News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – The governments of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are working together to find annual, significant savings for taxpayers in both provinces through more efficient procurement.

The two provinces will reduce the costs of procuring light-duty vehicles by combing volumes and standardizing specifications.

Premier David Alward noted the long history of smart partnerships among the Atlantic provinces and highlighted the tremendous potential for future savings.

"Innovative regional partnerships are a key focus of our government's plan to rebuild New Brunswick's economy and reinvest in communities," said Alward. "By working together, we can find new and better ways of delivering services and programs for citizens who expect no less."

Under the New Brunswick / Nova Scotia Fleet Vehicle Procurement Agreement, the two provinces will combine volumes and standardize specifications on all light-duty vehicles. The provincial government will lease more than 100 vehicles for the New Brunswick Extra-Mural Program. At the moment, the provincial government leases its Extra-Mural Program fleet but buys most of its light-duty vehicles.

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter applauded partnerships among the Atlantic provinces under which they can deliver quality services while keeping costs down as low as possible.

"Nova Scotians expect government to make smart, efficient purchases to save money while improving the quality of goods and services," said Dexter. "This partnership shows how the Atlantic Procurement Agreement is working to create sustainable opportunities for businesses in this region."

The Atlantic Procurement Agreement was established in 1996 to reduce interprovincial trade barriers to public procurement. Joint procurement helps:

●    to leverage opportunities for creative service delivery;
●    to reach higher standards in areas such as transportation, health and education;
●    to achieve lower prices to ensure best value for public sector entities; and
●    to increase opportunities for Atlantic suppliers.

The four provinces are purchasing school buses through joint procurement, which has resulted in savings of $28 million during the past four years. They continue to seek further opportunities for joint purchasing.

This partnership and savings are identified in Nova Scotia's Strategic Procurement Project, which is expected to save millions of dollars across government, school boards and the broader public sector when complete in February 2013.