Public fleets across California are navigating a rapidly shifting regulatory and procurement landscape — one where speed, clarity, and consistency are increasingly critical. Building on discussions highlighted in ACT News’ recent coverage of the ACF roundtable and “From Pain Points to Best Practices,” government fleet leaders reconvened on October 22, 2025, for a focused session examining how procurement strategy can help fleets meet zero-emission requirements more efficiently.
The meeting brought together public-sector fleet professionals, procurement officials, and industry partners to explore tools that can reduce timelines, lower costs, and streamline compliance with evolving Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) requirements. Speakers from Sourcewell and the California Association of Public Procurement Officials (CAPPO) shared practical insights into how cooperative purchasing models are already helping fleets move faster in a constrained environment.
Understanding What Fleets Must Procure
A key takeaway from the discussion was the importance of understanding exactly what fleets are required to procure, and when. While ACF requirements have been repealed for High-Priority and Drayage Fleets, they continue to apply to State and Local Government Agency (SLGA) fleets, with recent amendments introducing new flexibility.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) now allows SLGA fleets to choose between a zero-emission vehicle purchase schedule or an optional milestone-based compliance pathway. Once selected, fleets must commit to that pathway, while also leveraging newly expanded feasibility and infeasibility provisions where technology, infrastructure, or operational constraints exist.
With compliance timelines still placing pressure on fleet planning cycles, speakers emphasized that procurement decisions must be made early, deliberately, and with a clear understanding of regulatory obligations.
Why Cooperative Purchasing Is Gaining Momentum
As fleets face compressed timelines and limited internal resources, cooperative procurement strategies are becoming increasingly valuable. Andy Campbell of Sourcewell and Eleida Felix Yackel of CAPPO outlined how piggybacking and cooperative purchasing agreements can significantly shorten procurement timelines while maintaining legal and policy compliance.
By relying on standardized, pre-vetted contracts, fleets can reduce the time and cost associated with legal review, approvals, and bid development. These approaches are particularly effective for repetitive or common vehicle purchases, where standardization allows procurement teams to move more efficiently and apply lessons learned across multiple acquisitions.
In addition to time savings, cooperative purchasing can strengthen buying power by enabling multiple agencies to align on similar procurements, helping fleets access more competitive pricing and clearer vendor expectations.
Exploring Standardized Vehicle Specifications
An additional topic that generated strong interest was the potential development of a “green book”-like set of standardized specifications for commonly procured government fleet vehicles.
Several decades ago, public works agencies relied on shared green book standards to streamline procurement and align expectations across jurisdictions. Meeting participants noted that a similar approach could deliver meaningful benefits for today’s fleet community, particularly as agencies transition to zero-emission and advanced-technology vehicles.
Establishing baseline specifications for frequently purchased vehicle types could help reduce customization, shorten internal review cycles, and create clearer signals to manufacturers and suppliers. This concept will be a key focus of upcoming meetings, starting with the most commonly procured vehicles, as participants explore how shared standards could help government fleets move from planning to procurement more efficiently.
Aligning Strategy with Local Requirements
While cooperative purchasing and standardized specifications offer powerful tools, speakers emphasized the need for fleets to ensure that any procurement approach aligns with local legal and policy requirements. Understanding eligibility, approval pathways, and municipal constraints remains essential to successfully deploying these strategies.
Looking Ahead
The October discussion reinforced a consistent theme across recent ACT News coverage: public fleets are actively seeking practical, scalable ways to meet regulatory requirements while managing cost and complexity. As ACF compliance evolves, cooperative procurement models and shared vehicle specifications are emerging as promising pathways to help fleets move faster, without sacrificing flexibility or accountability.
