The Cuyahoga County Public Works Procurement and Contracting Committee on March 28 approved a resolution authorizing MetroHealth to participate in one or more group purchasing organizations (GPOs) for calendar year 2026 under Ohio Revised Code section 339.05.

MetroHealth executive director of supply chain Mike Jones told the committee the health system partners with national GPOs and uses those contracts to buy clinical supplies and equipment. "We partner with Premier," Jones said, adding that "there's only three in the health care market today: Premier, Visient, and HealthTrust." He said MetroHealth renewed a five-year agreement in 2022 that will run through 2028 and estimated share-back fees are "above $2,000,000."

Council members asked whether the purchasing authority is a state contract or county arrangement and how other entities participate. Jones and staff said the GPO issues competitively bid contracts suppliers join, and public entities such as MetroHealth may use those contracts under a contracting authority to achieve lower prices. A staff member said some purchases still require separate public bids when a needed supplier is not available through the GPO.

Committee members also noted the statutory requirement that the authorization be considered yearly; one member explained the legislature requires this authorization to be passed annually for each new year. After discussion the committee moved the resolution forward to the full council with a recommendation for passage on second-reading suspension; the motion was approved by voice vote.

The measure was read into the record as Resolution 20250328 and was carried by the committee for further consideration by the full council.