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New Offering Provides Charter and Private Schools Pre-Negotiated Pricing on Best-in-Class Google Products Support and Services

DENVER, CO – BuyQ, a national group purchasing organization designed specifically for charter and private schools, today announced an enhancement to its CDW Education contract through the addition of cloud-based solutions and services, including CDW Amplified for Education. CDW Amplified for Education is CDW’s newest education-focused technical division designed to enable and empower schools to get the most out of their suite of Google products. As a result of the new contract terms, BuyQ participants will receive discounts on CDW Amplified for Education Services, including technical assistance on all things Google, opportunities for best practice sharing, proprietary software tools, and analysis and roadmaps for optimal Google integration.

“The addition of CDW Amplified for Education to our CDW Education contract is a huge win for the schools we serve,” said Christine Rafanelli, co-founder and CEO of BuyQ. “With so many charter and private schools moving to Chromebooks and Google for Education’s platform in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, we know these services will provide much needed support and security and will help schools get the most out of their technology investments while also providing the best possible learning opportunities for their students.”  

The contract enhancement comes after CDW’s March 2021 acquisition of Amplified IT, Google’s leading K-12 services partner and recipient of the Google Cloud Global Partner Award for Customer Success.

“The opportunities and challenges schools face as they further integrate technology into the classroom have never been greater,” said Mike Reorowicz, Manager, Google Customer Success Team, CDW Education. “Combined with CDW’s already highly skilled, education-focused support team, the acquisition of Amplified IT provides us the ability to truly become a partner to the charter and private schools we work with through the BuyQ contract. Whether it’s trouble shooting challenges, providing training, or consulting on new Google-supported initiatives, we are ready to support schools like never before.”

The contract enhancements go into effect immediately and are automatically available to all charter and private schools. To access the benefits, charter and private schools simply need to be affiliated to the BuyQ contract when purchasing through CDW Education.

Charter and private schools interested in learning more about how CDW Amplified for Education can empower them to get the most out of their suite of Google products are invited to join a webinar hosted by CDW Education on March 16. REGISTER HERE.

About BuyQ

BuyQ helps charter and private schools do more with their money. Through a portfolio of audit-friendly group purchasing contracts and other benefit programs, charter and private schools realize immediate savings and enhanced service from top national vendors, plus a purchasing advocate to guide them through the process – all at no cost to the school. Learn more at BuyQ.org. 

About CDW Education

CDW Education is a specialized segment of CDW Government LLC (“CDW-G”), the wholly-owned subsidiary of CDW LLC, a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education and healthcare organizations in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Recognizing the unique challenges and opportunities of our public sector customers, we established CDW-G in 1998 to focus on the specific needs of the government and education sectors. Our teams are broken down by segment, with separate teams serving State and Local customers, K-12, Higher Education, and Federal, and further organized into 11 geographic regions for a higher level of specialization. Our customer base is quite diverse, ranging from state and local government, federal, healthcare, K-12 and higher education. We have an expansive network of offices near major cities and a large team of field coworkers across the United States.  As a global systems integrator impacting 75 million students across 34 countries, CDW Education enables and empowers over 17,000 education institutions to get the most out of the transformational impact of our partners’ technology.

Denver, CO – BuyQ, a national group purchasing organization for charter and private schools, has announced that Daniel Casselli has joined the company in its new role of President. As a key member of the BuyQ leadership team, Casselli will be responsible for growth, operational excellence, business strategy and client satisfaction. The news comes just a year after BuyQ announced its expansion into private schools after its decade-long, exclusive focus on charter schools. The company now serves 4,100+ schools representing more than $85 million in purchasing power.

“We are extremely grateful to have Daniel onboard,” said Christine Rafanelli, BuyQ’s co-founder and CEO. “His unique mix of business and classroom experience combined with his strong work ethic and mission-driven mentality make him the perfect fit for us. We know he will be a great asset to our team and our participating schools as we head into our next chapter and beyond.”

Casselli brings with him a wealth of experience in education, sales and marketing. He previously led K12 Enterprise Sales at Class Technologies, where he was instrumental in attracting their first 100+ K12 customers across public, charter and private schools. Before that, he managed business development efforts in the Financial Education Program at EVERFI Inc., which was later acquired by Blackbaud for $750 million. Casselli began his career as a middle school teacher and youth ministry director at Zion Christian Academy in Columbia, TN.

