Page 19 - The Edge2023 - Spring

VENDOR/BUYER CONFERENCE

BY DON HARRIS
Eva Calles Claudia Leon
What Vendors Need to Know About

Working with Cooperatives

Procurement can be costly and time-consuming website. They could be national, regional, state, or
for vendors and buyers, but utilizing cooperatives locally managed.”
eases the process for both sides. An administrative fee is paid to the cooperative by
the vendors.
Claudia Leon, Director of Procurement for
1Government Procurement Alliance, and Eva A group cooperative could be established by any
Calles, Director of Purchasing for Paradise Valley public entity, including school districts and charter
Unified School District, provided vendors with schools. “They get together to form a cooperative
an abundance of best practices working with group,” Leon said.
cooperatives as they seek to sell their products
and services to school districts. The school district that is the lead agency manages
the purchasing process, establishes cooperative
In a breakout session at AASBO’s Vendor/Buyer contracts for use by all members in the group, and
Conference, Leon defined explained: “Cooperative is governed by various state laws, local policies,
purchasing occurs when two or more public and regulations. Contracts are awarded by the lead
procurement entities combine requirements to agency’s Governing Board or Council.
leverage all sorts of benefits, the benefits of volume
purchases, delivery and supply chain advantages, A hybrid cooperative uses a lead public agency
best practices, and to reduce administrative time to publicly solicit and award contracts and is
and expenses.” managed by the cooperative and/or the lead
agency, Leon said. Otherwise, it is similar to a
There are three types of cooperatives – direct, direct cooperative.
group and hybrid. School districts can join all
three, because one co-op may not meet all of a Calles emphasized that the lead agency has a huge
district’s needs, Leon said. responsibility to make sure procurement is done
properly and benefits all its members. “Always
“A direct cooperative is a public procurement unit, consider ethics,” she said. “It’s a very complex
which manages the purchasing process from start process. Vendors, don’t make the process any
to finish,” Leon said. “They have their own people harder for us. We are following guidelines and
who do the contract from issuing the solicitation directions. I am proud to be part of the buying
to the entire evaluation process and then award power that comes with these contracts, making
contract. It establishes cooperative contracts for sure contracts are ready to be used by another
use by their members and it is governed by various entity. They can rely on us to give them a full due
bylaws and/or provisions that you can find on their diligence package.”

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