Underwood Distributing Co. Awarded Equalis Group Contract

Austell, Georgia – Underwood Distributing Co. is pleased to announce that it has earned a publicly procured, competitively solicited contract award for Request For Proposal #R10-1164 for Educational School Supplies and Related Services from Region 10 Education Service Center (Region 10), an Equalis Group Lead Agency.

This awarded contract will help assure perspective customers that when purchasing from Underwood Distributing Co., their purchase will be fully compliant with state and federal procurement laws.

"Being awarded a contract with the Equlis Group is definitely great news for our company," said Jacob Smarkusky, Managing Director of Underwood Distributing Co.

"As one of the fastest growing purchasing cooperatives in the nation, we feel as if their talent and drive for improvement will help our customers purchase worry-free from Underwood Distributing Co. Our partnership with the cooperative will help us achieve the company's goals as becoming the premier vendor for handheld calculators in the nation."

Equalis Group delivers compliant, publicly procured cooperative agreements that public sector entities, including federal and state agencies, local governments, and educational institutions across the country can utilize to: i) quickly acquire the products and services they need; ii) receive better pricing through the collective buying power of Equalis Group Members; and, iii) save time through Equalis Group’s legal and compliant alternative to conducting their own resource-consuming solicitation process.

This contract was procured and awarded in accordance with the requirements of 2-C.F.R. Part 200, commonly referred to as “Uniform Guidance.” Why is that important? Because public sector entities receiving federal grant and award dollars can typically spend those dollars through Equalis Group’s already-procured contracts without having to conduct their own bid or request for proposals (RFP).

"Equalis Group is very excited about the prospects of working together with the Underwood Distributing Co team. We appreciate the team's engagement during our ongoing discussions," said Stephen Hull, Equalis Group CEO. "Equalis Group and Underwood Distributing Co. will work hand-in-hand to ensure Equalis members receive quick, friendly service and an easy, compliant procurement solution. We look forward to forging a successful partnership with Underwood Distributing Co."

How to Purchase through this Contract

This cooperative contract vehicle is immediately available to Equalis Group members. Any public sector entity within the United States can join Equalis Group and begin utilizing this competitively solicited contract by completing the membership agreement, located here. There are no dues, fees, or obligations to join Equalis Group.

Contract Information

Contract #: R10-1164C
Effective Date: July 1st, 2024
Expiration Date: June 30th, 2027
Renewable Through: June 30th, 2029

Additional information regarding the procurement process and contract award can be found on the Underwood Distributing Co. page on the Equalis Group website.

About Underwood Distributing Co.

Lost Mountain Commerce, LLC (dba Underwood Distributing Co.) is an instructional dealer for math educators' most loved brands such as Texas Instruments, Casio, Sharp Calculators, CATIGA, Calculated Industries, and more.

Originally organized under the name "Underwood Distributing Company" in the state of Michigan by Milton Underwood in the 1970s, and under the ownership of Milton's son, Miles Underwood, the company has grown to be a reliable partner in math education for teachers and educators.

In 2022, the company merged with Lost Mountain Commerce, LLC and moved its headquarters from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Austell, Georgia.

The company's core offerings include graphing calculators such as the TI-84 Plus CE or Ti-Nspire CX, scientific calculators such as the Ti-30XIIS or the Ti-30XS MultiView, financial calculators such as the BA II Plus, and elementary calculators such as the Ti-108 and the Ti-15 Explorer.

The company prides itself in offering competitive pricing, helpful customer service, and extensive product support to all customers.

About Equalis Group

Equalis Group is a national public sector purchasing cooperative that develops and administers a diverse portfolio of cooperative purchasing programs that cover a wide range of products and services. Each program in Equalis’ rapidly growing portfolio provides its members with and a legal and compliant exemption to the traditional bid/RFP process and the ability to configure the solution that best meets their individual needs while achieving the lowest total cost.