Smarter Fire Service Purchasing: Understanding Cooperative Procurement
How can fire departments make smarter purchasing decisions while maximizing budgets and meeting operational needs?
Purchasing fire apparatus, equipment and other essential resources involves more than knowing what your department needs. Understanding how to navigate procurement, evaluate purchasing options and make the most of available funding is just as important.
Join Crosby Grindle, President of Cooperative Services at Sourcewell, and Fire Chief Ronnie Cottrell of Southern Platte Fire Protection District for a practical discussion on fire service procurement and cooperative purchasing.
Discover how cooperative purchasing—described as “mutual aid for your procurement process”—can provide an additional purchasing option while helping departments navigate complex procurement requirements.
Drawing on nearly 30 years of fire service experience, Chief Cottrell will share real-world insights into how cooperative purchasing has supported his department's needs and helped inform strategic purchasing decisions.
Whether you're purchasing equipment, planning major investments or looking to improve your department's procurement process, this session will help you make informed decisions, strengthen collaboration and maximize public resources.
What You'll Learn
- Understand your purchasing options: Explore common procurement methods and how to choose an appropriate approach for major purchases.
- Explore cooperative purchasing: Learn how cooperative contracts work and where they fit within your department's procurement strategy.
- Evaluate purchasing requirements: Understand key considerations, including local policies, funding restrictions, supplier options, pricing, approvals and documentation.
- Strengthen procurement partnerships: Learn how to engage purchasing professionals earlier, ask the right questions and align procurement decisions with operational needs.
Who Should Attend?
Fire chiefs, company officers, department administrators, purchasing professionals and fire and EMS leaders involved in equipment purchasing, budgeting and resource planning.
Register