Cooperative Services

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.

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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.

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

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