State Legal Authorities

The Model Procurement Code, developed by the American Bar Association, provides a standardized framework for public procurement, ensuring transparency, efficiency, and fairness. This code is particularly important for public sector cooperative purchasing, as it offers guidelines for public sector entities to legally and effectively pool their buying power for better pricing and contract terms. Many states have adopted the Model Procurement Code’s language authorizing cooperative purchasing through contracts solicited and awarded by other public agencies, such as Equalis Group Lead Agencies. The Model Procurement Code enables Equalis Group members to leverage our Master Agreements confidently without the need to conduct their own competitive solicitation process, simplifying their procurement process and ensuring that they comply with legal and ethical procurement standards.

Joint powers agreements are a collaborative framework used by different government entities, such as cities, counties, or school districts as permitted by state laws. This approach is particularly effective for cooperative purchasing, where these entities band together to buy goods and services. Through a joint powers agreement, these governmental bodies can combine their purchasing power, enabling them to negotiate better deals, lower costs, and access a wider range of products or services than they could individually. This approach not only leads to cost savings but also streamlines the procurement process, making it more efficient. In essence, using joint powers agreements for cooperative purchasing is like a bulk-buying club for government entities, offering both financial and operational advantages. Public agencies across the country that join Equalis Group are entering into a joint powers agreement with Equalis Group’s Lead Agencies and are authorized to purchase through Equalis Group’s publicly procured, competitively solicited Master Agreements.

Simply join Equalis Group. There is no cost to join Equalis Group, and there are no membership dues or obligations of any kind. Joining Equalis Group is like getting a library card – membership simply ensures your organization has access to our contract portfolio. You decide which contracts to utilize and when.

Your organization receives immediate access to our expanding portfolio of compliant, already-procured contract vehicles. These contracts are designed to provide our members with the best possible overall value and feature broad specifications with configurable solutions tailored to meet their specific needs. Our contracts feature enhanced contract terms and conditions and aggressive pricing not typically available to individual entities purchasing independently. There is strength in numbers when it comes to buying products and services.