Purchasing Power Initiative 2.0

GATHER 2.0

 The MAICC is uniquely positioned to establish the foundation to GATHER formally known as the Purchasing Power Initiative.  The ultimate goal is to identify viable economic development opportunities for Tribes and American Indian Business owners.  We can achieve this if we learn to work together in a trusted atmosphere and have a successful model of joint purchasing to build upon. GATHER 2.0 powered by American Indians for American Indians can do just that!

Goals of GATHER 2.0:

     *   Create viable enterprise opportunities for Tribes and American Indian business owners on and off the
          reservation.
     *   Build strong trusting relationships between the Tribes to work together and support each other’s efforts.
     *   Create meaningful career opportunities for American Indian people on or off the reservation.
     *   Develop substantial revenue streams for Tribes outside of gaming.
     *   Replicate the trusted relationship model for areas outside of economic development to maximize the 
          power, influence and strength of Tribes.
 
Benefits to Tribes:

     *   Tribal Sovereignty is protected.  A Tribe vets and approves each vendor with business information
          provided at registration along with a provided background screening report; the approved vendors
          become the Tribes own individual vendor list.  Only approved vendors provided to Tribes users.  
          Tribes do not have access to other Tribes approved vendor list.
     *   Instant access to an increased vendor pool that will increase the competitiveness of responses to RFPs.
     *   Online, current approved list of vendors accessible to all enterprises and employees.
     *   Providing Purchasing Agents from across all enterprises to create master Purchasing Agreements 
          with vendors.
     *   Instant ability to disperse RFPs to expanded pool of vendors with a click of a button.
     *   Provide rating of vendors to share with other Tribes and have access to other Tribes ratings with the
          intent to share knowledge of purchasing experiences based on Product Quality, Price, Service and Delivery.
     *   Opportunity to Tribes to communicate on joint purchasing opportunities.  i.e. A Tribes plans to buy six
          hundred mattresses in the Spring.  Does another Tribes(s) want to join in?
     *   Ability to monitor purchasing compliance expectations.
     *   Building foundation for joint purchasing opportunities across the Country.

Benefits to Vendors:

     *  Register once!  Tribes access and approve your information online.  Reduce the fatigue of individual
         registration with each Tribe you do business with.  (Tribal premiums may still be implemented at their own
        discretion.)
     *  ACCESS to all participating Tribes RFPs.
     *  Tribal and American Indian owned businesses receive built in preference by being placed at the top 
         of the list.
     *  Vendor profiles include links to website for maximum exposure.
     *  Vendors may disperse RFPs to other vendors increasing competitive responses.
     *  Vendor history is saved online for easy record access.
Minnesota American Indian Chamber of Commerce
