TIPS/TAPS

What Is TIPS/TAPS?

TIPS (The Interlocal Purchasing System), sometimes referred to as TIPS/TAPS, is a national cooperative purchasing organization based in Pittsburgh, Texas. It provides competitively solicited contracts to government agencies, K-12 school districts, higher education institutions, and nonprofits across all 50 states.

TIPS was originally created by a group of Texas education service centers and has particularly strong adoption in the southern and central United States. It has grown into one of the largest cooperative purchasing organizations in the country, with thousands of awarded vendors across dozens of product and service categories.

How TIPS Works

1. TIPS issues competitive solicitations across product and service categories, following Texas procurement law and competitive bidding requirements.
2. Vendors respond to solicitations with their qualifications, pricing, and product information.
3. Multiple vendors may be awarded per category, giving member agencies a choice of pre-vetted suppliers.
4. Member entities purchase directly from awarded vendors by referencing the TIPS contract number. No additional competitive bidding is required.
5. TIPS collects an administrative fee from the vendor (typically 2% of sales), which funds the cooperative's operations.

Who Can Use TIPS

TIPS contracts are available to a wide range of public entities:

• K-12 school districts and education service centers
• Public and private colleges and universities
• State agencies
• Cities, counties, and municipalities
• Special districts (water, fire, transit)
• Nonprofits (in many states)
• Tribal governments

Member entities do not pay to join TIPS. Registration is free and available online.

TIPS Contract Categories

TIPS maintains active contracts across a broad range of categories:

How to Become a TIPS Vendor

Vendors interested in getting on a TIPS contract follow this process:

1. Monitor open solicitations on the TIPS website (tips-usa.com). New solicitations are posted regularly across categories.
2. Submit a response. Provide company information, product catalogs, pricing, references, and any required certifications.
3. Evaluation and award. TIPS evaluates responses based on published criteria. Multiple vendors can be awarded per category.
4. Contract execution. Awarded vendors sign a contract, typically lasting 3 to 5 years with renewal options.
5. Start selling. Once awarded, vendors can market their TIPS contract to eligible public entities nationwide.

TIPS Membership Statistics

• Serves entities in all 50 states
• Over 4,000 awarded vendor contracts
• Thousands of registered member entities
• Originated from the Region 8 Education Service Center in Pittsburgh, Texas
• One of the fastest-growing cooperatives in the SLED market

TIPS vs. Other Cooperatives

TIPS vs. BuyBoard

Both TIPS and BuyBoard originated in Texas and serve education markets, which leads to frequent comparison:

• TIPS is available nationwide and has grown beyond Texas into a national cooperative. It serves government entities beyond education.
• BuyBoard is operated by the Texas Association of School Boards and is primarily used by Texas school districts. Its reach outside Texas is more limited.
• Many Texas districts use both, choosing whichever cooperative has the better contract for a specific purchase.

When to Use TIPS

• Strong in Texas and the South. If your target market includes Texas school districts, southern state agencies, or education service centers, TIPS is widely recognized and preferred.
• Education focus. TIPS originated in education and has strong adoption among school districts nationally.
• Construction and facilities. TIPS has particularly deep contract coverage in construction, facilities, and job order contracting (JOC).
• Complement to other co-ops. Many vendors hold TIPS contracts alongside Sourcewell and OMNIA Partners to maximize coverage across different regions and entity types.

Benefits of a TIPS Contract for Vendors

• Eliminates competitive bidding for buyers. Agencies can purchase directly from TIPS-awarded vendors without running their own solicitation.
• National reach from one contract. A single TIPS award opens doors across all 50 states.
• Marketing support. TIPS provides vendor directories and marketing exposure to member entities.
• Predictable fee structure. The 2% administrative fee is straightforward and can be built into pricing.

NationGraph tracks which SLED agencies purchase through TIPS/TAPS contracts, helping vendors on the cooperative find and engage active buyers across their target territory.