How does 'piggybacking' on an existing state contract work for local governments?

Local governments, like your county, can generally use an existing statewide term contract through a process called cooperative purchasing and piggybacking, which usually means contacting the state contractor directly. The specific steps depend on your state's procurement code and your county's purchasing policies, so always check those first. Many states have specific provisions or agreements that allow local entities to leverage state-negotiated contracts. You will typically find guidance on this process within your state procurement portal or in the contract documents themselves.

After identifying a relevant statewide term contract, your county procurement office would usually verify that the state contract's terms and conditions allow for local government use. If it does, you would then contact the awarded contractor for the services, in your case likely under NAICS code 541611. The contractor would then provide a quote based on the state contract's established pricing and terms, eliminating the need for your county to issue its own Request for Proposal (RFP) or similar solicitation. This streamlined approach allows for faster purchasing by utilizing pre-vetted vendors and pre-negotiated rates.