Interested in Belleville's Cooperative? Please reach out directly to Matthew J. Paladino, RSBA, Belleville Business Administrator and Coop Lead Administrator at Matthew.paladino@bellevilleschools.org

• No fee to join

• Lifetime membership with no need to renew

• Save time and money

• Membership easy! Once you receive approval from your board of education or Town Council, forward to us!

The Second River Purchasing Cooperative (SRPC) is a New Jersey State-approved cooperative purchasing system (#294SRPC) governed by the Belleville Board of Education. The cooperative is dedicated to providing public entities, including school districts and municipalities, with a streamlined, cost-effective procurement process. By leveraging the collective purchasing power of our members, we help public institutions across the state save money while accessing high-quality goods and services.

Our mission is to simplify and enhance the procurement process for our members. The SRPC develops detailed bid specifications tailored to the unique needs of each member, reducing the administrative burden of drafting documents, researching vendors, and advertising bids. By managing these aspects on behalf of our members, we allow them to focus on their primary responsibilities while benefiting from favorable pricing and reliable vendors. Our transparent bidding process is designed to attract competitive bids from responsible vendors statewide, ensuring that our members receive the best possible value.

One of the key benefits of joining the SRPC is access to a robust network of suppliers. We actively promote bid opportunities through multiple channels, including local newspapers and our online portal, making it easier for vendors to participate. This broad visibility helps ensure that our members receive a wide range of competitive offers, resulting in better pricing and service quality.

In addition to facilitating procurement, the SRPC is committed to fostering collaboration between members and vendors.

In the future, as our membership grows our cooperative will seek to offer professional development opportunities including access to state-approved continuing education programs. These programs are designed to help public sector professionals, such as Qualified Purchasing Agents (QPA’s) and Certified Municipal Finance Officers (CMFO/CCFO’s), stay informed on procurement regulations, best practices, and industry standards.

As we continue to grow, the Second River Purchasing Cooperative is actively expanding its membership to include additional school districts and municipalities across New Jersey. By joining our cooperative, public entities can benefit from a more efficient procurement process, reduced costs, and a stronger network of suppliers.

At SRPC, our goal is simple: to save taxpayer dollars while improving procurement efficiency and delivering high-quality services to the communities we serve. We welcome new members and look forward to helping them achieve their financial and operational goals through the power of cooperative purchasing.