KPN: Keystone Purchasing Network
Cooperative Purchasing
The Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU) initiated its cooperative purchasing program in 1974. Originally created as the Pennsylvania Education Joint Purchasing Council (PAEJPC), the program offered area members opportunities to save on basic supplies. In the ensuing years, the PAEJPC expanded membership to allow statewide entities throughout Pennsylvania the opportunity to utilize our contracts. In the year 2000, PAEJPC became a member of the Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies (AEPA). Through this partnership, the PAEJPC could offer members additional commodities in Pennsylvania and neighboring states. These programs and their successes were the building blocks for the national program that we offer today, known as The Keystone Purchasing Network (KPN).
KPN is a cooperative purchasing program that offers premier products and excellent service at competitive prices under each contract. KPN will work on your behalf to secure volume-pricing contracts that meet or exceed your expectations!
KPN Mission Statement
KPN Bid Process
Satisfies the procurement laws of most states.KPN conducts the following steps of bidding and awarding contracts for commodities and services that meet our members purchasing needs:
- KPN issues Invitations For Bids (IFB) and, as needed, Requests for Proposals (RFP)
- All contracts are publicly and competitively bid
- KPN evaluates sealed bid responses
- Contracts are awarded to the lowest responsive responsible bidder
- Contracts are approved by the CSIU Board of Directors