b'34 ITH | SDF OPERATIONSClearing Airport Runways is a Tough Job .Ordering Your Equipment Shouldnt BeThe program also provides contract pricing forpavement marking and other services. Industry Hurdlesprogram. Through the Sourcewell program, [airports] are not Supply chain issues have plagued airports, and virtually everyconstrained by a low-bid system, which often leads to the other industry, for the past three years. With cooperativeselection of contractors offering the lowest quality of work, purchasing and contracted suppliers, public procurementpotentially jeopardizing operations on high-profile airfields, Mills staff can increase their odds of securing needed items on aremarks.reasonable schedule. When time is money, reducing purchasingNalley agrees that Sourcewell helps airports find contractors time is ultimately a way to maximize public dollar purchases,and suppliers with extensive experience and a strong Hines comments. command of industry regulations and standards. You want The only challenge Hi-Lite has experienced with Sourcewellsomebody that has done it before, so they know the standards has been a lack of industry awareness about the program andput forth by the FAA and they know how to do the job, he its scope. A lot of airports are actually already registered withsays. With MBs Sourcewell contract, you saveContact your Sourcewell, and they just dont realize that theyre able to useSDFs Monroe encourages other airports to consider the this contract, Mills remarks. Its not just pencils and trucksfeasibility of using cooperative purchasing contracts. I thinktimeand money. Sourcewell simplifiesMB sales manager and tractors that you can buy through Sourcewell. Youre alsoif they follow their own methodology for procuring goods andpurchasing for government agencies byand mention Sourcewell.able to purchase services.services and see how well Sourcewell agreements will fit foreliminating the bidding process. Contact UsRushing agrees that more education about cooperativethem, it would be beneficial, he remarks. Today purchasing is needed within the industry. Not everyone isThanks to cooperative purchasing through a structured aware of it, and some who are aware think they might not beprogram like Sourcewell, airports can procure suppliesTake advantage of this free and easy way to able to utilize it, he says. Rushing has taken it upon himselfand services they need without having to write individualprocure your equipment.to tell airports that Sourcewell is a legitimate governmentspecifications and issue requests for bids. Instead, personnelContract # 111522-AEBorganization with attractive benefits for those that qualify.can simply search, and likely find, what they need through the program. They have the ability to purchase a product that has Opportunities Abound been competitively bidthey dont have to reinvent the wheel,M-B Companies, Inc.Rather than using the traditional bid process, airports canRushing summarizes.Airport Maintenance Divisionconnect directly to vetted, pre-qualified suppliers via the201 MB LaneChilton, WI 53014www.m-bco.comNovember | December 2023AirportImprovement.com Aebi Schmidt Group, 2023'