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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Hello COBO members,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">This is a great question, and I am glad to provide a procurement perspective. There are many Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) and cooperative contracts available in the market—some public and some private.
Private GPOs are not generally subject to Oklahoma open records requirements, and in many cases the underlying solicitation and award documentation is not readily accessible.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">For that and other valid reasons, the OSU/A&M central procurement office began formally vetting cooperative contracts in 2016 to ensure any contract utilized complies with Board Policy, OSU and A&M Procurement
Guidelines, and Oklahoma law (including the requirement for an open and competitive solicitation process, unless otherwise authorized). Importantly, we vet and approve individual contracts for use—we do not “approve” the GPO itself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">It is also critical that we know exactly which contracts are being used across the system. A cooperative contract can only be relied upon if we can demonstrate it was competitively established, properly documented,
and appropriate for the specific scope of work. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Approving contracts protects the University by ensuring we can:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Defend compliance with Oklahoma procurement requirements and internal policy<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Respond to audits and public inquiries with clear documentation and approval history<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Confirm pricing and terms are valid (contract term, renewals, price schedules, and fee structures)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Mitigate risk (insurance, indemnification, data security, termination rights, and other material contract terms)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Ensure Oklahoma suppliers had an opportunity to compete, where applicable, and demonstrate fairness/transparency<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Prevent off-contract spend and avoid unauthorized commitments by ensuring the correct contract vehicle is used<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">To complete the contract vetting, we request the following documentation:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The original solicitation (RFP/RFQ), including any amendments and addenda<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The list of suppliers solicited and proof of publication/advertisement (Did OK firms have an opportunity to respond, although OK has no preference laws, I ensure OK firms are
not overlooked and are provided the opportunity to compete)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Bid tabulation and list of responsive suppliers<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Evaluation methodology and scoring results<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Fully executed contract and all attachments (pricing, SOW, terms and conditions)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Participation agreement, if applicable (including any administrative fee structure)<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">My office has 71 cooperative contracts approved for use within our procurement system. Many of these were for a specific need and used in rare occasions, we don’t publish the entire list. If one of the contracts
will be useful for all agencies in our system, we publish it to our internal online procurement catalog.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">During our most recent external audit, the auditor specifically requested the date the cooperative contract was approved for institutional use—a request we were able to satisfy due to the investment in the
process of formal vetting and tracking.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If you are interested, please feel free to use our process but it is important to check with your internal procurement department and legal counsel to determinie if this process fits your university.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Best regards, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Scott Schlotthauer C.P.M.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Associate VP & Chief Procurement Officer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The OSU and A&M System<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">405-744-5984<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="260" height="32" style="width:2.7083in;height:.3333in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DC8C5A.AFF1FFD0"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Cobo-qa <cobo-qa-bounces@lists.onenet.net>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Hathaway, Nick<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, January 22, 2026 4:13 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> cobo-qa@lists.onenet.net<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Cobo-qa] Purchasing Consortiums<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">I received this question from a business officer. Can anyone help out?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Is there an "approved" list of consortiums for higher ed in Oklahoma? If not, what factors should I evaluate to know a "good" one from a "bad" one? And then once I've identified a "good" one, do
I need to reference that consortium in our purchasing policy?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Nick<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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