Chapter 20 - Joint and Cooperative and GSA Contracts

20.1.1 Characteristics of good joint and/or cooperative procurements

Some IT commodities and services have certain characteristics that make them more suitable for joint and/or cooperative purchasing arrangements than others. Commodities that are purchased in large volume and/or are routinely purchased may be purchased successfully from a joint and/or cooperative contract. Most joint and/or cooperative purchasing efforts involve bulk commodities with standard specifications (i.e., standard desktop computers). Wide geographic availability and adequate distribution channels are important for the contract to appeal to a large group of purchasers. The use of local suppliers to provide support may be utilized to make a joint and/or cooperative contract more convenient and provide business opportunities for local suppliers. Multiple purchasers and common use between agencies will contribute to wider contract usage and drive deeper pricing discounts.