Q: What product is River Valley approved to sell through the COSTARS Contract?
A: River Valley is offering supply and delivery, or supply delivery and installation of engineered wood fiber for use as a playground safety surfacing approved on the COSTARS contract.
Q: Who is eligible to purchase from the COSTARS Contract (COSTARS-14 Recreational and Fitness equipment)?
A: Any contract that the Department of General Services (DGS) bids as a COSTARS contract is for exclusive use by LPPUs and state affiliated entities who have registered with DGS as COSTARS members. Commonwealth executive and independent agencies are not eligible COSTARS members.
Q: What entities are considered a “Local Public Procurement Unit” (LPPU)?
A: A “local public procurement unit” is defined as:
- any political subdivision
- any public authority
- any tax-exempt, nonprofit education or public health institution or organization
- any nonprofit fire company, nonprofit rescue company, nonprofit ambulance company
- and to the extent provided by law, any other entity, including a council of government or an area government, that expends public funds for the procurement of supplies and services.
- As well, DGS Legal Counsel recently ruled that certain FOR-PROFIT entities are eligible to participate in the COSTARS Program. Generally, these entities would include those that expend public funds in the areas of education and public health. (e.g. Assisted Living, Nursing Home, Independent Living)
Q: How do potential members register for membership into the COSTARS Program?
A: Potential members will need to go the COSTARS website and complete the online registration form. After a registration is received and approved, an eligible COSTARS Member will receive an approval letter via e-mail along with their COSTARS Member ID Number. In most cases, DGS will turn around approvals within 3 business days of registration receipt. Turnaround time may be longer for certain non-profit and/or for-profit entities.
Q: Is there an annual fee for members to participate in the COSTARS Program?
A: NO. The only fees connected with the COSTARS Program are charged to COSTARS suppliers.
Q: What does the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) say about COSTARS?
A: The PDE does not give any specific regulations regarding the COSTARS Contract. Their Web site does, however, give direct access into the COSTARS page and lists its benefits to the schools in Pennsylvania. Access the PDE’s COSTARS webpage for additional information.
Q: How do members and potential purchasers access the Contracts and River Valley’s awarded products as part of COSTARS-14 Recreational and Fitness Equipment?
A: DGS has posted to the DGS COSTARS Website a “Book of Awards,” including supplier, product and pricing data, as submitted with each bid response. Most data is presently in PDF Format. DGS will only update the Book of Awards to replace a supplier’s PDF file with a supplier’s Bid Item Workbook in Excel format and finally, a link to a supplier’s website. Prospective COSTARS Purchasers may access the Book of Awards via the “COSTARS Members Area”. The COSTARS Members Area is accessible only to registered COSTARS participants via member ID number (obtained by registering with COSTARS as detailed above).
Q: How do Members/Potential Purchasers procure awarded products from River Valley?
A: Currently, members will access a Suppliers “Book of Awards” through the DGS COSTARS Members Area on their Web site. There, they will find a link to the River Valley COSTARS Web site.
Q: Are the purchasers required to submit a copy of their purchase orders to DGS COSTARS Program?
A: NO. After you have reviewed the specific statewide or COSTARS contract in which your organization is interested, you deal directly with River Valley to order the contract item(s). You must, however, state the contract number on your purchase order to River Valley, and you should include your COSTARS member number.
Q: Do purchasers need to notify DGS of items ordered from state and/or COSTARS contracts?
A: If ordering from COSTARS Contracts, the answer is NO. We, as the supplier, are required to provide monthly reports to the DGS. If purchasing through any other statewide contract, however, the answer is YES. The purchaser must provide monthly reports to the DGS on your purchases.
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