By Katie Logisz
December 12, 2005

Chesapeake is one of thousands of cities and other public agencies realizing real savings through the U.S. Communities cooperative purchasing program. U.S. Communities eases the purchasing process by improving efficiency, lowering costs, and providing better service through its vendors. The United States Conference of Mayors has been a national sponsor of this program since its inception and encourages cities to take advantage of these savings that are at or below GSA contract pricing. Chesapeake launched its online ordering program with U.S. Communities vendor Office Depot in 2003. The city chose the U.S. Communities contract in order to leverage its purchasing power. This program enabled all city departments to order office supplies online and improved an antiquated procurement process. The city initiated the program in order to eliminate the outdated concept of a central storeroom that ordered, processed, and warehoused office supplies for more than forty-five city departments. The program offers direct online ordering access for city departments. When a purchase is over a department’s threshold, that request is routed through the purchasing department for approval and processing – all online. The vendor’s ability for next-day fill rates has also helped to improve overall purchasing efficiency. Also gone is the old method of ordering through a storekeeper who would search the storeroom and cut purchase orders for thousands of small items. No longer do departmental customers have to bring hand trucks to pick up orders after a week.

According to Victor Westbrook, Purchasing and Contracts Manager for Chesapeake, “We are now doing business better and smarter and with a lot less hassle. We have done away with long lead times and are now getting supplies when and where we need them. We highly recommend the U.S. Communities program contracts.” Program users in Chesapeake note that although modifications in business practices take time and a great deal of work to really bring about change, this program process was refined in a matter of months. Individuals within the city have adapted. Even the storekeeper position has evolved into that of a buyer, offering upward mobility. Westbrook describes this purchasing move as a “win-win for everybody”. Furthermore, Westbrook notes that Chesapeake’s involvement in the U.S. Communities program has raised the city’s profile. The city is attracting more companies trying to do business and compete for contracts after witnessing Chesapeake’s efficient purchasing transformation.

Chesapeake is far from the only city utilizing one or more of the contracts offered through U.S. Communities. Cities and other public agencies across the country have benefited from the combined purchasing power of U.S. Communities. For more information on how your city can benefit from this program, please contact Katie Logisz with the Conference of Mayors at 202-861-6739 or send email to klogisz@usmayors.org. U.S. Communities is also on the web at usmayors.org or directly at uscommunities.org.