Underscoring its commitment to make its product portfolio available to the widest possible K12 education audience, ClearOne is participating in the PEPPM technology cooperative purchasing program administered by the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU).
The CSIU staff solicits bids on popular lines of hardware, software, and services satisfying legal bid requirements. LEAs can then release purchase orders for technology products without having to solicit their own bids. PEPPM bids on behalf of thousands of schools and agencies: public schools, vocational/technical schools, approved private schools, intermediate units, nonpublic schools, approved private schools, charter schools, community colleges, as well as public libraries. And, with vendor approval and permissible by statute, four-year colleges and universities, local and state governments, and other non-profit agencies are eligible.
“Participation in the PEPPM cooperative purchasing program will help schools and districts all across the country to receive the very best possible pricing on the industry’s best line of pro audio, conferencing, and collaboration solutions,” said Zee Hakimoglu, ClearOne’s chair and CEO. “Learning institutions of every size and type are increasingly AV-centric in the way they deliver content, and our involvement with this program is going to make it easier than ever for these institutions to leverage the unique performance benefits our products deliver.
According to Hakimoglu, buyers favor PEPPM because it saves them time and money. PEPPM aggregates demand across thousands of buyers, resulting in better pricing than sole-bid efforts can provide, and there is no maximum spend limitation. In fact, PEPPM has provided more than $500 million in savings while exceeding more than $1.8 billion in sales since the program started in 1982.
PEPPM is easy to use. Buyers have access to hundreds of product lines—all awarded to the lowest responsible bidder—and can place orders quickly and easily without the cost and delay associated with local bid development and award. Moreover, buyers can purchase directly from the awarded vendor, or a vendor-designated reseller or agent, giving the buyer flexibility in choosing whom they work with while ensuring they receive a bid protected price for the product.
PEPPM is available across the country. While the program began—and operated solely for many years—in Pennsylvania, buyers from other states can take advantage of the program. About 10 years ago, the CSIU partnered with Epylon Corporation to expand their reach to California. Today, through that continued partnership, the program is available nationally, and buyers in more than 40 states use PEPPM to make technology purchases.
