Cooperative Services

In 2010–2011, the GPCOG Cooperative Services joint purchase program accounted for approximately $16,000,000 in joint purchases with an average 10% savings of approximately $1,600,000. There are currently 19 items being bid, with an average number of 23 municipalities participating in each bid. There is consistently a high level of bidder interest for our items with an average of 5 vendors participating per bid. This has served to achieve very competitive price value for GPCOG members.

In 2011 and in conjunction with the GPCOG Sustainability Principles, we added some new items including energy saving Idle Reduction Devices for autos and trucks, Low Resistance Road Tires, and Bio-Fuels.  In 2012 we anticipate adding Bicycle Racks, Sweeper Broom Filler Cores and LED Lighting.  Other new items requested this past year included Gravel and Snow Plow Cutting Edges.

The sequence of the Bid procedure is:

1. A bid item is announced by a GPCOG Estimated Needs request. Submitting an Estimated Needs is also a commitment that your municipality will purchase through that bid. Except for selecting the Fixed Price Option for Fuel Oil and Gasoline/Diesel, the municipality Estimated Needs is your good faith and best approximation of the year’s needs. You are not held to a specific purchase quantity.
2. The Estimated Needs are aggregated to present the Vendors an accurate approximation of the quantity to bid. Their bids are based on these Estimated Needs.
3. Bid Requests are solicited.
4. Bids are received and announced to the participating Municipalities and vendors.
5. The participating municipalities make their purchase arrangements directly with the vendor.

The participating vendors are asked and expected to offer their GPCOG bid prices only to the participating municipalities. The intent is to preserve the integrity of the Cooperative Services Program by not having the municipalities use the bid pricing for “comparative shopping.”  If you have any questions or comments regarding the GPCOG Cooperative Services Program, please contact Eben Marsh.

Bids and Programs

Bid Schedule

Bid Awards

Bid Fees

Bid Specifications and Results

Bids and Programs

Christmas Tree Recycling Program Promotion:  This program allows communities with tree recycling programs to obtain newspaper advertising, fliers and posters to promote their programs. Fliers and posters are delivered to each participating town by early December.  A newspaper display ad runs on Christmas Day.

AT&T Cell Phone Plan: The Greater Portland Council of Governments and AT&T Mobility have partnered to offer all GPCOG members a 15% monthly discount. As an extension of the State of Maine plan, this program is available to all member municipalities and their departments, school departments and municipal and school employees of GPCOG member municipalities. Starting immediately, plan participants who want to sign up for service or equipment, or make a change in service or equipment will need to visit one of the area AT&T Mobility stores. If you are signing up for a personal plan as an employee of a town or school, you will need to provide evidence of your employment to receive this discount.

Copier Paper:  In exchange for purchasing a year's supply of paper, this bid offers members the opportunity to receive excellent prices that include delivery on the highest quality dual-purpose copier paper. This bid includes letter, legal and 11 x 17 white bond; pastels, fluorescents or brights; and recycled paper. The bid is scheduled for spring to obtain best pricing; however, delivery can be taken anytime through August.

Culvert Pipe: This bid allows communities to receive low prices on aluminum alloy pipe, N-12, SDR-35, drainage tubing, CMP and aluminum coated Type II CMP and poly pipe. Because manufacturer pricing of culvert pipe can be very volatile, this bid is specially structured so that following a 90-day fixed price period, vendors are permitted to increase prices with written proof of manufacturer increase.

Gasoline/Diesel:  This bid allows communities and school departments and other eligible agencies to purchase at the most favorable prices available. Awarded companies cannot charge more than their cost plus a fixed profit margin (add-on) during the two-year term of each bid. Products include regular and super unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel.

Heating Fuels:   This bid allows communities and school departments and other eligible agencies to purchase at the most favorable prices available. Awarded companies cannot charge more than their cost plus a fixed profit margin (add-on) during the two-year term of each bid. Products include heating fuels #1, #2, #4 and #6, K-1, and propane. 

