The National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA) has changed its name to Sourcewell to better reflect its purpose and to position itself for ongoing local and national growth. For members, vendors, and partners the name change is the only change. Sourcewell's mission, vision, values, and cooperative purchasing program remain the same.

The group was founded in 1978 as an educational cooperative service unit (ECSU) for its five-county region and has since expanded to service other government entities and non-profits across the country. This year, as it celebrates its 40^th anniversary, Sourcewell is a $3 billion self-funded agency. It saw a nearly 20% increase in contract purchasing volume in 2017.

Chad Coauette, executive director and chief executive officer of Sourcewell, anticipates that the organization’s contract purchasing volume will triple over the next five years.

Sourcewell’s value to its members begins with its vetting and establishment of partnerships with hundreds of national manufacturers and service industries. Schools, other government agencies, and nonprofits who are members of Sourcewell are then able to make purchases from these approved partners, saving them time in the procurement process. Members also save money because of the purchasing scale advantage they gain from being part of the cooperative.

Related: Geotab Awarded NJPA Contract for Fleet Services