Attendees at the 2026 Annual Meeting in Greenville will have opportunities to learn about many of the contracts available through its City Connect Market program.
The program, which enables South Carolina cities and towns to take advantage of volume discounts for many of their purchases, exists as a partnership between the Association and HGACBuy, as well as the recent addition of CarolinaBUY. HGACBuy is a nationwide government procurement service offering contracts on a large variety of products and services, with a focus on capital-intensive purchases. CarolinaBUY, based in North Carolina and South Carolinas, offers its services to public agencies and nonprofits nationally and regionally. Many of its purchasing contracts cover the areas including cybersecurity; office supplies; athletic and playground facilities; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; vehicles; and signage.
Here are the brief sessions from each of the purchasing cooperatives, which will take place throughout the Annual Meeting:
HGACBuy sessions
- Our Power Portfolio: Your One‑Stop Source for Smarter Public Purchasing – Discover a streamlined path to the goods and services that cities and towns need. See how one contract portfolio can simplify purchasing and amplify impact.
- AI on Demand: Your New Contract for Automation and Efficiency – Unlock real‑time tools that reduce workload and speed up decision‑making. Learn how AI contracts can modernize municipal operations today.
- Life‑saving Lineup: EMS Equipment Essentials for Today’s Teams – Explore trusted, ready‑to‑use EMS solutions designed for rapid response. Equip EMS teams with the tools that protect lives when seconds count.
- The Big Fix: Procurement Solutions for Every Public Works Challenge – From maintenance to major infrastructure, find contracts that keep projects moving. Get practical solutions that save time, money and stress.
- Cooperative Purchasing: Less Red Tape, More Results – Learn how partnership-powered procurement accelerates progress. Cut complexity, increase efficiency and deliver faster wins for the community.
CarolinaBUY sessions
- Who is the CarolinaBUY Cooperative? – CarolinaBUY is a nonprofit cooperative that helps public agencies in the Carolinas purchase more efficiently through competitively awarded contracts. This session looks at how its contracts work and the value agencies gain from compliant, cost-saving procurement.
- HVAC – the Four-letter Word You Love and Hate in Your Facility – CarolinaBUY has a streamlined cooperative contract offering HVAC equipment, parts, controls and technical services, through which cities can access compliant purchasing, expert support, and regional service for maintenance, repairs and system upgrades.
- Signage and Graphics for the Built Environment – This session will give a concise overview of the Takeform cooperative contract, offering public agencies a streamlined path to procure architectural signage, wayfinding systems, environmental graphics and branded visual elements. The contract supports compliant purchasing while giving municipalities access to customizable and durable solutions that enhance navigation and elevate the built environment.
- The Dirt on Winning Fields: Infield Soil Strategies – The session will highlight the Partac Peat Beam Clay contract as a fast, compliant path to professional-grade infield materials. Beam Clay’s mixes, conditioners and mound clays can offer the consistency, moisture control and durability needed for safer, better-performing fields.
Find more details on the City Connect Market online.