By Chet Warner, USCM Intern
July 16, 2007

At the 75th Annual Meeting of The United States Conference of Mayors in Los Angeles, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman introduced U.S. Communities (USC) Co-Manager Steve Swendiman.  Swendiman told the mayors of the progress U.S. Communities has made in the last year.

U.S. Communities is a government purchasing alliance that sponsors the largest national buying cooperative for local governments.  The program’s goal is to save local governments time and money while still providing the highest quality products available.  Among the publicly solicited contracts in the program are janitorial supplies, office furniture, office and school supplies, park and playground equipment, carpet and flooring, office machines, technology products and services, electrical and data communication, homeland security and public safety, maintenance repair and operating supplies, auto parts and roofing.  Swendiman stressed that these many different product lines offer essential services to local governments at a discounted pricing and with high quality assurance.

Swendiman said that since its inception in 1996, the USC initiative has added five national sponsors, 70 state sponsors, and 14 publicly solicited contracts.  He also stressed that the USC has opened the savings options and benefits to non-profit organizations so that they may provide the best services available for their local governments. 

At the same time, he emphasized that this program is not only ideal for small cities, counties, and school districts, but also for large ones as well.  He stated, “At this time, 42 out of the 50 largest cities use the program.  In addition, 92 out of the largest 100 cities use it, and 34 of the largest public universities use the program.  So, this program is clearly beneficial to large public agencies, not just small ones.”  Swendiman said some of the savings that cities around the nation have gained using the USC initiatives.  He stated, “Phoenix, Arizona saved about $200,000;  Los Angeles $1.1 million; Burbank, California $56,000; Oakland $92,000; Colorado Springs $140,000; Honolulu $313,000; Minneapolis $292,000; Las Vegas $100,000; Philadelphia $280,000; and Austin (TX) $383,000.”  Swendiman stated that the program expects an aggregate savings of around $290 million dollars in 2007.

Swendiman also announced that USC is seeking best practices  and success stories from Mayors for upcoming publications and the launching of their new “Buying Green Program.”  For additional information on the program, go to the website uscommunites.org or contact Kathryn Weyland at 301-460-5251 or kweyland@usmayors.org.