Office Supplies:  Available to communities, schools and special districts, this bid offers huge discounts on office products. Included, at separate discount, are electronics, furniture, and other specialty items. Bids are awarded on discounts, delivery and customer service. 

Paving, Reclaiming and Crack Seal:  This bid enables towns to receive competitive pricing on one of the most expensive services they require. Individual pricing, based on each community's scope of work, commands much lower prices than communities are typically able to obtain on their own. Although most communities prefer Superpave, MaineDOT spec B, C, and D mixes are still offered by some contractors.

Road Salt:  In one of the largest road salt bids in the state, participants pay one of the lowest prices per ton available anywhere for fully covered salt delivered. Picked up salt is offered as an option. All salt is laboratory tested and must meet stringent specifications for gradation, moisture and sodium content.

Road Striping:  Extremely competitive bidding enables eligible towns to obtain this work at very favorable prices. Bids include both striping and handwork.

Signs and Accessories:  This long running bid has been noted for obtaining the lowest available prices on quality signs, signposts, and other safety products such as barricades, flashers and barrels. Signs are available in engineer grade, high intensity and prismatic reflectivity.

Tires and Tubes:  This bid is for a wide variety of tires and tubes that are commonly purchased by municipalities, schools or other agencies. Prices through our bid are known to be among the lowest in the State.

Tree Trimming and Removal:  This bid provides for the trimming and removal of weakened, dead or hazardous branches and trees, or removal of healthy trees as required. All awarded bidders must be Maine licensed Arborists and willing to extend multi-year contracts.

Bid Schedule

A bid schedule has been established so that each bid or program is initiated to correspond with one or more of the following: fiscal year, season, market pricing, or product availability. This also allows the many bids to be tailored to individual needs.

For most bids, an Estimated Needs Survey is sent to all eligible participants for completion.* This information enables vendors to submit the best possible prices based on potential bid volume.

Bid specifications include general specifications that are common to all bids and specifications for products and services that are developed and tailored to each bid, including participants' protection from legal liability and insurance exposure as well as any performance, bid bond or pre-award meeting requirements. While the bid specifications form a binding obligation to vendors, individual contracts that may be required by each participant must be obtained separately.

Invitations to bid, along with bid specifications and bid forms, are mailed to companies who have expressed an interest in being provided an opportunity to bid or who have returned an Intent to Bid form. Companies who are not currently on a bid list may call GPCOG to request a Bid Package or submit a request through this website. Local and Maine-based companies are encouraged to submit bids.

The GPCOG Cooperative Services Bid Program fulfills the requirement of some communities to bid out products and services that exceed an established dollar value. While some communities' Charters do not require bids, many find that their local officials and taxpayers like a bid process to ensure and justify that they are obtaining the best value for their money.

Bid Awards. 

It has long been GPCOG's policy to award bids on the basis of a combination of factors: product or service quality, ability to meet all bid specifications, company reputation, and price. GPCOG does not automatically award bids solely on the basis of price. This policy enables participants to benefit in two ways: (1) it allows companies who may be able to provide the best value for the money to effectively compete without necessarily being the lowest bidder; and (2) it allows for preference to local companies when all other criteria are equal and there is a relatively small price differential.

Interested parties are notified when a bid award has been made and informed of the winning bidder(s), prices and terms, and afforded the opportunity to purchase through the bid. Members have no contractual obligation to purchase through any bid, but some awarded vendors may require a contractual arrangement.

Cooperative Services Division Support
Support to bid participants is provided throughout the bid award period should any participant need assistance in utilizing the bid, have questions regarding vendor obligations, or have any issues that are not able to be resolved directly with the vendor. In all cases, the decision of the Cooperative Services Division staff is final.

Fees. 

Of the bids and programs currently available through the Cooperative Services Division, only road salt has a participation fee assessed to GPCOG members. The fee to GPCOG members for the road salt bid is one-half of the eligible non-member participant fees. There are no fees to members for any other bids or programs. Click here for listing of bid fees.

* Some bids are open-ended and purchase estimates are not required in order to obtain the best pricing.