Compliant, Competitive, and Convenient

Government Contracts & Procurement

Advexure has partnered with Sourcewell to offer public safety, government, and non-profits a nationally leveraged, competitively bid contract. Click Here for our Sourcewell Contract details.

Learn more

Compliant, Competitive, and Convenient

Government Contracts

Advexure has partnered with Sourcewell to offer public safety, government, and non-profits a nationally leveraged, competitively bid contract. Click Here for our Sourcewell Contract details.

Learn more

Sourcewell

Advexure is partnered with Sourcewell to offer public safety, government, and non-profits a nationally leveraged, fully-compliant, and competitively bid contract. Click here for our Sourcewell Contract details

HOW CAN SOURCEWELL CONTRACTS BENEFIT MY AGENCY?

Participating Member agencies experience significant time and resource savings through national contract purchasing.

  • Streamline the contract processes and maximize efficiencies
  • No need to establish and/or duplicate bid documents or contract process
  • Reduce the impact of staff reductions and budget cuts

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF MEMBERSHIP WITH SOURCEWELL?

A Sourcewell Membership creates a legal paper trail, justifying your purchasing decision without any cost, obligation, or liability to your agency. As a public agency, our contracting process at Sourcewell aligns with the competitive bidding process required by our Members, leveraging national volume pricing for our contract.

  • Experience the convenience and time-saving advantages of purchasing through nationally leveraged contracts
  • Purchase the exceptionally high quality products/equipment that your agency needs

Sourcewell

Advexure is partnered with Sourcewell to offer public safety, government, and non-profits a nationally leveraged, fully-compliant, and competitively bid contract. Click here for our Sourcewell Contract details

HOW CAN SOURCEWELL CONTRACTS BENEFIT MY AGENCY?

Participating Member agencies experience significant time and resource savings through national contract purchasing.

  • Streamline the contract processes and maximize efficiencies
  • No need to establish and/or duplicate bid documents or contract process
  • Reduce the impact of staff reductions and budget cuts

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF MEMBERSHIP WITH SOURCEWELL?

A Sourcewell Membership creates a legal paper trail, justifying your purchasing decision without any cost, obligation, or liability to your agency.

  • Experience the convenience and time-saving advantages of purchasing through nationally leveraged contracts
  • Purchase the exceptionally high quality products/equipment that your agency needs

Sourcewell

Advexure is partnered with Sourcewell to offer public safety, government, and non-profits a nationally leveraged, fully-compliant, and competitively bid contract. Click here for our Sourcewell Contract details

HOW CAN SOURCEWELL CONTRACTS BENEFIT MY AGENCY?

Participating Member agencies experience significant time and resource savings through national contract purchasing.


  • Streamline the contract processes and maximize efficiencies
  • No need to establish and/or duplicate bid documents or contract process
  • Reduce the impact of staff reductions and budget cuts

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF A MEMBERSHIP WITH SOURCEWELL?

A Sourcewell Membership creates a legal paper trail, justifying your purchasing decision without any cost, obligation, or liability to your agency. As a public agency, our contracting process at Sourcewell aligns with the competitive bidding process required by our Members, leveraging national volume pricing for our contract.


  • Experience the convenience and time-saving advantages of purchasing through nationally leveraged contracts
  • Purchase the exceptionally high quality products/equipment that your agency needs

Cooperative Purchasing FAQ

Why procure drones or Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for my government organization or public safety agency?

Procuring drones or Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for government or public entities offers numerous strategic advantages, enhancing operational efficiency, safety, and the quality of services provided to the community. Here are several compelling reasons for integrating drones into public sector operations:

Enhanced Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness: Drones can perform tasks faster and more efficiently than traditional methods. For tasks like aerial mapping, infrastructure inspection, and large area surveillance, drones can cover vast areas in a fraction of the time, significantly reducing manpower and resource allocation costs.

Improved Safety: Deploying drones for tasks such as inspecting hazardous environments, natural disaster assessment, and search and rescue operations minimizes the risk to human life. Drones can access hard-to-reach or dangerous areas without putting personnel in harm's way.

Accurate Data Collection: UAS technology enables precise data collection and real-time insights. High-resolution imagery and advanced sensors can aid in everything from urban planning and environmental monitoring to emergency response and traffic management, leading to better-informed decision-making.

Rapid Emergency Response: In emergency situations, every second counts. Drones can be rapidly deployed to assess situations, deliver emergency supplies, or provide aerial perspectives to command centers, enhancing the effectiveness of emergency response strategies.

Environmental Monitoring and Conservation: Drones offer a unique vantage point for environmental monitoring, wildlife tracking, and land management. They can help identify illegal activities such as poaching or illegal logging, monitor the health of natural habitats, and contribute to conservation efforts.

Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance: Regular inspection of critical infrastructure like bridges, roads, and utilities is essential for public safety. Drones can conduct these inspections more frequently and thoroughly than traditional methods, identifying potential issues before they become hazardous.

Enhanced Community Services: Drones can also play a role in improving the services offered to the community, from aerial footage for public events to supporting educational and social initiatives with innovative technology experiences.

What is Sourcewell?

