(a)
Any public procurement unit may either participate in, sponsor, conduct, or administer
a cooperative agreement for the procurement of any materials, supplies, furnishings,
equipment, services, environmentally preferable products, recycled products, livestock,
or other personal property with one or more public procurement units in accordance
with an agreement entered into between the participants. Such cooperative purchasing
may include, but is not limited to, joint or multi-party contracts between public
procurement units and open-ended public procurement unit contracts that are made available
to other public procurement units.
(b)
Cooperative purchasing is authorized to the extent permitted under California law
and within the purchasing agent's authority so long as the public procurement unit
administering the cooperative agreement extends the same pricing, terms, and conditions
to the county. Prior to use of cooperative purchasing the purchasing agent shall conduct
due diligence in accordance with county purchasing guidelines.
(c)
Under a cooperative agreement, controversies arising between an administering public
procurement unit and its bidders, offerors, or contractors shall be resolved between
the ordering public procurement unit and the supplying bidders, offerors, or contractors
in accordance with the public procurement unit's existing regulations, policies, or
guidance.