Casselli echoed Rafanelli’s excitement saying, “I’m thrilled to be joining BuyQ. I’m excited for the entrepreneurial opportunity it provides me and for the opportunity to continue to follow my passion which is supporting education. My goal is to provide the best possible service to our participating schools and to help students get the resources and tools they need to be successful.”

Casselli is a graduate of Grove City College where he studied Religion and History. He lives in Richmond, VA with his wife and son.

About BuyQ

BuyQ helps charter and private schools do more with their money. Through a portfolio of audit-friendly group purchasing contracts and other benefit programs, charter and private schools realize immediate savings and enhanced service from top national vendors, plus a purchasing advocate to guide them through the process – all at no cost to the school. Learn more at BuyQ.org. 

Denver, CO – BuyQ, a national group purchasing organization for charter and private schools, has announced the appointment of Christine Rafanelli as its new CEO. Christine, a co-founder, previously served as Chief Marketing Officer since 2015 and played a pivotal role in the growth of the company, which now represents $85 million in purchasing power and serves more than 4,000 schools nationwide. Christine succeeds Marco Rafanelli, who served as CEO since the company’s founding in 2013 and will continue as COO and Chief Product Officer.

“After running BuyQ together for nearly ten years, I’m thrilled to pass the baton and officially welcome Christine into the role of CEO,” said Marco Rafanelli. “Her passion for her work and commitment to our school participants have been significant drivers of our success, and I’m confident she will continue to lead BuyQ to new heights.”

Christine brings over 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, project management and strategic partnerships in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors to her new role. After beginning her career as a broadcast journalist at ABC News in New York, she went on to produce global thought leadership events for clients including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Cisco while at the Van Heyst Group, a global creative services agency. She also led communications for the Colorado Children’s Campaign, a child advocacy organization, and was part of the early-stage growth of the luxury travel company, Inspirato.

“I am honored to take on this new role and to continue to serve charter and private school across the country,” said Christine Rafanelli. “Together with our talented team, I look forward to expanding our services, growing our participant numbers, and helping schools get the most out of every dollar they have to spend in support of their students. That’s what our work is all about.”

Christine is a graduate of Georgetown University, the wife of BuyQ co-founder Marco Rafanelli, and a proud mother of two boys. She lives with her family in Denver, CO.

About BuyQ

BuyQ helps charter and private schools do more with their money. Through a portfolio of audit-friendly group purchasing contracts and other benefit programs, charter and private schools realize immediate savings and enhanced service from top national vendors, plus a purchasing advocate to guide them through the process – all at no cost to the school. Learn more at BuyQ.org. 

Denver, CO – BuyQ today announced it has expanded its group purchasing program to serve private schools.

As a result of this expansion, every private school in the country will now have immediate access to purchase through BuyQ’s portfolio of competitively bid contracts which offer savings of up to 85% off retail and other school-specific benefits in categories ranging from office, school and facilities supplies to technology and classroom library books.

“Expanding our reach to include private schools is a natural extension of our work,” said Marco Rafanelli, Co-founder and CEO of BuyQ. “Like charter schools, private schools are relatively small, independent customers who often struggle to get the best value from vendors. And, like all schools, private schools are under increasing pressure to do more with the dollars they have. We are excited to serve these schools and to help them in their efforts to provide the best possible education to their students.”

Since its founding in 2012, BuyQ has grown to become the leading group purchasing organization for charter schools. More than 4,000 charter schools, or 55% of all charter schools, actively purchase through BuyQ’s program which leverages the schools’ collective purchasing power to help participants realize a combined $25 million in annual savings.

There is no fee or long-term commitment required for schools to use BuyQ’s group purchasing program. Private and charter schools are welcome to use as many or as few contracts as they’d like for either one-time or regular purchases.

“The secret to BuyQ’s success to date is our exclusive focus on independently-operated schools and their needs,” said Rafanelli. “By negotiating hardest on the products and services those schools buy, as opposed to trying to serve every type of customer, we drive the greatest possible value for the schools we serve. I’m excited to bring the same opportunities to private schools that we have previously offered exclusively to charter schools, while strengthening the program for all our participants through increased buying power.”

About BuyQ
BuyQ is a mission-driven group purchasing organization specifically for charter and private schools. By leveraging the combined purchasing power of thousands of schools, BuyQ delivers significant savings and other benefits on the products and services needed to serve your students. Participation is free, and no obligation is required.

