COSTARS PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

SUPPLIER GUIDE

COSTARS PROGRAM

PARTICIPATION

Revised 2-11-22

Forward

The purpose of this guide is to acquaint potential suppliers with the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania's cooperative purchasing program, "COSTARS", managed by the Department of

General Services (DGS) Bureau of Procurement.

The COSTARS Program provides registered local public procurement units as well as state

affiliated entities (members) and suppliers a tool to find and do business with each other

effectively using a contract established by DGS.

We welcome you as a potential supplier to the COSTARS Program.

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Introduction

The passage of the Commonwealth Procurement Code, Act 57 of 1998 ("Code"), permitted

local public procurement units (LPPUs) and state-affiliated entities to engage in cooperative

purchasing with the Commonwealth. Initially, DGS limited the LPPUs' cooperative purchasing

options to certain statewide agency contracts. In spring 2004, DGS developed the COSTARS

Program to increase the cooperative purchasing options available to its members.

In 2004, the General Assembly passed an amendment to the Code that expanded DGS's

authority, allowing DGS to enter into contracts exclusively for the benefit of LPPUs and stateaffiliated entities. DGS has included these special non-Commonwealth agency contracts, known

as "COSTARS-exclusive contracts", as part of its COSTARS Program. All DGS contracts

through which LPPUs and state-affiliated entities may make purchases, including specific

statewide agency contracts as well as COSTARS-exclusive contracts, are part of the COSTARS

Program. Local purchasers using these contracts must be registered COSTARS members.

This guide is for suppliers who wish to do business with COSTARS members using a

COSTARS-exclusive contract established by DGS. (Commonwealth agencies may not make

purchases from COSTARS-exclusive contracts.) While this guide addresses COSTARSexclusive contract participation, suppliers may also do business with COSTARS members using

certain statewide agency contracts. For more information regarding statewide agency contracts

participation, please visit the DGS Materials & Services Procurement website at

dgs..

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Table of Contents

ONE

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

TWO

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

OVERVIEW

Page 6

Legislative History

Contracts

Member-Specific Benefits of COSTARS Participation

Supplier-Specific Benefits of COSTARS Participation

Frequently Asked Questions

MEMBERS

Page 8

Member Eligibility

Member Registration

Member Participation

Purchasers

THREE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SUPPLIERS

3.1

3.2

3.3

FOUR

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

FIVE

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

5.5

5.6

5.7

5.8

5.9

5.10

5.11

Page 10

Supplier Registration

Registering with the PA Department of State

Department of General Services Small and Small Diverse Business Programs

SOLICITATIONS & SOLICITATION RESPONSES

Page 11

Bidding Opportunities

e-Alert Subscription Service

Solicitations

Submission of Bids

Exceptions or Qualifications to Provisions

Facsimile Bids

Electronic Bidding

Bid Opening Date

Public Bid Openings (Electronic Bids)

EVALUATION, AWARDS & PERFORMANCE

Page 13

Signature of Bid

Questions

Multiple Awards

Administrative Fee

Bid Protest

COSTARS-Exclusive Contract Accessibility

Contractor Responsibility Provisions

Performance Bond (Security)

¡°Assembly/Installation/Construction Activities¡± when applicable as an Ancillary Service

Subcontracting

Right-to-Know Law

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SIX

6.1

6.2

6.3

6.4

6.5

CONTRACT SALES

Page 16

Ordering and Payments

Volume of Sales

Marketing

Sales Reporting

Suppliers Gateway

APPENDIX A

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Page 18

APPENDIX B

DEFINITIONS

Page 19

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