Cooperative contract purchasing provides an alternative method to the traditional Invitation For Bid (IFB), Request For Proposal (RFP), or Request For Quote (RFQ) which are commonly used.
In lean times when agency budgets are tight and resources are limited, cooperative purchasing may help alleviate some of that strain. There is certainly a cost associated to creating a solicitation, evaluating proposals and ultimately making the award. Cooperative contracts allow agencies the ability to purchase what they want when they want. Most meet local and state requirements for being publicly bid and provide some explanation for the method of award. At their foundation cooperative contracts are based on the joint powers provisions found in most state procurement codes. The foundation for this provision is, “…what one can do for itself, one can also do for others…”. Please make sure that your local or state code supports this provision before engaging in a cooperative contract purchase.
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