The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) introduced its new Member Bid Portal (MBP) in a meeting with CSCAA members and vendors at last month’s association meetings in Myrtle Beach, SC.  The MBP launched with four partners - A3 Performance, TYR Sport, All-America Swim and SwimOutlet.com - and will enable CSCAA-member schools to achieve substantial cost savings by taking advantage of members-only pricing on apparel, equipment, and professional services.

“The MBP will save our members time and money by leveraging their collective purchasing power,” explained CSCAA Director of Business Operations Matt Zimmer.  According to Zimmer, college swimming and diving programs spent $18.2 million on equipment and apparel in 2018. By aggregating these purchases, the Association will be able to lower the cost to teams while reducing the time coaches spend researching and receiving bids.  

Under the MBP, the CSCAA staff will undertake the time and expense of the RFP process on behalf of its member institutions meaning they can, according to Zimmer, “purchase what they need for the best possible pricing and knowing that the due diligence in selecting the vendor has already been done.”

"I spent nearly fifteen years at a Division III program where every dollar mattered and the MBP would have allowed me to stretch our budget,” explained CSCAA Executive Director Greg Earhart.  “The MBP allows even our smallest programs to enjoy access to pricing and service enjoyed by our larger programs.”

In addition to pricing and fulfillment, the CSCAA will be monitoring the performance of each partner to ensure that vendor offerings are kept current, that members are being satisfied and that new features and products are added as market demands change.

It is the Association’s second major member-discount initiative following last year’s agreement with ExpertVoice.  That partnership provides Association members with exclusive discounts up to 60% off select merchandise from major outdoor equipment brands.

"The CSCAA Member Bid Portal is a valuable service to College Swimming and all CSCAA members.  We are excited to be a part of this beneficial service and look forward to continuing to serve college swimming" - Dan Meinholz, Founder, A3 Performance.

“All-American Swim is looking forward to the opportunity to provide the best products and service for CSCAA’s new Member Bid Portal (MBP)!  This will be a big help for collegiate coaches and will save them time and money which are valuable resources for them; ensuring that they receive great products along with great service! ” – Adam Schmitt, College Team Sales, All American Swim.

“CSCAA’s new Member Bid Portal (MBP) matches team’s with suppliers instantly; increasing efficiency and saving procurement time.” - Michael Galindo, TYR Sport, Inc. Promotional Team Representative

"The SwimOutlet.com team division is excited to partner with CSCAA in Member Bid Portal. SwimOutlet prides itself on being the premier team dealer in the country, and with the largest selection of brands and experienced sales reps that know how to service teams, it's a natural fit to partner with CSCAA as they launch their new sales portal."  - Jaime Benes, VP Customer Experience, SwimOutlet.

About the CSCAA: Founded in 1922, the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) is the first professional association of college coaches the United States.  The CSCAA is dedicated to serving and providing leadership for the advancement of the sport of swimming and diving at the collegiate level.

About A3 Performance: Motivated to better serve customers and to improve swimmers’ training and racing, Dan and Amy Meinholz founded A3 Performance in 2004. A3 Performance boasts a full line of competitive swimwear, BODIMAX Sleeves, caps, googles and elite technical racing suits.  A3 Performance is dedicated to bringing innovative swimwear and products that allow you to train better, swim faster, and be your best.

About All-American Swim: Founded in 1992 to provide the most comprehensive service and product selection for lifeguards, All-American Swim has grown into one of the leading distributors serving swim teams and facilities.  All-American Swim serves customers directly through retail locations throughout the United States and online through its websites kiefer.com, thelifeguardstore.com, allamericanswim.com.

About SwimOutlet: SwimOutlet is the largest online specialty shop for swimming, fashion, beach, and surf products in the U.S. For over 15 years, SwimOutlet has focused on delivering the best online shopping experience and the best value. Our success and very existence are dependent on the repeat orders and word of mouth recommendations of loyal, satisfied customers.\

About TYR: Founded in Huntington Beach, CA by swimwear designer Joseph DiLorenzo (current owner) and 1972 Olympic Bronze Medalist Steve Furniss, TYR Sport was established in 1985 to provide the competitive swim market with vibrant, performance-driven prints. Since its inception three decades ago, TYR has grown to exist as one of the world’s most recognizable swimming and triathlon brands.