COSTARS is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's cooperative purchasing program that allows eligible organizations to purchase from approved suppliers at negotiated rates without going through a lengthy public bidding process.

Eligible participants include local governments, school districts, colleges, nonprofits, authorities, and other public procurement units registered with the program

COSTARS saves time and money by streamlining procurement, offering competitive pricing, and ensuring compliance with Pennsylvania public purchasing requirements.

Yes. Eligible entities must register and be approved by the PA Department of General Services to participate.

No. Registration and participation in the COSTARS program are free for eligible organizations.

1. To register for the COSTARS program as a buyer, follow these steps:

Visit the COSTARS website: www.dgs.pa.gov/COSTARS.

2. Under "COSTARS Cooperatice Purchasing" (About 1/2 way down on the menu on the left side). Click “Member Information” in the navigation menu, then select “Register Online”

3. Complete the online registration form with your organization’s information. This includes: Organization name and address

• Contact person and email

• Type of entity (e.g., muTo renicipality, school district, nonprofit)

• EIN or other identification number

4. Submit your application. After submission, your registration will be reviewed by the Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS).

5. Wait for Approval

Once approved, you’ll receive a confirmation email and your member ID number. You can then begin purchasing from COSTARS-approved suppliers like Penn Tactical Solutions.

You can purchase a wide range of items and services depending on the supplier’s approved categories. Penn Tactical Solution's contract is under COSTARS-12 Emergency Responder Equipment.

Yes. As a COSTARS-approved supplier, Penn Tactical Solutions can provide pricing, proposals, and invoices referencing our contract number for compliant purchases.

You can find us listed on the Pennsylvania Department of General Services supplier directory or contact us directly for our contract number and listing.

Contact us with your procurement needs and mention that you're a COSTARS participant. We’ll guide you through the purchasing process, provide documentation, and reference our COSTARS contract. If you prefer to place an online order, we will provide you with a discount code.

Pennsylvania Vendor Number: 545748

COSTARS Contract Number: 012-E25-397

Penn Tactical Solutions is also a certified Small Diverse Business and a member of the NGLCC