LaMATS Board Approves Establishment of Cooperative Purchasing Commission

The LaMATS Board of Directors voted unanimously in a March 10, 2021 meeting to establish a free and voluntary Cooperative Purchasing Commission to better serve members of the LMA.

The proposed Cooperative Purchasing Commission, as administered by LaMATS, follows LRS 33:1322 et seq., the Local Services Law, which recognizes cooperation between political subdivisions whenever a written agreement to cooperate is reduced to writing and passed as a resolution. Specifically, they “may make agreements between or among themselves to define and regulate how to engage jointly in the purchase of materials, supplies, and equipment for use in the maintenance of governmental services.”

LaMATS Executive Director Cliff Palmer and Procurement Consultant Paul Holmes presented draft language for such a resolution to the Board, that could be adopted by municipal councils so as to include their local government into the Commission, with no fee or other membership charge required.

A draft version of this Resolution is available here: https://47365206-4216-414b-8e1a-8b9eb9c0b9c3.usrfiles.com/ugd/473652_d0a0ad9ef6a24778a162a55afac14925.pdf