The mission of CUE is to provide access to quality products and services for the Association members at the best possible price.
We believe that:
Our membership is the first priority of the organization.
CUE membership should be affordable, save time, and money.
Membership requires active, responsible participation.
CUE should support the community.
CUE shall provide purchasing expertise and a support network for its members.
CUE must be responsive to the needs of the membership.
Communication between the Steering Committee, vendors, and members is essential.
CUE is accountable to members and vendors to employ accepted legal procedures.
What is CUE?
CUE is a professional, non-profit association that makes it possible for public, non-profit entities to save substantial sums of money through volume collective purchasing. All that is necessary to join is a small annual fee and a willingness to participate and share in our common future.
Membership
Increasing annually, our current membership consists of more than 70 separate entities including county, city, township, and village governmental unity, public and private schools, The University of Akron, and a variety of non-profit organizations from four separate counties. Letters requesting membership may be sent via email to Melissa Raber, Fiscal Officer, info.cuepurchasing@gmail.com, throughout the year and are presented to the membership for acceptance at the next General Membership meeting after submission.
Organizational Structure
CUE is governed by an Executive Committee consisting of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and 3 At-Large Representatives. The Executive Committee oversees the activities of the Fiscal Officer including the bid process. The Fiscal Officer prepares the specifications for each contract commodity group, tabulates the bid responses, and presents recommendations to the General Membership for consideration. Additionally, the Fiscal Officer is charged with taking minutes, paying bills, member’s vendor reports, and association attendance.
Purchasing Through Cooperation
The Membership consists of a widely diverse group with specific needs of their organization. Although each member is organizationally unique, there are common guidelines, laws, and ethical practices that apply to all or most of the membership. CUE incorporates these common items in all requests for proposal and contract awards, thus enabling the membership to obtain the right product at the right price at the right time. Collective or pooled purchasing allows large and small members to gain the advantage of volume pricing and enhanced services from suppliers. In addition to volume pricing and enhanced services, members have the opportunity to network with other purchasing professionals. Networking is invaluable when seeking expert knowledge about products, sources of supply, or the latest purchasing techniques.
Purchasing Procedures
Purchases and payments are made by each local member on his purchase order. CUE does not warehouse materials.
Membership Expectations
The strength of the Association rests with the individual members. Because purchasing people are in a position to provide or withhold substantial rewards for suppliers who serve their organization, they must have a highly developed sense of professional ethics and a willingness to serve their organization in an honorable way. To assist the organization in meeting its stated purpose and enhance the integrity of our collective purchasing, the members are requested to:
To purchase through association agreements all that is feasible, in order that the Association’s efforts will be to the maximum benefit of the membership as a whole.
To prepare conservatively and submit promptly estimates of quantities of merchandise needs to the Contract Administrator when requested for use in soliciting quotations.
To cooperate with vendors to hold their costs at a minimum, thereby, helping the Association realize its general purpose.
To demand honesty in sales representation and refuse to purchase from vendors who apply unethical practices to obtain business.
To participate in the Association through regular attendance at meetings as well as the submission upon request of commodity estimates and vendor reports.
Association Agreements
Annually, CUE members cooperatively purchase through the Association agreements goods totally in excess of $10,000,000.00.
Examples of purchasing categories (but not limited to) are as follows: Gasoline, Diesel Fuel and Distillate Products, Salt - Road, Sidewalk, Water Softener, Tires and Vehicles.