791Coop

What is the 791 Purchasing Cooperative and of what value is it to me?

791 Purchasing Cooperative is an interlocal government purchasing cooperative established in 2019 in accordance with Chapter 791 of the Texas Government Code. Our mission is to provide qualified public-sector entities with a streamlined, legally compliant method of procuring goods and services, which eliminates the need for additional individual competitive solicitations and saving members valuable time and resources in the process.

Every contract in our portfolio has been competitively solicited in compliance with applicable state procurement requirements. During the term of each contract, members may purchase directly from our awarded vendors for the goods and services they need -without issuing their own additional separate bid. This approach satisfies the competitive-procurement standards outlined in the Texas Education Code, Section 44.031, Texas Local Gov Code 252,262 or 2269, while dramatically reducing administrative burden.

Beyond contract access, 791 is investing in technology designed to help our members make smarter purchasing decisions. We are developing proprietary market-value indexes that benchmark pricing across product and service categories, giving participants real-time insight into whether they are receiving competitive value on every purchase.

Electronic procurement tools are transforming public-sector purchasing by improving market access, increasing transparency, and reducing information costs. 791 is embracing this evolution. Our e-procurement capabilities are designed to strengthen competition among vendors, simplify contract management, and provide a clear audit trail—helping members demonstrate accountability at every stage of the procurement process.

In the compliance-driven environment of public-sector procurement, technology is not a convenience, it is a necessity. 791’s platform empowers procurement leaders to maintain tighter control over the legal and regulatory aspects of purchasing, reduce the risk of legislative infractions, and minimize maverick spending. The result is a purchasing program that is not only efficient and cost-effective but fully defensible under audit, Local Gov't Code Section 271.102 Cooperative Purchasing Program Participation, a local government that purchases goods or services under this subchapter satisfies any state law requiring the local government to seek competitive bids for the purchase of the goods or services.