Skip the Red Tape: How Cooperatives Fast-Track Your EV Infrastructure Projects
Want to multiply the impact of your purchasing power? Tap into the collective force created by a purchasing cooperative.
Individual organizations looking to electrify their fleets often find themselves at a disadvantage when negotiating with suppliers. And for public agencies, schools, or government entities, purchases of more than $50,000 typically require lengthy bid processes that are often confusing and tangled in red tape.
BTC POWER offers a solution that many fleet managers and facilities directors may not know about: purchasing cooperative agreements that eliminate bid requirements while ensuring competitive pricing and quality equipment.
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What are purchasing cooperatives?
Purchasing cooperatives are member-based organizations that have already completed the competitive solicitation process for various products and services. When public agencies join these cooperatives, they can bypass traditional bidding requirements and purchase directly from pre-vetted suppliers, saving valuable time and resources.
In addition, there is no fee to the organization using a cooperative, and there are no minimum purchase obligations.
BTCP’s comprehensive cooperative coverage
BTCP is uniquely positioned in the EV charging industry with listings on multiple purchasing cooperatives, giving public agencies flexible procurement options:
- 791 Purchasing CooperativeThis Texas-based national cooperative serves public agencies across the United States, including K-12 school districts, cities, counties, colleges, universities, and other public entities. BTCP is a direct contract holder, allowing cooperative members to purchase charging equipment without additional bidding.
- Purchasing Cooperative of America (PCA)Similar to 791, PCA is administered by an agency of the State of Texas but serves members in all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico. Government agencies, educational institutions, and nonprofits can access BTCP’s products through this cooperative.
Additional access through partners
BTCP products are also available through partner relationships on:
- NASPO (National Association of State Procurement Officials) – The ValuePoint cooperative purchasing program is part of the BTCP partner network. This respected cooperative provides public agencies with competitively solicited contracts that simplify the EV charging government bid process.
- GSA EDSC BPA (General Services Administration Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Blanket Purchase Agreement) – Primarily serving federal agencies
- Sourcewell – BTCP has applied for listing with Sourcewell
Real-world success: Petaluma School District leverages co-op purchasing through BTCP
When the Petaluma School District in California needed to electrify its transportation, they leveraged BTCP’s listing on a purchasing cooperative to streamline procurement. This allowed them to:
- Skip the lengthy bid process typically required for purchases over $50,000
- Select high-quality, reliable equipment from a pre-vetted supplier
- Accelerate their timeline for installing charging infrastructure
- Maintain compliance with public procurement regulations
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Benefits of EV charger cooperatives for government EV charging stations
While faster procurement is the most obvious advantage, purchasing cooperatives offer several other benefits:
- Competitive pricing – Cooperatives negotiate volume pricing that individual agencies might not achieve alone
- Reduced administrative burden – Your procurement team saves countless hours of preparation, solicitation, and evaluation
- Risk mitigation – Suppliers have been thoroughly vetted by cooperative procurement professionals
- Flexibility – Choose from multiple cooperative options based on your agency’s existing memberships
- Simplified process – Standardized terms and conditions eliminate contract negotiations
- Bypass bid requirements – Perhaps most importantly, purchases over $50,000 typically require going out to bid, but cooperative purchasing agreements allow agencies to completely bypass this step while remaining compliant with procurement regulations
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Rigorous co-op vetting process on EV charging government bids
BTCP didn’t simply sign up for these cooperative agreements. For both 791 and PCA, we submitted comprehensive RFPs (Requests for Proposals) and underwent thorough evaluation processes to ensure we meet the high standards required of suppliers. This vetting provides assurance to public agencies that cooperative-listed vendors have been pre-qualified for EV charging government bids based on factors such as product quality, pricing competitiveness, and company reliability.
How does this matter to your EV charger projects?
The transition to electric vehicles requires careful planning and timely execution. When grant funding becomes available or budgets are approved, the ability to quickly procure quality charging equipment can make the difference between a successful project and one that stalls due to administrative delays.
BTCP’s position across multiple purchasing cooperatives ensures that regardless of your public agency’s existing cooperative memberships, you likely already have access to our full line of reliable, American-made charging solutions.
Navigating complex funding environments
Public agencies face increasingly complex funding landscapes for electrification projects, often operating on prolonged timelines when securing funds. While federal projects may be subject to Buy America requirements, many state and local agency purchasing cooperatives aren’t bound by these same restrictions.
BTCP’s experience with purchasing cooperatives complements our broader funding expertise, allowing us to guide customers through the entire funding lifecycle — from initial grant application to final installation — ensuring that when funding becomes available, your organization’s electrification timeline moves forward without additional bottlenecks.
Ready to fast-track your government EV charging stations?
Don’t let procurement for government EV charging stations delay the impact on your goals of electrifying your vehicles or fleet. Contact BTCP today to learn how our purchasing cooperative listings can help you bypass bidding requirements while maintaining compliance with your agency’s procurement policies.
Our team can quickly verify your cooperative membership status and provide the documentation your procurement team needs to move forward immediately.
Visit our funding page to learn more about leveraging purchasing cooperatives for your EV charging needs.