry. 

Many times, the traditional bid process results in accepting the lowest bid and not getting the quality you want and need for your project. Additionally, it almost always takes much longer than anticipated to get a project completed. The concept behind Sourcewell is to act as a bridge between government, education, and nonprofit agencies and organizations that offer solutions, such as:

• Construction and landscape companies
• Food and food equipment services
• Fleet management services
• Outdoor equipment retailers
• Inventory management companies 
• Information Technology services
• AV equipment services for classrooms
• Office and home supplies distributors

With Sourcewell, there is a better way to buy the quality you need without the extra expenses and time delays you don’t need. State and local government agencies, educational institutions and school districts, and nonprofits can get quality construction without having to go through the low bid process. Sourcewell is a national cooperative purchasing organization that has done all the hard work for you. 

As a government agency, Sourcewell satisfies the bid requirement through its legislative authority for members across the country. They manage the competitive bid process, qualify all the bids, and award the successful bidder, all while maintaining the entire paperwork trail for each member. Sourcewell ensures its members get a best-value solution for quality products and services under a fixed price. They vet each and every vendor to ensure the best possible matches are recommended and taking the competition out of the solicitation process. 

After completing the competitive bid process for their Sourcewell contract, ACI’s partner, BlueScope Construction®, was successfully awarded their second design-build, turnkey construction contract. BlueScope Construction holds the Sourcewell contract and partners with ACI to supply the Butler® building factory-direct at a discount while ensuring the work is performed by local designers, subcontractors, and vendors. School Superintendent Virginia D. Potter at Bethel Local Schools in Ohio explains how buying construction through Sourcewell worked for her: 

Recently, I was confronted with the need to add a 3-bay addition to our district’s bus barn. Realizing that it was going to be a costly venture, I cringed at just the thought of starting the bidding process! I was on a time constraint and knew how long that process could take. It was at that time I was introduced to BlueScope Construction, a general contractor that specializes in commercial and government facilities. They offered complete planning and budgeting from project conception to completion. Unlike other companies, BlueScope Construction was part of Sourcewell, a national cooperative contract company. Sourcewell creates cooperative contract purchasing solutions on behalf of their members which include all government, education and nonprofit agencies nationwide. As a result of this alliance, I was able to forego the bidding process and start my project in half the time!

As someone who considers time a precious commodity, I readily encourage other district Superintendents to consider companies who are part of the Sourcewell process. Not only was their pricing competitive nationwide but also their ability to save time and, of course, some of the headaches that come with any sizable building project!

With over 67,000 member agencies nationwide, I’ve discovered that many of our local government entities are already Sourcewell members. Membership is free and there are no obligations for any government, education or nonprofit entity. These organizations use Sourcewell for their supplies, services, equipment, and construction for their facility needs. Whether you need a new building or an expansion to an existing building, ACI can help with a quality design-build solution. 

As the community grows, Sourcewell is also becoming an essential partner for vendor contracts, with a catalog of the most qualified companies to choose from based on needs and geography. Once you qualify to be listed as a Sourcewell-approved vendor, potential project partners are more likely to look at your offerings with a sense of trust because of Sourcewell’s extensive vetting process. Sourcewell offers both cooperative purchasing and solicitation services.

Contact an expert at ACI today to learn more about how Sourcewell contributes to alleviating the anxiety many organizations and vendors deal with during the traditional bid process, or to discuss how ACI, BlueScope, and Sourcewell can make your next construction project simple and successful.

Check out the infographic below comparing traditional bidding vs. the process with Sourcewell: