BALTIMORE, MD (Wednesday, January 31, 2024) – The Baltimore Regional Cooperative Purchasing Committee (BRCPC) is launching an open database of regional contracts, making details about the group’s high-volume purchasing of commodities and services accessible to the public.
Supported by Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC), the BRCPC provides a forum for state and local governments, public schools, community colleges, nonprofits and other agencies to buy in bulk, leveraging their collective purchasing power to secure better rates and save millions on expenditures such as energy, vehicles, office furniture, software and services like daycare.
BRCPC members previously maintained an internal database with thousands of vendors. Now, anyone can access the resource online via baltometro.org/member-portal/regional-purchasing-database.
“Our members use the database daily,” said Debbie Groat, BMC’s cooperative purchasing coordinator. “It has become an essential tool in the region, and by making it public-facing, it can act as a trusted resource for government officials and suppliers alike.”
The database grew organically over time, and committee members decided last year to open up the resource to help more purchasers throughout the region find cooperative contracting and bidding opportunities. BMC will update the database twice a year.
“We’re excited to share this tool with the Baltimore region,” said BMC Executive Director Mike Kelly. “It will serve as a powerful resource for connecting bidding opportunities and vendors.”
Kelly noted that many of BRPCP members are public agencies, meaning that money saved on these bulk contracts frees up funding for public services. The collaborations fostered through the BRCPC help taxpayers save on huge line items like electricity for public schools. Last year, the BRCPC’s Energy Board saved $73.6 million on energy compared to BGE’s standard rates, and has saved more than $290 million on energy since launching in 2007.
Learn more about the BRCPC and check out the regional contract database at baltometro.org/member-portal/regional-purchasing-database or by emailing Debbie Groat at dgroat@baltometro.org.
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