Knoll – Office Furniture Overview
Founded in 1937, Knoll has helped government, education, healthcare, and non profits create facilities that inspire, evolve, and endure. Headquartered in East Greenville, Pennsylvania, we serve our clients through a network of independently owned Knoll dealerships, Knoll showrooms and regional offices.
At Knoll, we watch how the modern office is evolving, and we make office and classroom furniture that responds and adapts to changing needs. We're thinking about the emergence of a new workplace climate, the meaning of new workplace planning models and how ecological principles inform our product designs.
Knoll is a leader in policies and practices designed to protect the biosphere, conserve natural resources and reduce waste. Knoll is aligned with the U.S. Green Building Council and can help our clients achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification.
Knoll – Office Furniture FAQ
Who can participate?
States, State Agencies, Counties, Cities, Schools, Colleges and Universities, Non-Profits and Special Districts.
Can hospitals participate?
Yes, state university medical centers, county and city hospitals, and not for profit medical institutions can use U.S. Communities.
Does my agency need to be a member of ASBO, NACO, USCM, NIGP or NLC to participate?
No. Any qualified agency can participate in the program.
My state requires local governments to bid everything. Can local governments in my state use this program without going out to bid?
Yes. This contract has been competitively bid by Fairfax County Virginia. Through the Joint Powers Authority or an inter-local agreement, local governments can "piggy-back" this competitively bid contract through U.S. Communities. This satisfies the competitive bid requirements in most states. See state by state laws on intergovernmental purchasing.
What does a government agency need to do in order to participate?
Complete the free online registration found on the U.S. Communities website www.uscommunities.org. During the registration process, you will be asked to indicate suppliers that you are interested in. The suppliers that you select will contact you with detailed pricing and ordering information.
Does my agency have to register with US Communities to enter an order with Knoll?
Yes. This is a requirement of the program. Registration is very easy and provides the agency contact with a login name and password that allows them access to tools and reports not available otherwise.
Can private universities order using US Communities?
YES! See the instructions above.
Is there a fee associated with joining U.S. Communities?
No, there are no costs or user fees to the local agency to participate or register.
If my agency already has an account with Knoll – Office Furniture, do I need to set up a new account?
No. Contact your Knoll – Office Furniture Account Manager to have the U.S. Communities program linked to your existing account.
Where can my agency learn more about U.S. Communities?
In addition to the resources available on this website, U.S. Communities offers webinars on a regular basis which provide an overview of the program or cover other areas of interest. View upcoming webinars. Our Knoll Government Manager and the USC Program Managers will be happy to speak with clients as well. Contract information is available within the website.
Does the competitive pricing apply, regardless of quantity?
Using Knoll – Office Furniture and the U.S. Communities program assures an agency they are getting a very competitive price on any size order. There are no costs, minimum quantity requirements or spend limits associated with using the Knoll – Office Furniture U.S. Communities program.
How does it save time and money?
The key value for the agency is resource savings. On average, U.S. Communities participating agencies will save 5% over traditional procurement practices. Most agencies today are spread too thin. Agencies are downsizing administrative departments, and retiring or departing purchasing and maintenance positions are left unfilled. The U.S. Communities program provides a mechanism to save the time and costs associated with obtaining quotes or preparing bids. The time savings allow the department to accomplish its work tasks more efficiently with the personnel on hand.
Which products are available on the USC program?
All Knoll products are included.
How can my agency become a participating U.S. Communities member?
Complete the online registration at www.uscommunities.org
Can more than one person at my agency register?
Yes, additional users can register by completing the standard registration process; the system will automatically unify all registrations that use the same TIN under one agency account. Alternately, existing users can add new users from within their account.
Can I submit one purchase order for both Knoll and non-Knoll items?
YES! There is an option available allowing clients to place orders directly with the Knoll dealer. In addition, this option may help agencies meet "buy local" or "small business procurement" goals. Contact your Knoll representative for additional information
What do we do to place an order with Knoll?
It's very easy! First, the agency needs to register with US Communities if they are not already registered. After receiving a formal proposal from a Knoll dealer, the purchase order needs to reference the Knoll / US Communities contract # RQ07-878957-20B. Specific purchase order requirements will be provided by your dealer and will include asking you to enclosed a Tax Exempt certificate if not paying tax.
Who sends the order to Knoll?
Whether the client purchase order is addressed to Knoll or to the Knoll dealer, the client purchase order should be sent to the Knoll dealer so that they can review it for accuracy. The Knoll dealer will then forward the agency purchase order to Knoll electronically along with a full bill of materials.