The following sources of goods and services are covered in this chapter:

• Customer suggestions
• Suppliers indexes or registers
• Trade magazines
• Trade or industry associations
• Catalogs and sales brochures
• Office of Management and Enterprise Services
• Letters of interest
• Oklahoma Directory of Manufacturers and Products
• Technology Centers (Small Business)
• The internet

Department Suggestions

The purchasing agent’s customers (county departments) are the people in the county for whom they are purchasing goods and services. Suggestions from these customers can be an easy and reliable source of vendor information. Customers, more than anyone else, know what their needs are. In most cases, they already know where the needed goods can be obtained. They also know about special needs regarding ready access to the goods or delivery requirements.

Often, they have already done some initial shopping to identify the desired item(s).

Customer suggestions are also a valuable source of information about unacceptable goods, services, or vendors.

Supply Indexes or Registers

The following commercially available product indexes may prove useful in locating supply sources for hard- to-find items:

• MacRae's Blue Book - MacRae's Blue Book Company
• Sweets File - Sweet's Catalog Service Divisions, F.W. Dodge Company, McGraw-Hill, Inc.
• Thomas Register of American Manufacturers Thomas Publishing Company, Inc.,

Trade Magazines

Virtually every significant professional, business, or industrial activity has a trade magazine or journal, although these are seldom available at public magazine stands. These magazines contain a wealth of information for both purchasing agents and customers of the county.

Typically, these magazines feature articles about the line of work involved, such as experiences with the use of new products, successful new operating procedures, how-to-do-it stories, and reviews of new equipment. These articles can make the purchasing agent and other county employees more aware of new products or services coming onto the market. In addition, the magazines contain a large number of product and service advertisements.

More details on each of these methods are outlined below.

Telephone/Email

A call or email to the vendor can help determine what information is needed. Almost all ads give an email address or telephone number, often a toll-free "800" number, and most firms will be glad to email or mail any desired specifications or information that is requested. Usually, a salesperson from a state or regional sales office can call on the county to provide prices and operating details and give product demonstrations.

Letter

A letter, perhaps a form letter, can be sent to the advertised address requesting information, names, and addresses of local vendors, prices, and delivery schedules. Generally, the letter results in a follow-up email or telephone call from a local or regional sales office offering additional information and assistance.

Product Card

Most trade magazines have one or two product cards inside to make obtaining information from several suppliers easier. These prepaid postcards, addressed to the magazine, have a series of numbers that correspond to numbered ads. Potential customers can circle those numbers that correspond to the product ads of interest, fill in their name and address, and mail the card.

Filling out a product card will accomplish two things. First, the customer will receive a basic information packet from each supplier with some sales brochures or catalogs. Second, the customer's name is usually added to the magazine’s mailing list. Information requested in this manner often takes four to six weeks before delivery.

Often, trade magazines are sent free of charge to anyone who requests them. The cost of publication and distribution is covered by the advertisements. Publishers are usually anxious to add potential customers as new subscribers, so purchasing agents should not hesitate to request that their names be added.

If a trade magazine that advertises the types of products needed is not easily obtainable, the purchasing agent can send a letter to the magazine on county stationery stating that they are the county purchasing agent and want to be added to the magazine's mailing list.

Since trade magazines are usually sent to people in a specific line of business, finding out what is available is sometimes difficult. The purchasing agent might ask current vendors to suggest trade magazines that are appropriate for county business.

Trade or Industry Associations

Trade or industry associations are professional organizations supported primarily by manufacturers, suppliers, or contractors that sell certain products and/or services. Often these associations provide technical assistance with product specifications and make recommendations for product application.

These associations can be a valuable resource for determining sources of supply because they generally provide objective recommendations within the product lines they represent. Many associations publish their own magazines, technical bulletins, and handbooks. Some that might be helpful for counties are listed below.