If you’ve worked in the fleet procurement industry for any amount of time, you know just how difficult it is to buy fleet vehicles quickly, affordably, and within regulations. In 2021, more than half of all fleet managers (52%) said that their jobs were very challenging or extremely challenging, though almost three in four (72%) worked in fleets with ninety-nine vehicles or fewer.
That said, you may be able to buy fleet vehicles while minimizing the stressors of the traditional procurement process. It will require you to address old problems with new solutions, including the increasingly popular tool of cooperative contracts.
Here’s how it’s possible to buy public fleet vehicles without the headaches of yesterday.
What causes headaches in public fleet procurement?
Government-based fleet procurement is a constant source of vexation for seasoned CPOs and new professionals alike. According to a survey performed in 2021, common sources of headaches for public fleet procurement professionals include:
- Understanding new rules and how they impact their organization (74% of survey respondents). It may be difficult for procurement managers to stay abreast of changing legislation and ensure compliance with updated laws. Also, staying on top of various compliance laws may sap precious time out of the average procurement officer's day.
- Visibility into their drivers’ compliance or non-compliance on the road (77% of survey respondents). Without complete visibility into their fleet's daily operations, procurement managers may be left in the dark if and when driver issues arise. If they don't have real-time software attached to their vehicles, they may not be able to address issues in a timely manner.
- Recordkeeping all their critical information in the same place (47% of survey respondents). Maintaining a single source of truth can be difficult for busy procurement managers, who already have other tasks on their ever-growing to-do lists. However, paper records, Excel sheets, and emailed PDFs can quickly become scattered without the right infrastructure in place.
Public fleet procurement professionals have struggled against these obstacles for decades. However, due to the ingenuity of modern fleet management solutions, they can now be expertly side-stepped to make room for new opportunities.
Three ways to buy fleet vehicles without stress
Are you looking to purchase public fleet vehicles without the stressors of days gone by? Start with one or more of these expert-recommended suggestions.
1. Automate records
Consolidating all your records into a single source of truth could work wonders in streamlining your fleet procurement process. For example, the retrieval of critical documents may enable you to make better decisions regarding the lifecycle of your vehicles. Automating the cycle of paperwork for your fleet could even reduce inspection time by 65%, saving time, money, and extraneous effort in the process.
2. Install tracking software
Tracking the movements of your public fleet could provide enormous benefits to your institution. You can access real-time information about the performance of your fleet and keep an eye on driver compliance and stop potential problems before they start, saving thousands of dollars in unnecessary expenditures. In 2018 alone, GPS management systems were found to lower accident costs (between 16% and 30%), fuel costs (between 7% and 20%), and labor costs (9% to 25%) for those with an implemented system.
3. Look into cooperative contracts
Cooperative contracts are multi-member purchasing agreements made between multiple government agencies. They are available to various organizations throughout the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. If you partner with the experts behind Sourcewell, you can access cooperative contracts at no extra cost.
How cooperative contracts enable better workflows
You can use cooperative contracts to reduce multiple pain points while buying fleet vehicles. You can integrate your procurement process with nationwide contracts listed at affordable prices. Other benefits include:
- Cooperative contracts are faster than traditional RFP processes. No one on your team needs to know how to write an RFP, and you won't need to worry about writing the perfect request. Just select a contract, contact the supplier, and pay the stated amount.
- You can save additional time and money with economies of scale. Since cooperative contracts involve multiple agencies, you won't have to spend as much as you would on your own. This means you can purchase equipment normally outside your price range.
- Cooperative contracts are competitively solicited and compliant with other similar organizations. Due to their cooperative nature, you'll know that your contract is compliant with multiple agencies before you even sign. This reduces your risk of compliance issues in the future, reducing overall stress.
Regardless of your organization's size or familiarity with cooperative contracts, Sourcewell enables you to browse hundreds of contracts before and after the free registration process.
Here at Sourcewell, we help public agency buyers procure fleet vehicles faster by fulfilling the time-consuming bid process for them. Through cooperative contracts, we expedite the fleet vehicle procurement process so you can better serve your teams.
Want a faster procurement process? Contact one of our specialists today to buy the fleet solutions you need!
