Washington, D.C. – The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors voted today to approve an expansion of its Cooperative Purchasing Program to include the Baltimore region.

The Cooperative Purchasing Program brings together Washington area local governments, school districts, water departments, and transit agencies like WMATA, to purchase goods and commodities at reduced costs through volume buying. It was launched by the Council of Governments in 1971 and saves local governments and their taxpayers an average of $2 million a year.

The Council of Governments currently works with its counterpart at the Baltimore Metropolitan Council to plan and create cooperative contracts for various goods and commodities.

The two groups agreed to officially merge efforts to become the Mid-Atlantic Purchasing Team (MAPT). The Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the merger, which will increase the purchasing power of the group and provide consistent identification in the market place.

COG Board Chairwoman and Frederick City Alderman Karen Young noted that the Cooperative Purchasing Program is one of the most direct representations of the Council of Governments’ benefits for its member jurisdictions. For example, last year Frederick County saved $235,000 on the costs of Electricity, Fuels, Heating Oil and Natural Gas alone, more than double the total cost of the county’s membership dues to the organization.