By Irene Butler
IIBEC is raising concerns about legislation in both Georgia and Virginia that would expand cooperative purchasing in both states. IIBEC opposes the use of cooperative purchasing programs for publicly funded construction projects. IIBEC advocates for the use of independent design consultants with no financial interest in products specified and installed on all publicly funded construction projects.
Georgia’s House Bill 663 and Virginia’s Senate Bill 326 would extend cooperative purchasing to roofing and building enclosure projects, services that require detailed, project-specific evaluation. In the case of Virginia, the legislation is a reversal of the important steps Virginia took in 2018 when legislation was passed and signed into law prohibiting the use of cooperative purchasing on public construction projects.
While cooperative procurement may reduce costs for simple commodities, applying it to complex architectural and engineering services risks undermining professional oversight, discouraging comprehensive design, and increasing the likelihood of costly building performance issues.
Roofing systems in schools and other public facilities must meet strict performance standards, code requirements, and long-term durability needs. Tying funding eligibility to a single supplier or proprietary specification could incentivize cost-driven decisions over competence, potentially jeopardizing safety, project quality, and taxpayer investment. While efficiency in public procurement is an important goal, roofing projects warrant procurement approaches that preserve technical evaluation, professional judgment, and project-specific decision-making to protect public safety and taxpayer investment. IIBEC urges lawmakers in both states not to adopt the bills.
