Cooperative Purchasing: The More Things Change… For The Better!

NPPGov (GPO)

As you look to Cooperative Purchasing across the State of Washington to support your department’s purchasing needs, there are several organizations to choose from. All of these cooperative purchasing organizations have vendor agreements, customer service professionals and websites where you can find the documents you need to evaluate pricing and terms. Only one, however, offers a truly different cooperative option. NPPGov (GPO) offers the largest selection of Public Safety agreements focusing on quality Public Safety GPO offerings and providing support for Public Safety as well as the community at large.    

NPPGov is owned by a non-profit hospital, Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, and provides revenue to support their non-profit initiatives, which are especially critical during COVID-19. At the peak of the pandemic in Seattle, NPPGov team members worked at the medical center, assisting people entering the building. This freed up medical center employees, allowing them to perform more critical functions within the hospital. It’s just one example of how NPPGov is more than a cooperative purchasing organization, we strive to support the community and its healthcare needs. 

Over the past 12 months, NPPGov (GPO) has enhanced many aspects of our organization to better support partner associations and members directly. The two most dramatic changes to GPO are a new “go to market strategy” and a significant expansion of our vendor offerings and services. To be clear, our organization has not changed ownership, nor have we changed our commitment to the Public Safety market or our support for our Association Partners. But we have enhanced our services to benefit organizations like yours.

One significant change GPO made was to benefit Public Safety partners that are closest to the front lines. In the past, GPO’s financial support to the Fire Service was accomplished through a pyramid system of fee distribution, which started with one parent Public Safety organization that would then allocate dollars to other organizations across the country at its discretion. This system was less beneficial to many organizations who wound up waiting extended periods to receive their piece of the pie. GPO’s new “go to market strategy” partners directly with state associations to support their financial and member needs. We effectively eliminated the middle man. This direct relationship allows us to provide greater financial resources faster. We can also secure better feedback from members concerning the needs of departments and individual members. 

The second significant change is our greatly expanded vendor offering. As a result of some strategic partner changes at the end of 2019, GPO has transitioned its previous vendors over to new agreements with extended expiration dates, many with many having expanded product offerings. GPO has 77 new agreements (and counting). Our members can still secure the products and services they need without having to conduct their own RFP process. Here’s a sample of some updated offerings and new vendors.

Medical Products and Patient Monitor Vendors

We’ve renewed and expanded our medical product offerings including our longstanding relationship with ZOLL Medical.  In addition, we have added these new vendors who have been able to supply many members with greatly needed PPE equipment:

Wireless Mobility

GPO renewed and expand our popular agreements with AT&T FirstNet and Sprint.  As the coop with the greatest number of lines under contract with FirstNet, we look forward to continuing that growth through our true partnership with AT&T.

Fire Apparatus

We renewed contracts with Pierce Manufacturing, Sutphen and HME Aherns Fox. GPO is the first coop to offer their members used/refurbished fire apparatus. We also added new agreements with the following to provide members access to specialty apparatus, watercraft and used apparatus options:

Fire Fighter Equipment, PPE and SCBAS

As the most widely used product category, we renewed and added other new agreements to support our members:

NPPGov Public Safety GPO is dedicated to offering the Public Safety market products and services that are beneficial and easy to access. We continue to enhance our own services, so that you are well taken care of. I’m proud of the work we do… just like I’m proud of the work you do.

Yours in cooperative purchasing,

Bill DeMars

Executive Director, NPPGov (GPO)

nppgov.com