Wouldn’t you love to simplify the procurement process?
The Virginia Public Procurement Act has provisions to promote cost savings and reduce administrative expense in acquisitions of goods and services, excluding professional services and construction. Many municipal functions in planning, public works, and other offices fall into the category of “non-professional services,” such as:
• Current and long range planning (e.g., update of Comprehensive Plan)
• Code enforcement and revisions (e.g., update of Zoning Ordinance, Subdivision Ordinance)
• Project development and management (e.g., transportation projects)
• Water resources (e.g., water and sewer facility planning, stormwater program administration)
• Sustainability and resilience (e.g., preparation of Sustainability Plan, progress reporting)
• Public outreach and meeting facilitation (e.g., Town Hall meetings)
When a solicitation is conducted on behalf of other public bodies pursuant to Section 2.2-4304 of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (Va. Code § 2.2-4300 et seq.), the resultant contract may be extended by a contracting firm to other public bodies at the stated contract prices, in accordance with the contract terms.
Any jurisdiction “riding” the resultant contract may enter into its own contract with the successful firm. Contracts entered into with a participating jurisdiction may follow the general terms and conditions of the original contract or include general terms and conditions unique to that jurisdiction.
The Berkley Group has held non-professional services contracts via cooperative procurement with Manassas Park and George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) for years. Public bodies that have saved the time and expense associated with individual solicitations by riding these contracts include: Bristol, Caroline County, Farmville, Floyd County, Franklin County, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Manassas, Mecklenburg County, Middle Peninsula PDC, Montgomery County, Mount Jackson, Prince William County, Round Hill, and Southside PDC.
You can quickly bring in supplemental staff (e.g., to fill a position 2 days a week) or external support on a project via these cooperative procurement agreements. If you’re looking to do more with less and get it done ASAP, consider the efficiencies of riding a cooperatively procured contract to quickly bring in local expertise. To learn more about our options, call our COO Drew Williams at 540-560-2202 or reach him by email at drew@bgllc.net.