As cities and counties update technology, they are steady buyers of batteries and lighting systems

Local governments need batteries and related products for their facilities and vehicles, says Brandon Boozer, senior key account manager for Batteries Plus. The firm sells batteries, chargers, lighting products, generators and other gear and related services. The following link spotlights the company’s work with municipalities.

The company is a growing battery franchise, with 700+ locations throughout the United States. Its stores serve millions of customers and have access to tens of thousands of products. Batteries Plus outlets offer services like battery-testing, phone repair, key fob programming and more.

“Highway and Department of Transportation contracts are probably the most in demand. In the case of Batteries Plus, we may not handle concrete, but we can handle all the batteries for the machinery, the lighting for the road signs and poles, the 2-way radio batteries, survey equipment, and lots of other batteries and lighting that would be utilized in the construction process,” Boozer tells Co-op Solutions.

His firm provides numerous maintenance and utility offerings. “There is no limit to the power services we can provide for governments and municipalities. Street lighting, office lighting, generator power, you name it.”

Product sales cover a variety of merchandise, according to Boozer. “The vehicle batteries we offer are used in all sorts of fleets with trucks and heavy equipment, the 2-way radio batteries are used for anything from concerts and public events to emergency services, and the other batteries and lighting have a lot of general uses in offices, public parks and recreation facilities.”

There are changes underway in both the lighting and battery markets, Boozer says. “The use of lighting within government operations is still focused on shifting away from older technologies such as fluorescent and metal halide and over to LED. So, I expect growth in LED, and spending reductions in the older technologies. As for batteries, I expect the usage to continue to grow in direct proportion to the population. While many manufacturers will continue to add mobility and battery backup functions, the battery service life continues to improve as well, somewhat offsetting the growth in usage.”

Boozer urges local governments to make small and local businesses a priority as suppliers on government contracts. He also encourages cities and counties to especially keep in mind small and local firms that already hold contracts with a government entity. “Many times, contracts for projects are let out for infrastructure and only the biggest businesses can handle them, and while they are required to use small and diverse businesses for supply, the governments typically do not use existing city/county/state contract holders that have worked hard to be good suppliers for a government jurisdiction. Giving existing contract holders priority to be suppliers improves the value and competitiveness of an agency’s contracts.”

Boozer is a believer in at least one procurement vehicle: “Cooperative contracts are very useful in streamlining the procurement process. These are competitively bid contracts that allow government entities to avoid spending so much time in the procurement process and focus instead on serving the public quickly and efficiently.”

OMNIA Partners offers a robust portfolio of cooperative contracts in the public procurement space, searchable by supplier, category or keyword, including “Batteries.”

Michael Keating is senior editor for American City & County. Contact him at [email protected].