SIMPLE | COST EFFECTIVE | COMPLIANT
"PIGGYBACKING"
All political subdivisions, government entities, or associations as defined in Idaho Code §67-2327 are eligible to receive LGC’s pricing. Idaho's formal competitive RFP requirements and reciprocity status also meet the requirements of other US states which allow out of state cooperative piggybacking.
Not located in Idaho? No Problem.
Most US states and territories explicitly allow public agencies to use out-of-state contracts through cooperative purchasing or "piggybacking" if specific conditions are met, such as the original contract including language that permits such an arrangement, the vendor agreeing to the terms, and the original contract being competitively bid. Some states list special requirements or steps which must first be verified by the purchaser. Eg, an interlocal cooperation agreement, and administrative or board approval.
Purchasers outside Idaho may need to verify that Idaho’s/LGC’s process meets their state’s requirements. In most cases, the LGC contract is compliant, but the purchaser may need to verify, document, and/or seek administrative approval. LGC staff are always available to assist agencies with administrative approval.
For reference, Idaho’s formal sealed RFP process (used by the LGC) requires two public notices (the first at least two weeks before bid opening, the second at least seven days before; Idaho Code (§ 67-2806(1)(b)), committee review for evaluation and award (Idaho Code § 67-2806A), and compliance with competitive bidding standards.
Idaho Code allows reciprocal piggybacking with other states, and all LGC Approved Vendors have signed a public agency clause.
*Bidding documents and interlocal cooperation agreements are immediately available upon request to facilitate your agency’s internal approval process.
Key Considerations:
- Idaho’s Procurement Process: Idaho’s formal, sealed RFP process requires two public notices (the first at least two weeks before bid opening, the second at least seven days before; Idaho Code § 67-2806(1)(b)), committee review for evaluation and award (Idaho Code § 67-2806A), and compliance with competitive bidding standards.
- Reciprocal Piggybacking: Idaho Code allows reciprocal piggybacking with other states, and all LGC Approved Vendors have signed a public agency clause. All public agencies in all states can piggyback LGC contracts, if their local statutes and internal agency rules allow.
- Public agency buyers needing additional documentation about the LGC's procurement process, vendor contracts, or interlocal cooperation agreements, please email to: admin@lgcprocurement.org
Some states have restrictive or ambiguous laws that may limit piggybacking on Idaho’s cooperative contracts unless specific conditions are met. Here are a few examples:
- New York: Public Contract Law § 103 allows cooperative purchasing, but strict competitive bidding requirements and local preferences may require Idaho’s RFP process to be explicitly validated by New York’s procurement office.
- Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia: These states allow cooperative purchasing but have specific requirements (e.g., local vendor preferences, additional public notices, or state-specific certifications) that may complicate piggybacking on Idaho contracts.
- States with Reciprocity Restrictions: Some states (e.g., Massachusetts, Pennsylvania) require explicit reciprocity agreements or limit piggybacking to states with reciprocal policies. Idaho’s laws (Idaho Code § 67-2803(1)) allow piggybacking on other states’ contracts, which may satisfy these requirements, but further confirmation is needed.
Disclaimer:
This information is not exhaustive due to variations in state regulations and the need for case-by-case compliance checks. States may update or change their regulations at any time.
This information should not be construed as legal advice.