Rethinking Public Procurement: Why Collaboration Is Leading the Way

Now, public sector procurement is under more pressure than ever.

Budgets are tightening. Staffing gaps persist. Meanwhile, expectations are rising for speed, transparency, and policy alignment. Procurement teams are expected to deliver stronger results with fewer resources.

To meet this moment movement, many government agencies are turning to a smarter strategy: collaborative procurement.

By sharing resources, coordinating efforts, and using digital collaboration tools, agencies are creating more resilient, efficient, and impactful procurement models together.

What Is Collaborative Procurement?

If you’re asking what collaborative procurement is, you’re not alone. While the concept has existed for years, its importance has grown significantly.

At its core, collaborative procurement is when two or more public sector entities work together to purchase goods and services. This may involve:

• Combining requirements into one RFP
• Sharing contracts through cooperative purchasing
• Using shared services to centralize procurement functions
• Coordinating through cloud-based platforms that support joint workflows

Rather than acting independently, agencies benefit from knowledge sharing, streamlined decision-making, and improved efficiency.

For a broader look at how shared procurement improves government performance, NASPO outlines many of these benefits in their guide to cooperative contracting value.

Why It’s a Must-Have

The conditions driving collaborative procurement are both practical and urgent. Here’s why this trend is taking off across the public sector:

Want to see collaborative procurement in action?

Download our free guide, “Achieving Efficiency Through Collaborative Public Procurement.”
Explore real-world examples, collaboration models, and tools that help procurement teams do more with less.

1. Save Money Through Shared Buying Power

By teaming up, agencies can negotiate better pricing and reduce administrative overhead. Collaborative procurement eliminates duplicate solicitations and allows small agencies to piggyback on larger contracts, unlocking savings they couldn’t secure on their own.

2. Save Time by Avoiding Duplicate Work

Launching a new RFP can take months. When agencies work together, or reuse an existing contract, they bypass time-consuming processes and get results faster.

3. Bridge Staffing Gaps with Shared Services

Many government departments are struggling to fill procurement roles. Shared services and joint contracting models help distribute the workload and expand capacity without growing headcount.

4. Strengthen Supplier Relationships

Consolidated contracts are more attractive to vendors. They offer volume, predictability, and long-term opportunities which encourage suppliers to invest in service quality and innovation.

5. Align with Shared Policy Goals

From sustainability to equity to local economic development, collaborative models make it easier for agencies to work toward common outcomes.

Common Models of Collaboration

Collaborative procurement can take many forms, depending on an agency’s needs, goals, and available resources. Some of the most common models include:

• Joint solicitations – Two or more agencies create one RFP together.
• Cooperative purchasing – Agencies use contracts established by others, often through national or regional cooperatives.
• Shared services – Procurement is centralized under one department or organization that manages sourcing for multiple entities.
• Piggybacking – An agency uses another’s contract directly, avoiding the need for a separate solicitation.

These models vary in structure but share a common outcome: improved efficiency and better results through collaborative work.

Key Challenges (and How to Address Them)

Despite the benefits, collaborative procurement isn’t always easy to implement. Some common barriers include:

Technology Silos

Many agencies use legacy systems that don’t integrate well. Without modern collaboration tools or cloud-based infrastructure, teams struggle to share files, manage timelines, or maintain visibility into outcomes.

Regulatory Differences

Each agency operates under its own procurement rules. Aligning on a shared process that complies with everyone’s legal and financial obligations requires flexibility, and often, legal review.

Manual Coordination

A surprising number of teams still use spreadsheets, emails, and phone calls to manage collaboration. This slows progress and introduces errors.

Inconsistent Reporting

If each agency tracks procurement differently, it’s hard to understand the impact. Leadership can’t make informed decisions without accurate and consistent data.

Unclear Accountability

When multiple agencies collaborate, it’s important to establish leadership structures, timelines, and responsibilities up front. Without clear governance, even the best intentions can stall.

Why Collaborative Procurement Is Becoming a Must-Have Strategy 

Technology is helping agencies overcome these barriers. Tools like SOVRA are designed specifically for public sector procurement and support effective collaboration work from start to finish.

With SOVRA, teams get:

• A shared, cloud-based platform that connects 7,000+ agencies
• Access to 1 million+ suppliers through a searchable marketplace
• Built-in bid libraries that simplify reuse and cut down redundant work
• Configurable workflows that support different rules and approval chains
• Shared dashboards and reporting tools to track progress and success
• Seamless file sharing and internal communication features

Explore how SOVRA’s Pavilion integration is making it even easier to embed cooperative contracts directly into procurement workflows.

Real Success Stories: How Agencies Are Making It Work

Collaborative procurement is already delivering measurable results for local governments and public institutions.

City of Boulder, CO Case Study

After moving to SOVRA’s platform, Boulder eliminated 75% of the steps in its procurement process. Their team used to spend time on repetitive administrative tasks. Now they focus on high-impact sourcing work that supports broader city goals.

Town of Parker, CO Case Study

Parker’s procurement team used SOVRA’s bid library to discover cooperative opportunities that would have been missed otherwise. This saved them time, improved pricing, and expanded their supplier pool without running new solicitations.

Benefits Beyond Cost Savings

While saving money is often the most visible result, collaborative procurement offers a much broader set of advantages:

• Less duplication and faster sourcing
• Streamlined contract lifecycle management
• Improved coordination across public sector entities
• Easier vendor onboarding and performance tracking
• Stronger alignment on regional policy goals
• Greater transparency and accountability for leadership

Whether you’re a project manager leading a large team or a sole buyer at a small municipality, collaboration can unlock results that wouldn’t be possible alone.

Final Takeaway? The Future Is Collaborative

As it stands now, public procurement isn’t just about buying. It’s about building better systems to deliver public value.

Collaboration gives agencies the ability to:

• Maximize limited resources
• Improve vendor outcomes
• Align with policy
• And meet the rising expectations of their communities

As digital tools remove friction and make coordination easier, we expect more agencies to explore formal agreements, regional purchasing groups, and shared data frameworks. Those who act early will be best positioned to lead.

Get the Full Guide

Ready to strengthen your agency’s procurement strategy through collaboration?
Download our free ebook, “Achieving Efficiency Through Collaborative Public Procurement.”

Inside, you’ll learn:

• The benefits and models of collaborative procurement
• Common pitfalls to avoid
• Real success stories from agencies using SOVRA
• A roadmap to getting started