Columbia is proud to offer advantageous purchasing options for governmental agencies looking to save time and money by dodging the bidding process entirely. One of those options is National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance or NCPA. 

Sounds great, but what is NCPA?

Great Question. The NCPA is a leading national government purchasing cooperative working to reduce the cost of goods and services by leveraging the purchasing power of public agencies in all 50 states. NCPA utilizes state-of-the-art procurement resources and solutions that result in cooperative purchasing contracts that ensure all public agencies are receiving products and services of the highest quality at the lowest prices.

Columbia’s Lead Agency: The lead agency or first organization to negotiate a contract with Columbia and the National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (NCPA) was Region 14 Education Service Center. Region 14 ESC is located in Abilene, Texas, and comprises 43 school districts.  Because Region 14 ESC did all of the work of going through the bid process and signing a contract with us, any agency that qualifies for purchasing through the NCPA will automatically receive the best price possible that was established for Region 14 ESC. This allows Columbia to focus on finding the perfect vehicle solution for other organizations that want to purchase through the NCPA. 

Interesting. But what does this all mean for me and my procurement efforts?

Basically, utilizing Columbia’s contract with NCPA means that you have access to pre-negotiated pricing between Columbia and a governmental lead agency. By utilizing the work done with the lead agency, you are left with two massive benefits:

TIME SAVED: Normally, you would be stuck in the middle of the bid process for weeks or months, waiting on the negotiations that establish the correct pricing from all bidders. By working with Columbia and NCPA, this process has been completed ahead of time, allowing you to pass by this long ordeal entirely.

MONEY SAVED: Most Procurement teams know the struggle of fighting for the best pricing within the bidding system. By working with Columbia and NCPA, you are able to take advantage of the work done by the lead agency who negotiated the best possible competitive pricing.

To learn more about your state's laws on cooperative purchasing and see if you qualify for NCPA, click HERE. Register for the NCPA HERE.

Columbia has a reputation for being the most robust utility vehicle line-up on the market, and in an effort to deliver the best transportation solutions for your needs, we’ve re-envisioned the Columbia line-up. We’d like to (re)introduce you to the Magnificent 7: Chariot, Expediter, Stockchaser, Journeyman, Utilitruck, Custom Platform, and our ever popular Payloader. Each of these vehicles are ideally suited for different tasks, so let’s look at the new line-up a little more closely, and see how each vehicle can meet your transportation needs.

Chariot: Our Chariot saves valuable time getting to work, enabling key personnel to spend more time doing work. The Chariot moves managers, executives, security, floor staff, and others around indoor and outdoor facilities quickly, quietly, and efficiently. Pure electric power, narrow width design, tight turning radius, and stand-up operation give you long range, impressive maneuverability, and high visibility everywhere you go.

Expediter: The Expediter is designed for maximum productivity without compromising speed or safety. Its narrow design, tight turning radius and impressive capacity rating enables you to deliver payloads through tight spots or right up to the job site. A standard fold-down seat back converts the Expediter into a two-person transport, making it perfect for pulling double duty in any facility. 

 Stockchaser:  Replace large, inefficient material handlers with a smaller, faster utility vehicle perfect for order-picking, stock replenishment, towing, hauling and more. An industry leading 48-volt electric power system and 133-inch turning radius make it the perfect choice to handle loads in tight spaces just about anywhere—all day long. Stand-up operation and adjustable backrest provide safety and comfort while a tubular steel chassis and steel body panels make it as rugged as it is maneuverable.

Journeyman: Engineered to boost productivity and easily adapt and transform from one job to another, the Journeyman is ideal for maintenance, higher education, hospitality, construction, or any other space where safe, efficient transportation is vital. The Journeyman series is available in a range of sizes, configurations, and upfits to carry two to six passengers safely and in comfort just about anywhere—including public roads.

Utilitruck: Tackle the tasks golf carts simply aren’t built for and get more done with the same versatile vehicle. The Utilitruck can carry two passengers and over 1,000 pounds and configured through an endless combination of mission-specific upfits for greater capability where you need it most. Go even further and customize your vehicle for unique environments, workloads, and accessibility needs. The Utilitruck can be tailored to fit virtually any vehicle application.

Custom Platform: Our Custom Platform's innovative design offers various drive axle and battery pack configurations for optimal balance in payload carrying capacity, maximum range, and top turning performance. An optional Speed Rail Attach System allows for hundreds of platform upfits.

Payloader: Take light or heavy loads to places other high-capacity burden carriers simply can’t go and replace forklifts with a safer alternative. The Payloader carries up to 4,000 pounds, tows up to 18,000 pounds, and travels up to 17 miles per hour while offering exceptional maneuverability and efficiency without sacrificing durability. We use the same steel chassis for all weight classes to provide the dependability you need from a heavy carrier.