01
A public solicitation is issued
A lead public entity or authorized cooperative process publishes the requirement, evaluation method, terms, and response instructions.
A plain-language guide
How cooperative purchasing actually works
MIPS connects education organizations with competitively awarded contracts, complete documentation, and a straightforward purchasing process. Your organization directs the purchase and its approval chain.
The short version
One competitive solicitation. Awarded contracts for members. Purchasing decisions in your hands.
Cooperative purchasing brings organizations together around a competitively established contract. MIPS organizes the awarded vendors, offerings, pricing, and procurement documents so members can move from a purchasing need to an approved requisition.
The vendor sells directly to the member. MIPS connects the contract, requisition, approvals, and supporting documents in one purchasing record.
MIPS’s solicitation process
Two public notices. Then a scheduled bid opening.
Our standard cadence gives vendors two advertised notices and a defined response period before bids are opened. The dates, time, submission method, and any amendments published in the official solicitation control each procurement.
- 01
Day 0
First advertisement
MIPS publishes the opportunity and directs prospective bidders to the controlling solicitation documents.
- 02
Day 7
Second advertisement
One week later, MIPS advertises the opportunity again so vendors have a second public notice.
- 03
Day 17
Bid opening
Ten days after the second advertisement, MIPS opens the bids at the date and time stated in the solicitation.
Evaluation and award follow the opening.
After bids are opened, MIPS evaluates the responses under the criteria in the solicitation, completes the award process, executes the resulting contract, and organizes the public contract record.
The contract underneath the catalogue
What has to happen before a member ever clicks “Add to cart”
02
One or more contracts are awarded
Responsive proposals are evaluated under the published criteria. The resulting award establishes the vendors, scope, pricing method, terms, and contract period.
03
An eligible member reviews the contract
The member chooses an awarded vendor and reviews the offerings, pricing, contract term, and supporting documents together on the vendor’s landing page.
04
The member places its own order
The member approves the need and issues its purchase order or other authorization. The vendor remains the seller and invoices the member directly.
What a cooperative contract can do
- Provides access to competitively established contract terms and pricing methods
- Reduces duplicated solicitation work by connecting members with competitively awarded contracts
- Keeps the solicitation, award, contract, quote, requisition, and approvals connected
- Lets the member preserve its own budget controls, approval order, and purchasing authority
Why MIPS uses a cart
From selected items to an approved purchasing record.
People already understand how to select a line item and quantity. MIPS keeps that useful pattern, then replaces retail checkout with a controlled requisition.
Familiar item selectionPrivate contract pricingMember-controlled approvalComplete purchase record
Inside the MIPS platform
From registration to approved purchasing record
- 01
Register the organization
A public or private school, charter school, or community college requests access. MIPS reviews the registration and activates the appropriate member roles.
- 02
Choose a contract vendor
Approved members enter the private catalogue, open a vendor’s contract page, and review the applicable pricing method and documents.
- 03
Build a cart or request quotes
Add contract line items to a vendor-specific cart, or send one private specification package to several vendors for comparison.
- 04
Create the requisition
Convert the selected items into a purchasing record with quantities, costs, purpose, delivery details, files, and responsible officials.
- 05
Follow local approvals
The member’s approvers review in the required order. A vendor may prepare a request, but cannot approve a member purchase.
- 06
Issue and retain the record
After approval, the member issues its purchasing authorization and MIPS organizes the purchase record and applicable contract documents.
Members
See the full approved catalogue, request quotes, prepare requisitions, and apply the organization’s own approval rules.
Vendors
See only their own contract catalogue and requests addressed to them. Vendor staff may assist a member without bypassing approval.
MIPS
Maintains contracts, controls access, supports Concierge requests, tracks activity, and keeps the purchasing record organized.
Ready to request member access?
Registration is free for public and private schools, charter schools, and community colleges.