Denver, CO – BuyQ, the only group purchasing organization devoted specifically to charter schools, today announced the award of a new group purchasing agreement in the “books and e-books” category to Completebook.com, a leading online reseller of books, e-books, journals, and publications in all formats. Through the new agreement, charter schools across the country will receive discounts of up to 52% off on Completebook.com’s extensive catalog of over 18 million titles and other exclusive benefits.

BuyQ selected Completebook.com following an open and competitive request for proposals (RFP) based on the combined purchasing power of BuyQ’s 3,500+ current charter school participants. RFP responses were evaluated by a committee of charter school instructional leaders and the resulting contract offers charter schools a new EDGAR-compliant option in this important category.

“Completbook.com distinguished themselves in the market because of their extensive catalogue, extremely competitive pricing, strong e-commerce platform, and their deep commitment to customer service,” said Marco Rafanelli, Co-Founder and CEO of BuyQ. “We are excited to bring this new offering to our charter school members.”

Charter schools who purchase through the contract will now enjoy a number of exclusive benefits, including:

• Discount pricing: Up to 52% off all books and e-books, plus additional discounts on bulk orders.
• Free shipping: Free shipping on all domestic orders over $30.
• BuyQ participation rebate: Schools will receive a 1% rebate on annual purchases exceeding $25,000.
• Extended school payment terms: New and expanding schools are eligible for extended payment terms of net 60 days.
• Longer payment terms are negotiable on a case-by-case basis.
• Free warehouse and mailroom services: Free warehouse and mailroom services including “kitting” and classroom set(s) organizing & packaging.

“We are thrilled to have been selected by BuyQ and look forward to helping their charter school members design and outfit the perfect libraries for their students,” said Peter Coomaraswamy, CEO of Completebook.com. “Whether schools prefer to order straight from our website or by phone working with one of our customer service representatives, no matter if it’s 100 copies of a single title or just one copy of that hard-to-find niche publication, customer satisfaction will always be our number one priority.”

To access their special pricing and benefits, charter schools can visit www.completebook.com/buyq/account-register and start shopping immediately.

ABOUT BUYQ BuyQ is the only group purchasing organization devoted specifically to charter schools. By leveraging the combined purchasing power of 3,500+ charter schools, BuyQ delivers significant savings and other benefits on the products and services needed to run your charter school. Learn more at buyq.org.

ABOUT COMPLETEBOOK.COM Austin TX, based Completebook.com is dedicated to providing its customers with the very best in procurement services, pricing and delivery times for books, e-books, journals, databases and publications in all formats. While Completebook.com’s online presence is state-of-the-art, its company philosophy is grounded in personalized customer service.

DENVER, CO – Rising health benefit costs are eroding total teacher compensation and eating into budgets for other mission-critical areas at charter schools across the country. This startling information comes from a new report released today by national charter school group purchasing organization, BuyQ, based on a survey of charter management organizations (CMOs) representing 15,500 charter school employees and 129,000 students across 13 states.

Among the key findings from the report:

• 74% of CMOs find it challenging to provide competitive health benefits, largely due to rising costs.
• 60% of CMOs are limiting investments in other mission-critical areas, including administrative and teacher salaries, number of teachers and administrative staff, facilities maintenance and improvements, academic and support programs, and/or school supplies and equipment, to keep up with rising health benefit costs.
• 87% of CMOs have increased their teachers’ share of health insurance premiums over the last three to five years.
• Among CMOs increasing teacher premiums, 45% report those premium increases have either outpaced or closely tracked teacher salary increases, effectively wiping out teacher pay increases.
• 43% of CMOs say rising health benefit costs are impacting their ability to attract and retain top teachers.
• Only 35% of CMOs report having a plan in place to manage rising health benefit costs over the long term.

On an average annual basis, revenues aren’t keeping pace with health benefit costs for many CMOs. The cost of providing health insurance to staff is rising – by more than 6% year-over-year for the past several years for the majority (52%) of respondents. However, more than three-quarters (76%) of respondents say year-over-year per-pupil revenue growth averaged less than 6% during the same time period.

“Rising health benefit costs are a significant threat to charter schools,” said Marco Rafanelli, Co-founder and CEO of BuyQ. “These schools already operate on less dollars per student than traditional public schools and salaries for charter school teachers already lag behind those of traditional public school teachers. As health benefit costs continue to rise, the challenge for CMOs to compete in a tight labor market while continuing to fund other mission critical areas only grows.”

