Formation
Cuyahoga County Public Library (the nation’s top-ranked public library system serving a population of at least 500,000 people for more than 10 years in a row) and Kenston Local Schools (one of Ohio’s highest-ranked public school districts) joined forces to establish CCOG as an Ohio regional council of governments under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 167.
CCOG performs essential governmental functions within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code § 115(1) and also secured 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the IRS.
CCOG’s formation documents include its:
Powers, Purpose & Function
The powers of an Ohio regional council of governments are defined in Ohio Revised Code § 167.03, including the powers of a regional council of governments to:
(2) Promote cooperative arrangements and coordinate action among its members, and between its members and other agencies of local or state governments, whether or not within Ohio, and the federal government;
(4) Promote cooperative agreements and contracts among its members or other governmental agencies and private persons, corporations, or agencies;
CCOG’s purpose is to improve its members’ operations, reduce their costs, and increase their efficiencies to augment their capacity to better serve their constituents and customers.
CCOG’s primary function is to serve as an Equalis Group Lead Agency and conduct rigorous and transparent competitive public sector procurement processes for critical products and services. Winning suppliers, distributors, and/or manufacturers are selected based on both qualitative criteria and pricing. CCOG then establishes compliant already-procured Master Agreements with these winning suppliers that feature better pricing and improved contract terms and conditions. These Master Agreements are available to public agencies nationwide who become CCOG Affiliate Members by joining Equalis Group.
CCOG’s publicly procured, competitively solicited contracts are listed here.
Competitive Solicitation Process
CCOG conducts competitive solicitations, typically through Requests for Proposals, in accordance with the state statutes that govern its public sector procurement processes. Each solicitation is posted online and advertised nationwide in USA Today and numerous local newspapers across the country. Solicitations include rigorous compliance conditions, such as: Uniform Guidance and 2 CFR Part 200 requirements; Davis-Bacon Act requirements; mandatory certifications; certain state-specific requirements; lobbying prohibitions; and equal employment opportunity and affirmative action requirements.
CCOG’s open public solicitation are listed here.
Governance
CCOG is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of senior public officials from Cuyahoga County Public Library, Kenston Local Schools, and the City of Solon (one of the top-ranked cities in Ohio). CCOG’s Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing CCOG’s governance, business objectives, and responsibilities. All of the business, power, authority, and affairs of CCOG are exercised, conducted, managed, and controlled by the Board of Directors.
Board meetings are typically held every other month in the odd number months of the year. The location and schedule of these public meetings is posted here.
Membership
The CCOG Code of Regulations establishes two CCOG membership classifications: Voting Members and Affiliate Members. All Members are eligible to purchase products and services through CCOG’s publicly procured, competitively solicited Master Agreements in accordance with the cooperative purchasing, joint powers, and/or other authority provided in their respective state statutes.
Public agencies and other organizations across the country that join Equalis Group by completing the Equalis Group Master Intergovernmental Cooperative Purchasing Agreement become CCOG Affiliate Members as defined in the CCOG Code of Regulations.
Voting Members each designate two representatives as members of the CCOG Board of Directors. The Board of Directors nominates and approves any additional entities as Voting Members; the Code of Regulations authorizes up to five total Voting Members at any given time.
CCOG’s Voting Members are: