Using a shareable contract – also known as cooperative procurement or piggybacking – is when one public entity buys a product or service using another public entity’s competitively awarded contract. Pavilion helps governments across the country find and buy from suppliers that have been awarded shareable contracts and helps businesses like yours sell more using contracts you’ve already won. Using shareable contracts: 

We’ve covered the basics about shareable contracts below.

What is a shareable contract?

A shareable contract is very similar to a normal government contract, except the contract is created with the expectation that it may be used in the future by other public entities. As a supplier, you should be aware of the following components of a shareable contract:

How do government procurement staff diligence shareable contracts?

Most government entities will conduct a due diligence process to confirm that a shareable contract meets their own compliance requirements. Generally, purchasing entities will want to confirm:

Some public entities have additional due diligence requirements. For instance, some need to see proof that the solicitation was advertised to suppliers in their home state. These documents are typically provided by the public entity, not the supplier. Pavilion collects all these due diligence materials so government procurement professionals can see everything they need in one place.

Who creates shareable contracts?

Public entities at all levels of government can create shareable contracts:

Are there costs to selling off of shareable contracts?

Shareable contracts creators that are helping to distribute your contract will usually charge an administrative fee to suppliers. Here’s what you need to know about these fees:

What goods or services can I sell using shareable contracts?

You can only sell the goods and/or services that are covered by the particular scope of the original solicitation. Some solicitations are structured with wider scopes, which allow for the supplier to offer a full catalog or specific categories of offerings. Others are more narrowly scoped, limiting the products/services that may be sold. It benefits you, as the seller, to quote as broad of a range of products/services as possible within the scope of the RFP or ITB. This makes your contract an eligible purchasing vehicle for a much wider range of needs for public entities.

The range of goods and services that can be purchased and sold off of shareable contracts is broader than you might think. From asphalt resurfacing and school food, to temporary staffing and IT consulting services, most goods and services can be purchased and sold using shareable contracts.

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Still have questions? Pavilion is here to help. You can reach out to our team at suppliers@withpavilion.com.

You can also access your local APEX Accelerator for additional resources. APEX Accelerator locations across the country provide individualized counseling and informative training seminars about timely contracting issues and the latest guidelines to help businesses learn how the government procurement system can work for them.

This guide was edited and reviewed by procurement professionals Kelly Mickelson, Karri Burgess, and Rita Parker, and Sharon Reed.