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All QVCOG municipalities may participate within the SHACOG Purchasing Alliance. The 2025 Fall Commodities Estimated Requirements is open on the SHACOG Purchasing Alliance website, www.shacog.com. Participating communities are requested to complete this survey by Tuesday, September 30, 2025. Communities only need to complete the survey for those products in which they have an interest. There is no need to attempt to complete a survey for a commodity which your municipality does not use.
Contingent upon survey responses, the following general categories comprise the list of items on which we anticipate receiving bids: •Bagged Snow and Ice Melt •Calcium Chloride •Enhanced Deicer (Enhanced Deicing Salt Product) •Gasoline and Diesel Fuel •Grass Seed •Infield Conditioner - Soil Amendment •Liquid Calcium Chloride •Liquid Magnesium Chloride •Lubricants, which include Antifreeze, Diesel Oil, Gear Oil, Heavy Duty Grease, Hydraulic Oil, Motor Oil, Transmission Fluid, Universal Tractor Fluid, and Windshield Washer Fluid •Pesticides, which include Fungicides, Herbicides, Insecticides, and Plant Growth Regulators •Snow Plow Blades and Cutting Edges Please be reminded that these are general categories. It is important to examine the various items within these categories to identify your community's needs. This list also changes each year due to lack of demand, no bids being received, and requests for new inclusions. As an aid for prior users, there is a two-year history of estimates previously submitted for each existing item. Many find this information to be of value in providing a current estimate. In addition, if a product you use does not appear in the list, you can note that item for inclusion in the bid. You are encouraged to provide your best estimates of needed items for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. Even though minimum purchases are not required for these products, your estimates are important. The premise of the joint purchasing program is simple: volume buying produces lower prices. When the volume does not exist, the discount disappears. Because of requirements SHACOG stipulates for supply and delivery, the vendors are obligated to stock the products based on their estimates. If the volume purchases do not materialize, the integrity and reliability of SHACOG's estimates are ultimately questioned in the following year. This not only adversely impacts the price, it also creates the risk of reduced competition. Providing sound estimates and agreeing to purchase from the lowest responsible bidder not only supports the program, but it also increases the competition and improves pricing. For everyone’s mutual benefit, your support of and commitment to this process is essential. Vendors have not only confirmed this premise but have also questioned their participation due to lack of sales. Your cooperation, therefore, is imperative. If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the SHACOG office at your convenience. South Hills Area Council of Governments Susan S. Dawson, Administrative Assistant 2600 Old Greentree Road Carnegie, PA 15106-3857 Email: [email protected] Phone Number: 412-429-1130 Fax: 412-429-3830 The 2025 Act 152 Demolition Program Application Window will be open from September 15th through October 31st. Funds through this County Program can be utilized for the following:
Eligible Applicants include Allegheny County municipalities, Land Banks within Allegheny County, Council of Governments within Allegheny County, Authorities within Allegheny County, Community Development Corporations within Allegheny County (Must have a letter of support from the municipality where the demolition will occur), and Privately owned commercial, institutional, & industrial buildings within Allegheny County. Further information and supporting documentation regarding this opportunity can be found below. 
The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) application window will be opening on Friday, August 29, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. and will close Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity. RACP projects are state-funded projects that cannot obtain primary funding under other state programs. An RACP project must have a total cost of at least $1,000,000. Please see the Office of the Budget’s website for more information, including information about the application process and where to submit applications. Please continue to check the aforementioned site as it will be updated once the round officially opens. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Ms. Laura Ainsman Sohinki, Southwest Regional Director for Governor Josh Shapiro via email ([email protected]) or by phone (223.279.4639) with any questions regarding the Program. The QVCOG would be happy to provide a letter of support for any member community/organization looking to submit an RACP application. 
