What is 'cooperative purchasing' and how can my firm participate in it?

Cooperative purchasing allows state and local government entities, such as school districts and city departments, to buy goods and services through existing contracts established by another government entity, often a state or federal agency. This process is also known as piggybacking, and it streamlines procurement by leveraging pre-negotiated terms and pricing from larger contracts. You generally won't find specific "cooperative purchasing" solicitations because the contracts are already awarded. Instead, your firm would participate by getting on a statewide term contract or a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract.

To participate, you should look for opportunities on your state's procurement portal for statewide term contracts that cover landscaping or grounds maintenance services. Many state agencies, counties, and cities can then use these statewide contracts. Similarly, if your firm secures a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract, state and local entities can often use that vehicle for their purchases under cooperative purchasing agreements. The GSA MAS is a five-year IDIQ contract with three five-year options, for up to 20 years, and it is continuously open for new offers.