On this episode of The Waste World Podcast, Gage Edwards speaks with Nick Trout, Senior Development Executive at Sourcewell, about how cooperative purchasing contracts are helping public agencies simplify procurement and save both time and money.
For many municipalities, schools, and nonprofits, the procurement process can be slow, complicated, and expensive. Drafting bid specs, advertising, reviewing proposals, and addressing challenges can take months before equipment is ever delivered. Nick explains how Sourcewell provides a more efficient path. By offering competitively solicited contracts that already satisfy public bid requirements, Sourcewell allows agencies to purchase equipment and services directly—without running their own lengthy RFP processes.
This approach not only saves time, but also reduces administrative costs and often secures better pricing. For agencies tasked with acquiring waste collection trucks, recycling equipment, containers, or new technology platforms, the ability to buy through Sourcewell means operations can move forward much more quickly and with greater certainty.
The benefits extend to suppliers as well. Having a Sourcewell contract gives companies access to thousands of pre-qualified buyers, shortening sales cycles and making it easier to expand into new markets. Suppliers are able to offer their full catalogs under these contracts, ensuring agencies can find the right solutions for their specific needs—whether that’s heavy equipment for transfer stations, automation technology for fleets, or specialized containers for recycling programs.
The conversation also explores how cooperative purchasing is evolving. While adoption has grown significantly in recent years, it still represents a small portion of overall public sector procurement, leaving plenty of room for expansion. As public agencies face tighter budgets and higher expectations for efficiency, Nick sees cooperative purchasing becoming even more central to how government and nonprofit organizations get the resources they need.
Ultimately, Sourcewell’s role is about creating connections. By bridging the gap between agencies and suppliers, they help ensure communities have the tools and technology necessary to deliver essential services effectively and sustainably.