The QVCOG hosted an intergovernmental reception on August 28th at the Edgeworth Club to celebrate the region’s public servants and elected officials. Over 80 guests were in attendance and the event was sponsored by 16 vendors. Mr. Martin McDaniel, Commissioner for Leet Township and Mr. Lee Nelson, Councilperson for Avalon Borough were recognized for their many years of service to their communities and the region as a whole. Lastly, over $500 was raised via a 50/50 raffle with proceeds being donated to Animal Friends. Local Government Academy is reaching out to inquire about any potential internship opportunities for the fall of 2025 within Municipal Governments across Allegheny County and beyond. There are a number of students within regional colleges/universities who are eager to continue gaining experience in local government and the nonprofit sector. While LGA does not have funding available for direct support, they would be happy to share any opportunities you may have with interested students. Additionally, please note that the Pre-Project Application informational Zoom session for the 2026 Municipal Intern Program will be held on October 21 at 12:00 p.m. The project application will officially open on October 27, 2025. LGA is looking for engaging project applications for the summer 2026 Municipal Intern Program. Additional details will be available closer to those dates.  Beginning September 8, 2025, through December 1, 2025, Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED) will be soliciting applications for construction related projects for its 2026-27 (Year 52 cycle) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. Every QVCOG member community is eligible to apply for CDBG funding for “non-income based” projects exceeding $50,000 in cost such as ADA accessibility improvement projects. Additionally, member communities may submit applications for general recreation, road reconstruction, and sewer and water projects with the completion of a concentrated household income survey. All are encouraged to consider potential projects with their municipal engineers & staff. The QVCOG is happy to facilitate meetings with municipalities to discuss the application process. Applications and affiliated materials submitted through the QVCOG are due no later than November 24, 2025. CDBG Application Form: https://forms.gle/TbsTS4Gz8Ta1x4HA8
 During its February 19th meeting the QVCOG Board of Delegates unanimously approved a financial agreement with the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) to bring a Hard to Recycle Event to the QVCOG region in 2025. The event has been scheduled for Saturday, October 18th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and will take place at the Northgate Area Highschool (589 Union Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15202). Hard to Recycle events provide responsible and convenient disposal for items that are not eligible for curbside recycling. At these events, individuals have been able to recycle items such as e-waste, cell phones, polystyrene, Freon-containing appliances, tires and more. These events require all participants to register in advance. Further details including fees and registration information can be found here: http://bit.ly/3Vdmlfm  Please be advised that bids have been received and opened for SHACOG's Joint Purchasing Alliance Rock Salt for the 2025-2026 winter season. Compass Minerals America, Inc. was the lowest responsible bidder for all participating municipalities with a primary bid price of $88.32 per ton. To take advantage of this offer, municipalities must formally accept the bids received and give notice to Compass Minerals America, Inc. This formal notice is essential to preclude future problems. Therefore, participating municipalities are encouraged to take this action as soon as possible. The bid tabulation as well as a sample award letter that gives notice to Compass Minerals America, Inc. that your municipality has accepted the bids can be found below. Please note that the letter includes the acceptance of the alternate bids required by the specifications. The first two are tied to emergency conditions. Although it is hoped they will never be needed, they offer a form of protection, so it is recommended that they be accepted. Please forward a copy of the letter you send to the vendor to the SHACOG office as well. Upon review of the award letter you will also note the reference to a contract. A form contract is also included as part of the tabulation file. This document was a part of the bid material. The vendor is required to execute a contract (Articles of Agreement) that is substantially in the form of this document. Each participating municipality – no matter how small its usage – should, after formally accepting the bid, enter into contract with the vendor using the enclosed contract document as the basis for this arrangement. The contract should be prepared in duplicate – one for your files and one for the vendor. This unanimity of approach will do much to enhance our collective posture should any legal problems arise. We will be scheduling the pre-winter conference stipulated in our specifications with Compass Minerals America, Inc. Notice will be given with the details of this meeting once all of the arrangements are made. You are encouraged to have a representative in attendance. If you have any questions or require additional information concerning the above, please do not hesitate to contact the SHACOG office at your convenience.
The statewide Local Share Account (LSA) Program application window will be open from September 1, 2025, through November 30, 2025, for grant requests between $25,000.00 and $1 million dollars. Please note, there is no local match required. Interested parties may access the updated guidelines by visiting qvcog.org. Eligible projects must be owned and maintained by an eligible applicant or a nonprofit organization and include a Project in the Public Interest (i.e. a projects that improve the quality of life in the impacted community). Eligible uses of funds may be used for: Acquisition, Construction, & Demolition; Infrastructure; Purchase of vehicles, machinery and/or equipment; Planning, consulting and design costs related to planning projects; and Engineering, design and inspection, to include permitting fees, for construction projects not to exceed 10% of the total grant award. Please note, member communities can utilize the QVCOG for the submission of an application and the overall facilitation of the grant, etc. More information, including the 2025 Program Guidelines can be found below. Prospective LSA applicants seeking to utilize the QVCOG are strongly encouraged to have a meeting/call with Executive Director Conners to build a strategy in advance of the application deadline. Application Form: https://forms.gle/FX8ZRovp9QTAVEuj7 
The QVCOG has been notified that the 2025 Gaming Economic Development & Tourism Fund Grant application window will be open from August 4th through August 22, 2025. Any member community that wishes to utilize the QVCOG for the application and administration of a project must submit necessary application materials no later than the end of business on August 18th. Interested parties may access the Google Form below to submit an application. This Grant allows municipalities, nonprofits, and COGs to carry out important economic development projects for current and future use. Administered by the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, these grants provide financial assistance to entities to facilitate economic development projects within the County. This Grant opportunity has no local match requirement. Eligible projects include Economic Development Projects; Infrastructure Development Projects; Job Training; Community Improvement Projects; Public Safety Projects; and Public Interest Projects. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to have a meeting/call with Executive Director Conners to build a strategy in advance of the application deadline. Application Link: https://forms.gle/vj7QA6pHmUdt7unz8
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