What Cooperative Purchasing Does
One lead agency runs the formal competitive bid process on behalf of many. They issue the RFP, evaluate responses, negotiate terms, and award the contract. Once that award is in place, any participating member agency can purchase directly through it.
For the buyer, that means no separate RFP, no starting from scratch, and no months of administrative process before the project work begins. The legal procurement requirements are already met.
This is not a workaround or a loophole. It's a purpose-built procurement model designed to help public agencies move faster and spend less time on paperwork.
Where BCI Burke Contracts Are Active
Florida Recreational Products represents BCI Burke® exclusively in Florida, and Burke holds awarded contracts through several national cooperative purchasing organizations:
Florida Recreational Products also has a direct contract with the School District of Brevard County for playground equipment, surfacing, installation, and repair. (Florida contract #SDOC-16-B-087-LH).
Who This Applies To
Cooperative purchasing is available to a wide range of public agencies and institutions in Florida, including city and county parks and recreation departments, public school districts and charter schools, municipal governments, nonprofits serving public communities (eligibility varies by contract), and federal agencies and installations through GSA.
What to Do Before Starting a New Procurement
Ask your procurement office what cooperative purchasing programs your agency belongs to. If your organization is a member, you may be able to move directly to project planning rather than procurement planning.
Florida Recreational Products can confirm whether a specific contract applies to your organization and your project.
Getting a Project Moving
Once a contract is confirmed, the focus shifts to the project itself: site assessment, play element selection, surfacing, installation, and any relevant compliance requirements. Florida Recreational Products works with schools, municipalities, park departments, and nonprofits across Florida to plan projects from start to finish.
Let's talk about your next project.