The South Alabama Regional Planning Commission hosts the South Alabama Purchasing Association (SAPA), which was formed in 2005 to offer public entities the opportunity to achieve greater cost savings and efficiencies in administering public bids for a variety of commodities and materials. SAPA consists of eleven members including SARPC who pay dues of $750 annually.

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SAPA has administered bids such as fuel and lubricants, hurricane supplies, cellular telephones, office supplies, and jail inmate meals since its inception. Many more bids for products and services are planned giving SAPA members cost-savings through the joint bid process as a SAPA member. Because workloads have increased, purchasing departments can spend more time handling other duties not having to prepare bid specifications, conduct bid meetings and bid openings, and awarding bids to qualified low bidders for goods and services. This saves time and cost for SAPA members.

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Membership with SAPA is open to any public or non-profit entity that falls under the State of Alabama Public Bid Laws.