Charter management organizations (CMOs) are organizations that operate three or more charter schools. Unlike traditional public schools who typically participate in a state or district health insurance pool, most CMOs sponsor their own employee health plan through a broker or consultant because of the autonomy charter schools have over their operations.

“When you consider all the operational areas CMOs are tasked with managing, the growing cost and complexity of employer-sponsored health plans, and their tight budgets, it’s easy to understand why CMOs are finding it challenging to provide competitive benefits,” said Rafanelli. “Fortunately, the operational autonomy and large employee size of CMOs uniquely position them to take advantage of innovative strategies to reduce costs while preserving, or even improving, benefits.”

A majority (70%) of CMO respondents agree that better management of their health benefits program could result in cost savings. But, a lack of awareness about the cost saving strategies available may be keeping CMOs from pursuing options that are in the best interest of their budgets, their staff and their students.

Less than one-third (30%) of CMO respondents say they have a good grasp on what steps other similarly-sized employers are taking to control health benefit costs. And, survey results show that few CMOs are embracing innovative cost saving strategies popular among large employers in other sectors. For example, only 13% of CMOs report using a self-funded plan to deliver health benefits to their employees while a majority of covered workers at large employers (200+ employees) overall are in self-funded plans.[1]

“As CMOs continue to grow and make up a larger portion of the charter school landscape, aggressively managing health benefit costs becomes increasingly important,” said Rafanelli. “BuyQ is committed to being part of the solution by elevating the discussion, coordinating the sharing of best practices among CMOs, providing education, and ensuring CMOs can access the most innovative solutions on the market. Our goal is to ensure CMOs continue to be employers of choice so they can provide the best possible education to their students.”

Access a full copy of the report: Condition Critical: Findings from BuyQ’s 2018 National Charter Management Organization Health Benefits Survey.

About the Survey

This analysis is based on results of a survey of charter management organizations (CMOs) conducted online by BuyQ, with survey development input from Fisheye Research and HUB International, plus survey distribution assistance from the KIPP Foundation and Bellwether Education Partners. Survey results were collected online between May 16 and June 1, 2018. All survey respondents play an active role in the selection and/or implementation of their organization’s employee health benefits program. Responses were solicited from CMOs with 100 or more employees. The average number of employees per responding CMO was 674. Twenty-three CMOs participated, representing 15,500 charter school employees and 129,000 students across 13 states. Due to the relatively small survey sample size, results are directional only.

About BuyQ

BuyQ (www.buyq.org) is the only national group purchasing organization dedicated exclusively to serving charter schools. BuyQ works on behalf of more than 3,500 charter schools around the United States. By leveraging the combined purchasing power of these organizations, BuyQ delivers significant savings and other benefits on the products and services needed to run a charter school.

[1] Kaiser Family Foundation. 2018 Employer Health Benefits Survey (Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation, October 2018), https://www.kff.org/health-costs/report/2018-employer-health-benefits-survey/.

DENVER, CO (August 15, 2018) – Today, BuyQ, a mission-driven group purchasing organization for charter schools, and PEX, a next generation workforce expense management solution, announced the launch of a new partnership designed to help charter schools more easily track and control spending.

The PEX SaaS platform allows charter schools to distribute prepaid cards, precisely track and control spending by faculty and staff, eliminate checks and streamline reconciliations. With PEX, charter schools can easily and inexpensively empower teachers and staff to make purchases while improving oversight, visibility and substantiation of spending.

“A common concern we hear from our charter school clients is inefficiency and lack of control over spend management,” said Toffer Grant, Founder and CEO of PEX. “By partnering with BuyQ, we’re able to help these schools purchase items they need at a discounted rate with value-added buying options, all while controlling their spend through the PEX solution. It’s a win-win.”

BuyQ is the only group purchasing organization devoted specifically to charter schools. They help save time and money by giving charter schools access to competitively bid group purchasing contracts with top national vendors, which have been negotiated based on the combined purchasing power of 5,000+ charter schools. Participation is free, and no obligation is required.

“Every day we talk to charter schools who are struggling to find the balance between being responsive to their team’s needs and following their established purchasing policies and procedures,” said Marco Rafanelli, Co-Founder and CEO of BuyQ. “I believe the PEX solution could be a game changer for charter schools who want to reduce administrative time and effort and empower their teachers and staff to make necessary purchases while also increasing control and insight over where funds are being spent.”

