NCSA First Responder Supplies and Equipment Co-Op Program
FireStationFurniture.com is proud to participate in the NC Sheriff's Association First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program!
This is a cooperative bid program that achieves competitive pricing on supplies and equipment that local government agencies purchase. The Association’s program helps to eliminate duplication of effort through the creation of one statewide bid that can be used by all counties and municipalities throughout the United States.
What does this mean for you? This program may allow your department to purchase items listed on the bid from FireStationFurniture.com at a discounted price and without having to obtain competitive bids from other vendors. This process is intended to save you both time and money!
You can view the information on the NCSA's website here.
Contact sales@firestationfurniture.com for more information or view the FAQ's below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question – Who can participate?
Answer – Any local government agency throughout the United States can participate in the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program.
All government agencies must follow their local governing purchasing ordinances.
Question -- What kind of supplies and equipment does the NCSA offer through its First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program?
Answer -- The NCSA First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program provides all government agencies with over 250 separate equipment product offerings. Within these product offerings you will find Catalog Discount items and products that are considered to be an upgrade or downgrade.
The NCSA Program provides government agencies with firearms and accessories, ammunition, medical equipment and supplies, uniforms, turnout gear, non-lethal weapons, and much more.
The NCSA Program offers over 40 categories (groups) of First Responder supplies and equipment.
Question -- Does a local government agency have to register or become a member of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association?
Answer -- No. All government agencies can participate in the NCSA’s First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program without joining the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association.
There is no registration with the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association required and no registration fee required. A government agency does not need to be a member of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association to purchase from the First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program.
Question -- Is there a commission fee?
Answer -- Yes. Vendors must include a three-quarters-of-one percent (.0075) commission fee in their base Bid prices, and their quotes and pricing for all additional equipment items (options), excluding any state regulated fees including tags. The three-quarters-of-one percent fee will be incorporated into, and made a part of, the total invoice amount and shall not be treated or added as a separate line item. Fees are based on the total invoice cost, excluding trade-ins. Trade-ins and other exchanges will not reduce or impact the NCSA commission fee calculation. No other commission fee(s) will be applicable to any transaction relative to the contract.
This commission fee is non-negotiable and will be collected on all purchase orders using the NCSA First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program.
This commission fee is used by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association to continue to support all sheriffs’ offices in the State of North Carolina with ongoing support, education, and necessary training.
Question -- Can the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association help with an Interlocal Purchasing Agreement (ILA) or Master Agreement?
Answer -- Yes! Please contact Jason Bennett, North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, at 919-459-8195 or at jbennett@ncsheriffs.net to begin the process of having an ILA established for your county or city.
Question -- How does the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association choose the vendors on this First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program?
Answer -- The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association conducts a solicitation for participation throughout the Southeast. The NCSA sends out over 600 solicitations to First Responder Supplies and Equipment vendors and manufacturers asking to participate in the NCSA’s First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program.
The NCSA develops, with the assistance of vendors and manufacturers, a comprehensive listing by vendor/manufacturer of supplies and equipment specifications that are most popular with first responders. Once these supplies and equipment items are submitted, the NCSA goes out to bid on each item.
Each participating First Responder Supplies and Equipment vendor or manufacturer is required to submit an electronic bid submission through the Association’s online bid system, VendorLink, along with submitting all required cooperative purchasing documentation.
This competitive process provides multiple sources of supply based on a pre-set maximum price which the Customer will pay. Contracts will be awarded to all responsive and responsible bidders. Any VendorLink entries received that do not meet solicitation requirements will be considered non-responsive.
Question -- How long are the NCSA’s First Responder Supplies and Equipment
Procurement contracts effective?
Answer -- All contracts are effective for 365 days. All contracts become effective on June 18th and will expire on June 17th the following year. A contract may be renewed by mutual agreement between the NCSA and the Contractor, at the sole option and discretion of the NCSA, for up to two additional consecutive years, on a year-to-year basis.
The NCSA has worked with each contractor to ensure all NCSA pricing is locked in for one full contract year, despite any changes in supplies or equipment. There are few exceptions of which the NCSA will accept on an individual basis.
Question -- If I am the manufacturer can I participate?
Answer -- Manufacturers may hold the contract. If an individual dealer who represents the manufacturer chooses to participate, they must submit their own bid and hold their own contract. The contract holder is responsible for providing the NCSA with a copy of all purchase orders.
All manufacturers must also ensure any proper warranty work can be completed for all agencies submitting a purchase order.
Should a third-party distributor wish to sell products off the Manufacturer’s Contract Award, it is the manufacturer's responsibility to:
- Ensure all NCSA First Responder Supplies and Equipment Terms and Conditions are complied with.
- Submit purchase orders per section 3.19 of the program’s Terms and Conditions, and track and report sales within the quarterly report per section 3.19 of the program’s Terms and Conditions.
The name of the manufacturer holding the Contract Award must be included on all submitted purchase orders.
Question -- What are the steps to use the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program?
Answer -- Step 1 - Access the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association’s First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program’s website. You can access the website by typing https://ncsheriffs.org/procurement into your internet browser.
On the NCSA First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement website, you will find all supplies and equipment contracts, all supplies and equipment listed on our program, the price for each item, an easy-to-use vendor directory, and much more. Everything you will need to procure supplies and equipment off the NCSA Program is found on this website.
Step 2 - Find the supplies and/or equipment you wish to purchase by accessing the First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement page found on the Association’s website at https://ncsheriffs.org/services/first-responder-supplies-and-equipment-procurement-program. This page includes the name of each category (group) and each brand/model broken down by awarded vendor, the base price for supplies or equipment, discount percentage offered, and a hotlink to each item’s full specification (build sheet) and option sheet which includes information on all standard equipment, available options, and any models that are considered to be an upgrade or downgrade. Please click on the red build sheet title to access that item’s full specification (build sheet) and the red option sheet title to access any information regarding available options.
Step 3 - Access the NCSA’s Vendor Directory by visiting the Association’s First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement website.
Step 4 - Contact the vendor for the supplies and/or equipment you wish to purchase to begin the purchasing process.
Step 5 - Issue your purchase order directly to the contracted vendor/manufacturer for the supplies and/or equipment you wish to purchase and a copy to the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association to amartin@ncsheriffs.net. A copy of all purchase orders is due to the NCSA within 10 business days once they have been issued. All dealers/manufacturers involved in a purchase and the purchasing agency must submit a copy of the purchase order.
Question -- How can a government agency learn more about the NCSA’s bidding processes, delivery instructions, requirements for the participating dealers/manufacturers, and more on the NCSA’s First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program?
Answer -- The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association has an official Terms and Conditions document that regulates the Program. A copy of the Terms and Conditions can be found by visiting the Association’s First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Website.
All contracted dealers/manufacturers have agreed to abide by all Terms and Conditions listed within this document.
Question -- Who does a county or city agency call when they need assistance or help? Who can we contact if we have issues with a contracted vendor?
Answer -- Please contact either Jason Bennett, North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, at 919-459-8195 or jbennett@ncsheriffs.net or Anna Martin, North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, at 919-459-1072 or amartin@ncsheriffs.net.
Question -- How can I stay up to date on all information relating to the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program?
Answer -- You can sign up by visiting the Associations First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement website. You will receive all future updates relating to this First Responder Supplies and Equipment Procurement Program.
