MASB's Extended Benefits Brochure
Click on the link above to download a brochure describing MASB's extended services that can help save your district time and money.

Michigan Purchasing Card Consortium
The Michigan Purchasing Card Consortium is similar to a credit card program. It allows school districts:

• greater control of their expenses
  
• saves time and money
  
• offers benefits and conveniences to employees
  
• adds the credibility and support of your organizations
  
• pays rebates to your district
  
• allows all districts to participate with the same low fee structure.
  

There’s no annual fee, no transaction fees, training or material costs. Purchasing cards save time and money when compared with purchase orders. Research indicates that processing a purchase order can cost $75-$120 in staff time per transaction and can take about nine steps to complete. With purchase cards, transactions cut that cost and can reduce the steps by two-thirds so staff are more productive. Purchase cards also allow for more efficient managerial control of expenditures. MASB, MSBO and MASA have selected JP Morgan Chase as the provider for the Michigan Purchasing Card Consortium after a thorough bid process. The Consortium is open to all Michigan school districts and because the program aggregates the “spend” of a large group of schools, the bank offers rebates to participating districts.
For more information, contact Robert Dwan, 517.327.5920, rdwan@msbo.org.

PaySchools™
PaySchools™ is an online payment processing system that provides schools with an easy and efficient method to collect fees and receive electronic payments for school lunches, field trips, registration, prom tickets, T-shirts and any other school-related fees. PaySchools makes it possible for all schools to offer parents the convenience of online purchasing without incurring large administration or setup costs. For more information, contact Erin Kinch, 517.327.5935, ekinch@masb.org.

MiDEAL - Michgian Delivering Extended Agreements Locally
MiDEAL is Michigan's nationally recognized cooperative purchasing program that offers more than 175 competitively bid contracts to its members. MiDEAL not only saves money on goods and services, but it eliminates administrative duplication and save time and money, streamlining your competitive bidding process. Furthermore, in 2006, Gov. Granholm initiated Buy Michigan First to encourage Michigan businesses to bid on state contract opportunities. Pursuant to Public Act 540 2008, a school board may adopt and implement a local policy that gives preference to Michigan-based businesses. For materials on Buy Michigan First, click here.

U.S. Communities
U.S. Communities provides a national purchasing forum for local and state government agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education and non-profits nationwide by pooling the purchasing power of over 87,000 public agencies. This purchasing power enables participants to save money on office supplies, machines, school supplies and furniture, technology products and solutions, electrical and telecomm services, janitorial supplies, carpet and flooring, park and playground equipment, physical education supplies, maintenance and hardware supplies, homeland security and public safety, roofing supplies and services, and auto parts and accessories. Furthermore, the online system is easy to use, and the prices are the lowest that will be offered by participating companies to government entities nationwide. By registering for this program you are neither committing to participate nor binding the district in any manner; your district will still have the ability to make purchasing choices outside of U.S. Communities. For more information, contact Erin Kinch, 517.327.5935, ekinch@masb.org.

Michigan Schools Energy Cooperative
Michigan Schools Energy Cooperative (MISEC) was established in 1997 by MASB, MASA, MAISA, the Middle Cities Education Association and MSBO as a joint venture to take full advantage of cost-saving opportunities provided by energy deregulation. The goal to establish a cooperative buying group, which by virtue of its size will be a force in the wholesale market both for gas and electricity, has been accomplished. MISEC has saved more than $8 million on $45 million of electric services for over 125 school districts. For more information, contact Scott Little, 517.327.5920, slittle@msbo.org.