As a result of the new partnership, all BuyQ members will be eligible to receive a free 12-month trial (a $960 value), a waived set-up fee and other ongoing discounts and benefits from PEX. BuyQ will also work together with PEX to ensure successful outcomes for charter school customers. Additional information about the PEX + BuyQ relationship can be found here.

About BuyQ

BuyQ is a mission-driven group purchasing organization specifically for charter schools. We help charter schools direct more dollars to the classroom by providing access to competitively bid group purchasing contracts with top national vendors, which have been negotiated based on the combined purchasing power of 5,000+ charter schools. Participation is free, and no obligation is required. Learn more at www.buyq.org.

About PEX

PEX, a New York fintech company founded in 2006, is a platform provider of next generation corporate card and workforce spend management solutions for businesses. Businesses maintain control of their money through use of the PEX Visa® Prepaid Card by issuing cards to employees, supplying funds, and limiting where staff can spend, as needed. The PEX Admin desktop site, Admin and Cardholder mobile apps provide up-to-the-second access to manage and oversee employee spending. PEX APIs are available to enterprise clients who need to enable spending for many employees. Today, PEX services thousands of businesses nationwide across a wide variety of industries.

Grant Program, Sponsored by Staples Business Advantage and MakerBot, Seeks to Encourage Technology-Fueled Learning Opportunities for Charter School Students

Denver, CO (August 10, 2016) – BuyQ, the only group purchasing organization devoted specifically to charter schools, and Staples Business Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples and a BuyQ-awarded vendor, today announced the gift of a MakerBot 3D Replicator Printer and a one-year supply of modeling plastic to Reid Traditional Schools in Phoenix, Arizona. The gift is the first given through “3D Imagination: A MakerBot Grant for Charter Schools,” a collaborative program presented by BuyQ, Staples Business Advantage, and MakerBot aimed at encouraging technology-fueled learning opportunities for charter school students.

“We are thrilled to have been awarded the Makerbot 3D printer,” said Heidi Mitchell, CEO, Reid Traditional Schools. “This is the first 3D printer at our school and I know it will be a tremendous resource for both our students and our teachers. The printer will be set up in our computer lab so that all our students can benefit from it.”

The 3D printer and one-year of modeling plastic, valued at $4,335, was made available through a generous donation by Makerbot, a global leader in desktop 3D printing with a focus on making 3D printing more accessible to educators and their students. Staples Business Advantage, which provides charter schools nationwide discounts and other benefits on schools supplies and furniture through its BuyQ group purchasing contract, coordinated the donation.

“Students benefit greatly from having access to this level of technology but it’s often not feasible for charter schools to purchase tools like this outright,” said Marco Rafanelli, Founder and President of BuyQ. “We’re honored to be able to lead this program and extend our thanks to Staples Business Advantage and Makerbot for their generous contribution and their commitments to serving charter schools across the country.”

BuyQ will award a second MakerBot Replicator to a charter school in November 2016. Charter schools can apply for the second MakerBot giveaway by visiting buyq.org/makerbotgrant and submitting a short grant application before October 31, 2016.

ABOUT BUYQ
BuyQ is the only group purchasing organization devoted specifically to charter schools. Working in collaboration with 25+ state-based charter support organizations, BuyQ leverages the combined purchasing power of 5,000+ charter schools to negotiate significant savings and other charter-specific benefits from top national vendors. Participation is free and easy. Visit buyq.org to learn how you can join thousands of charter schools already saving $10+ million annually on the products and services needed to run your school.

ABOUT STAPLES BUSINESS ADVANTAGE
Staples Business Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc., helps mid-market, commercial and enterprise-sized customers make more happen by offering a curated assortment of products and services combined with deep expertise, best-in-class customer service, competitive pricing and state-of-the art ecommerce site. Staples Business Advantage is the one-source solution for all things businesses need to succeed, including office supplies, facilities cleaning and maintenance, breakroom snacks and beverages, technology, furniture, interior design and Print & Marketing Services. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples, Inc. operates throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. More information about Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com.

 

Charter Schools Nationwide to Benefit from Deep Discounts and Other Benefits on Maintenance, Repair and Operating Supplies

Denver, CO (September 15, 2015) – BuyQ, the only group purchasing organization devoted specifically to charter schools, today announced the award of a new group purchasing agreement for facilities and operations supplies to Grainger, North America’s leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products. Through the new agreement, charter schools across the country will receive significant discounts and other benefits on products ranging from safety products, to general maintenance items to cleaning supplies.

