COSTARS, also known as the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's cooperative purchasing program, is a state procurement program implemented to streamline the purchasing process and facilitate the acquisition of goods and services for state-affiliated entities.
COSTARS stands for Cooperative Sourcing to Achieve Reduction of Spend, and it serves as a cooperative purchasing vehicle that allows eligible local public procurement units (LPPUs) such as municipalities, schools, counties, and non-profit organizations in Pennsylvania to access a wide range of products, services, and equipment at competitive prices.
The program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS), and it aims to leverage the collective purchasing power of LPPUs to obtain better prices, reduce administrative costs, and increase efficiency in procurement processes. By pooling their needs, COSTARS participants can enjoy the benefits of volume pricing, cost savings, and access to a diverse range of vendors, suppliers, and manufacturers. This program covers various categories such as vehicles, construction equipment, office supplies, technology, and professional services.
COSTARS aims to simplify the procurement process by prequalifying suppliers through a competitive bidding process, ensuring that vendors meet certain quality, pricing, and performance criteria. Participating entities can then leverage these prequalified vendors to make purchases directly, eliminating the need for individual procurement efforts and simplifying the evaluation and selection process. COSTARS ultimately helps maximize resources, improve purchasing power, and promote collaborative procurement practices among public entities in Pennsylvania.
