FAQ Group Purchasing

Q. What is a GPO? What is its purpose?

A. The concept of a GPO is rather simple. It is an organization whose purpose is to negotiate contracts with vendors and make those contracts available to certain segments of the "buying public." The theory is that by representing a large population of buyers, the GPO can negotiate favorable prices and terms while at the same time increasing market share for the vendor.

Q. Are all GPO's alike?

A. No. In fact there are unique aspects to each. They may be different in size, different in product focus; different in geographic emphasis and their ownership structure may be very different.

Q. Does it cost me anything to particpate?

A. No. Alliance Purchasing, unlike some other GPOs, charges no fees to its customers.

Q. How do I know which GPO I should use?

A. As with any purchasing decision - ask questions and don't always believe the answer. Do your own research. Compare GPO's. Ask for price comparisons. Ask about their organization. Who owns them? With whom are they affiliated? Where do their profits go?

Bigger is not always better. The lowest price does not always mean the lowest overall cost.

Q. Why should I consider Alliance Purchasing as my GPO?

A. We believe that Alliance Purchasing is unique. We believe we have competitive prices and invite you to compare. In fact, the more of you that use Alliance Purchasing the better our pricing will become. We are owned by Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance. We primarily serve non-profit nursing homes, senior housing members, assisted living programs and related entities. This is our target market. Our mission is to provide lower prices to this market and to generate revenues for Aging Services of Minnesota and its members. We charge no fees and ask only that you designate Alliance Purchasing as your GPO by completing our Participation Agreement.

Q. Can I participate in the Alliance Purchasing GPO while belonging to another GPO?

A. Yes. If you currently belong to another GPO, you may also participate in the Alliance Purchasing GPO by selectively choosing from the list of Alliance Purchasing vendors who may not be available through your existing GPO and sign individual agreements for those vendors only.

Q. How can I find out more?

A. Please call us at Alliance Purchasing (651) 999-4965 or 1-877-770-7317 and ask for Patti O'Brien.

Aging Services thanks 2010 Annual Sponsor PointClickCare and our other sponsors for their support and partnership.