Unveils New Online Marketplace

New e-commerce capability makes purchasing convenient for participating agencies

Walnut Creek, CA (Business Wire) September 13, 2010 – U.S. Communities, a national government purchasing cooperative, announced a new online system that enables participating public agencies to access and purchase goods and services from multiple U.S. Communities vendors at one time. The integrated, online marketplace is available to registered users on www.uscommunities.org.

Any public agency, including local and state government, school districts and non-profit organizations, can take advantage of the savings and quality products available through the program. The new online marketplace offers access to thousands of products from multiple suppliers with a single payment and order. Current products available through the marketplace include technology products, school and classroom supplies, lab ware, homeland security and safety supplies, electrical items, janitorial supplies, and maintenance equipment. These products are available through existing contracts between U.S. Communities’ lead public agencies and suppliers such as HD Supply, Insight, Tech Depot, Graybar, Fisher Science Education, BSN/US Games and Zep. Offerings from additional U.S. Communities suppliers will be available through the online system in coming months.

“We are pleased to offer another new solution that delivers value and cost savings to public agencies,” said Steve Hamill, General Manager of U.S. Communities. “Our new online marketplace is a convenient platform that simplifies the purchasing process and provides agencies with real-time access to the best overall government pricing across our nationally recognized suppliers.”

U.S. Communities is offering daily webinars to educate participating agencies on the new portal. There is no additional cost to purchase online and no minimum purchase requirement for participating public agencies.

U.S. Communities™ Government Purchasing Alliance is a nonprofit government purchasing cooperative that assists local and state government agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education, and nonprofits in reducing the cost of purchased goods through pooling the purchasing power of public agencies nationwide. This is accomplished through competitively solicited contracts for quality products through lead public agencies.

U.S. Communities
Jon Penkower, 925-274-4601
jpenkower@uscommunities.org