Cooperative purchasing allows state and local government entities to buy goods and services off a contract awarded by another government entity, often a larger one like a state or a county. It is similar to a statewide term contract in that multiple agencies can use it. This approach lets smaller agencies, such as school districts, bypass the need to conduct their own full solicitations, saving time and resources by leveraging pre-negotiated terms and prices.
You find these opportunities by searching state procurement portals and county purchasing websites. For example, Ohio has its own state procurement portal where you can register as a vendor and look for solicitations. When you see an RFQ or other solicitation, carefully read the entire document, especially sections that describe the scope of work and who is eligible to use the resulting contract. These sections will often specify if other local governments can participate. To get your company on one of these contracts, you must respond to the original solicitation and win the award. The key is to demonstrate your ability to meet the requirements of the primary awarding entity, as well as any other potential users mentioned in the solicitation.