For Immediate Release
Friday, June 15, 2007
School Purchasing Network marks second anniversary, provides
more than $2 million in savings to local districts
Governor Blagojevich’s call
for efficiencies means cost savings for local school
districts
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois
State Board of Education (ISBE) announced today that
since its inception two years
ago the Illinois School Purchasing Network (ISPN) has
saved local districts $2.2 million. Saturday, June
16, marks the second anniversary of the network and to
date
more than 600 Illinois school districts have joined.
Responding to Governor Blagojevich’s call to increase
efficiencies in government ISBE launched the Illinois
School Purchasing network in June 2005. Through the Illinois
School Purchasing Network shared services initiative,
ISBE partners with U.S. Communities, a national, not-for-profit
governmental purchasing cooperative. The ISPN builds
on the priority Governor Blagojevich and the State Board
have put on creating opportunities to help Illinois school
districts better serve their local communities.
“Governor Blagojevich has made school funding
and maximizing efficiencies a priority during his administration
and this initiative provides districts with another option
to help them stretch every dollar they receive for maximum
benefit,” said State Superintendent Christopher
Koch. “This allows school districts to have access
to high-quality products at some of the best available
government prices.”
U.S. Communities assists local and state government
agencies, school districts, higher education, and nonprofits
in reducing the cost of purchased goods through pooling
the purchasing power of public agencies nationwide. Forty-one
of the largest school districts in the nation work with
U.S. Communities.
School district contracts through the Illinois School
Purchasing Network are free, voluntary and non-exclusive,
with no spending minimums. U.S. Communities charges no
user fees, and combines more than $1 billion in annual
purchasing power through partnerships with 18,000 public
agencies in 50 states.
Products available include school and office supplies
and furniture; technology products; physical education
and playground equipment; electrical, communications
and data supplies; janitorial materials; carpeting and
flooring; and office machines.
Illinois School Purchasing Network facts:
- U.S. Communities’ vendors employ more than
16,000 Illinois residents.
- Of 875 districts in the
state, 60 percent are registered.
- In 2006 alone, Illinois
school districts save over $1.5 million.
- 438 districts
enrolled in the network’s first seven
months – June – December 2005.
More information, including registration information
for districts, about the Illinois School Purchasing Network
can be found online at: http://www.isbe.net/savings.
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