Sourcewell is a self-sustaining government organization with over 40 years of dedicated service aimed at helping government, education, and nonprofit agencies operate more efficiently. It provides a variety of solutions, including:

  • Contract Purchasing Solutions: Sourcewell offers over 400 awarded contracts that are competitively solicited nationally. These solutions are designed to streamline the purchasing process, enabling agencies to acquire goods and services more efficiently and cost-effectively.
  • Technology Solutions for Schools: Through a specialized division called Sourcewell Technology, it provides technology solutions tailored for the educational sector. These solutions are developed to the unique needs of educators and students, ensuring that schools have access to the latest and most relevant technology.
  • Regional Programs and Services: Sourcewell supports area schools and communities with shared professional services and training opportunities. These programs are designed to meet the needs of its five-county service region in Minnesota, offering localized support that fosters community development and efficiency.

How does government or public procurement work?

Government or public procurement is how government agencies acquire goods, services, and works from the private sector. This process is fundamental for governments to function effectively. They often cannot produce all the inputs for their goods and services, such as public infrastructure and national defense. Public procurement accounts for a significant portion of the global economy, representing about 12 percent of global GDP in 2018​​.

The authority for the U.S. Federal Government to enter into contracts is not explicitly stated in the U.S. Constitution but is considered an incident to the general right of sovereignty. This means the government can enter into contracts as necessary to execute its powers, guided by various statutes, regulations, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which defines the procurement process in detail​​.

Government procurement is heavily regulated to prevent fraud, waste, corruption, and local protectionism. Laws in most countries, including the U.S., require government agencies to issue public tenders for procurement above a certain threshold. This ensures transparency and fairness in the procurement process, allowing businesses to bid on government contracts. The process typically involves evaluating the competency of businesses based on several criteria, including their operational ability, compliance with schedules, performance record, and legal eligibility​​.

The bidding process can be complex and is designed to ensure that the government acquires goods and services at fair and pre-negotiated prices. Historically, this process favored the lowest bids, but there has been a shift towards evaluating the best value, considering both price and quality. For high-value or highly technical contracts, the government may issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Quotation (RFQ) to solicit detailed proposals from potential contractors​​.

Government procurement policies have evolved, with significant legislation, including the Armed Services Procurement Act of 1947 and the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, laying the foundation for today's system. Subsequent amendments have further refined the system and act to simplify and make the procurement process more direct.

What is Cooperative Purchasing?

Cooperative purchasing is a procurement strategy that allows multiple government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations to pool their buying power to obtain more favorable terms and pricing on products and services. This approach leverages the collective purchasing volume of these entities to negotiate better deals, which individual organizations might not be able to secure on their own.

How does Cooperative Purchasing work?

In a cooperative purchasing agreement, a lead agency typically issues a competitive solicitation for a particular product or service on behalf of the participating members. Vendors submit their bids, and a contract is awarded to the chosen supplier(s) after a thorough evaluation. Once the contract is in place, member entities can "piggyback" on this agreement, purchasing goods or services directly from the awarded vendors at the negotiated prices without the need to conduct their bidding process. At its most fundamental level, cooperative practice takes two forms: “joint solicitation” and “piggybacking.”

 

What are the benefits of Cooperative Purchasing?

  1. Cost Savings: By consolidating their purchasing power, members can achieve significant savings compared to buying individually.
  2. Time Efficiency: Members save time by eliminating the need to go through their own lengthy and complex bidding processes.
  3. Compliance: Cooperative contracts are typically awarded through a competitive bidding process that complies with public procurement laws, ensuring transparency and fairness.
  4. Access to Quality Products: With more buying power, cooperatives can attract bids from leading suppliers, ensuring access to high-quality products and services.
  5. Simplified Procurement: Members can easily procure products and services through pre-negotiated contracts, streamlining the procurement process.

Who benefits from Cooperative Purchasing?

Cooperative purchasing is particularly beneficial for public safety agencies, government entities at all levels (federal, state, and local), educational institutions (K-12 to higher education), and non-profit organizations seeking efficient, cost-effective procurement solutions.

Advexure leverages cooperative purchasing agreements, such as our contract with Sourcewell, to offer drones and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to eligible entities at discounted rates. This not only simplifies the procurement process but also ensures that these organizations have access to the latest technology to enhance their operations, all while adhering to procurement regulations and standards.

Please contact us for more information on leveraging cooperative purchasing through Advexure and our partnership with Sourcewell.

What is Joint Solicitation?

When multiple agencies consolidate their needs for products and services into a unified procurement effort, this is known as joint procurement. This collective approach binds each participating agency to the resultant contract, fostering a proactive and collaborative procurement method delineating clear requirements. Joint procurement offers suppliers a transparent view of the aggregate demand and service expectations, enhancing the bargaining power of the agencies involved. Typically, this method involves fewer agencies but requires a more concentrated effort at the outset to strengthen their negotiating stance.

What is "Piggybacking"?

"Piggybacking" or "Riding" is when one agency adopts the contract of another without being an original participant in the procurement process. Agencies that choose to piggyback are subject to the original contract's stipulations, including pricing and terms. Unlike joint procurement, piggybacking does not provide suppliers with upfront information on total purchase volumes, potentially limiting the ability to offer the best possible prices. This retrospective procurement strategy grows in relevance as the number and scope of cooperative programs expand, allowing for pricing and terms adjustments based on the contract's repeated use.

How can I check if I am a Sourcewell member?

To check if you are a Sourcewell member, you can visit the Sourcewell website and look for an option to Lookup your account number or Register for an account. These options are typically found on the main page and provide a straightforward way for organizations to confirm their membership status or sign up if they are not already members

Where is Sourcewell located?

Sourcewell is located in Staples, Minnesota.

How can I find out more about Sourcewell?

To find out more about Sourcewell, you can visit their website, or reach out to a member of our enterprise sales team.