Oregon counties stand to gain $818 million from the American Recovery Plan enacted earlier this year. How can counties—large and small—create the most community benefit from those dollars?

One way is through modernizing how they procure goods and services.

On July 1, the State of Oregon will launch OregonBuys eProcurement system, replacing the longstanding Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN). OregonBuys is built upon Periscope Holdings’ public sector procurement software, used by more than 1,000 government organizations and 500,000 suppliers around the country.

Oregon’s cities, counties, special districts, and nonprofit organizations that are members of the Oregon Cooperative Procurement Program (ORCPP) can use OregonBuys. For information on becoming an ORCPP member contact info.orcpp@oregon.gov

Current OregonBuys functionality includes the ability to post bid solicitations and shop across more than 400 statewide price agreements. Counties can realize immediate benefits with OregonBuys, including:

  • Cost savings. Lower prices for goods and services can be found shopping in the OregonBuys Marketplace from statewide price agreements negotiated by state buyers to bring high-volume discounts. These agreements span technology, office supplies, public safety equipment, food services, supplies for helping reopen organizations safely post-pandemic, and much more.
  • Convenience. Hundreds of hours in staff time can be saved by not creating Requests for Proposals (RFPs), reviewing proposals, and negotiating individual agreements.
  • Security. Easily accessible statewide price agreements are all vetted for compliance with Oregon law.
  • More strategic sourcing. This modern system offers more robust business intelligence capabilities to help agencies better understand what they buy and identify areas for potential savings.
  • Lower software acquisition and management costs. OregonBuys can be used in place of individually purchased e-procurement software systems, saving software purchase and implementation costs.

Marion County is one of many Oregon jurisdictions that will continue using the state’s price agreements, easily available through OregonBuys, because of the savings of time and money.

“The ORCPP program is extremely beneficial for Marion County,” noted Camber Schlag, contracts and procurement manager for the county. “It saves our staff time in procuring goods and services as well as providing us a financial savings utilizing statewide price agreements. In addition to the savings, knowing the agreements are compliant under Oregon law gives the added comfort of using these agreements.”

Future capabilities of OregonBuys that will also be made available to cities include receiving electronic bids, notifying vendors of their awards, and making purchases directly within the Marketplace.

As Oregon’s counties emerge from the pandemic and recover their financial footing, they have the opportunity to provide their communities with more for their money. They can save valuable staff time and minimize their purchasing risk by joining state agencies, cities, and special districts in modernizing their procurement functions with OregonBuys.

To learn more or get access to OregonBuys go to info.orcpp@oregon.gov.

Contributed by: Kevin Renner | General Manager of the OregonBuys Program for Periscope Holdings