SHARED SERVICES PROGRAMS
The Shared Services Program is a cooperative effort among Middlesex County, Middlesex County Improvement Authority and the County's 25 municipalities. It supports the towns by providing a way to reduce daily operating expenses through cooperative purchasing.

The Shared Services Program offers the "Common Cents" Program for purchasing equipment, services and supplies.

By taking advantage of bids solicited for goods and services by Middlesex county, municipalities and local authorities can save more – whether it be energy or road salt -- municipalities take advantage of the cost savings presented in the county bids.

The program began in 1998, offering towns aggregate natural gas purchasing.  This initiative resulted in substantial savings for participating towns in 1999. In 1999, participating municipalities and the County achieved a 5% savings on electricity for public buildings.

Cooperative purchases of gas and electric continued in 2004 and 2005, and combined savings for both programs is projected at $123,600. The program brought together Middlesex County and its agencies, nineteen municipalities, housing authorities, and municipal utility authorities.

In 2006, the bid process resulted in a fixed price for natural gas purchases which was in effect June through November. A bid was also accepted for electricity for the larger accounts and the electricity was supplied by Hess. The projected savings for the one-year contract was $49,000.

Bids were solicited in May 2007 for a new electric contract to supply electric generation services for the larger electric account participants (hourly rate CIEP accounts). The approved contract with Constellation New Energy covered a one-year period that ended May 31, 2008.

Currently, some Middlesex County municipalities have been able to join an electric aggregation initiative offered by the Middlesex County Regional Educational Services Commission for ongoing energy savings.