“Grainger has proven itself as the nationwide leader in MRO supplies and has shown a true commitment to serving the K-12 community for 40+ years,” said Marco Rafanelli, President and Founder, BuyQ. “In addition to a comprehensive product line, Grainger offers a full suite of services to help schools run more efficiently, safely and sustainably, like complimentary safety audits and inventory management tools. We are excited to help bring these solutions to charter schools.”

Grainger was selected by BuyQ and a national committee of charter school representatives for BuyQ’s facilities and operations supplies contract through an open, competitive RFP process to ensure the best overall value to schools. There is no cost to charter schools to purchase through BuyQ’s Grainger contract. To access contract pricing and benefits, schools must simply affiliate to BuyQ’s Grainger contract by visiting grainger.com/buyq or by calling 1-800-GRAINGER (472-4643) and asking to affiliate to the BuyQ contract.

Through the BuyQ Grainger contract, charter schools can take advantage of:

• Up to 61% off retail prices on the top 375 core K-12 items
• 10% off of Grainger’s retail price on all everyday purchases
• Volume-based discounts on large orders
• Free shipping, except for freight-related orders

“Multiple studies show that when school facility conditions improve so does student achievement and teacher effectiveness,” said Brian Driskell, Sr. Strategy Manager, Education, Grainger. “We look forward to working with charter schools to help them improve everything from their water and indoor air quality to lighting and acoustics to thermal conditions, and to saving them time and money in the process.”

Grainger offers maintenance solutions for every school area, including top selling charter school products like lighting, plumbing, HVAC, safety products, cleaning supplies, hardware and tools.

ABOUT BUYQ

BuyQ is the only group purchasing organization devoted specifically to charter schools. Working in collaboration with 25+ state-based charter support organizations, BuyQ leverages the combined purchasing power of 5,000+ charter schools to negotiate significant savings and other charter-specific benefits from top national vendors. Participation is free and easy. Visit buyq.org to learn how you can join thousands of charter schools already saving $10+ million annually on the products and services needed to run your school.

ABOUT GRAINGER

W.W. Grainger, Inc., with 2015 sales of $10 billion, is North America’s leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products (MRO), with operations also in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

DENVER, CO – Momentum Ventures, the nation’s only group purchasing organization devoted specifically to charter schools, today announced that it has changed its name to BuyQ.

The company’s new name and new tagline, “Group Purchasing for Charter Schools. That’s Smart” reflect the company’s commitment to provide charter schools across the country access to the highest quality goods and services at the best prices and to serve as a go-to resource for charter schools looking for a smarter way to approach purchasing.

“As we looked towards the future, it became increasingly clear to us that we needed a name that more fully embodied what we do and what schools have come to depend on us for,” said Marco Rafanelli, founder and President of BuyQ. “BuyQ is the perfect fit because it more clearly identifies us as a group purchasing organization and speaks to our ultimate goal, which is to help charter schools reduce their operating costs and reach financial sustainability by becoming smarter purchasers.”

The name change comes 18 months after BuyQ transitioned from a subsidiary of the Colorado League of Charters Schools into an independent, mission-driven company focused on serving charter schools throughout the country.

While the company’s name has changed, BuyQ’s team and core offering will remain the same. Through the company’s partnerships with more than 25 state-based charter support organization (CSOs) across the country, BuyQ will continue to leverage the combined purchasing power of 5,000 charter schools to deliver significant savings and other the benefits specifically to charter schools. In addition, BuyQ will continue to select each of their vendors through an open, competitive RFP process, including a review by a national committee of CSOs and charter school customers that ensures the needs of schools are put first.

While BuyQ is just under three years old, the value it offers the charter school community is already evident. In 2014 alone, charter schools saved more than $11 million by purchasing through BuyQ-negotiated contracts and BuyQ returned $800,000 in unrestricted funds to non-profit CSOs who help ensure their charter school members are aware of and know how to access BuyQ’s contracts.

“We’re excited about the future and continuing to support the important work being doing by the charter school community,” said Rafanelli. “Our new name is just the first step in an exciting long-term plan.”

ABOUT BUYQ

BuyQ is the nation’s only group purchasing organization devoted specifically to charter schools. By leveraging the combined purchasing power of 5,000 charter schools, BuyQ delivers significant savings and other benefits unavailable to schools buying on their own. Initially founded as a subsidiary of the Colorado League of Charter Schools, BuyQ is now an independent, mission-driven company focused on serving charter schools throughout the country.

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