Independent purchasing guide
The Interlocal Purchasing System, commonly called TIPS, gives eligible education, government, and nonprofit organizations access to competitively awarded vendor contracts. This guide explains membership, quote requests, purchase orders, vendor selection, and the legal decision each organization still owns.
Already a TIPS member and evaluating a technology purchase? See Rivell’s TIPS technology procurement page.
TIPS purchasing cooperative at a glance
What TIPS is, and what it does not decide
TIPS is a national purchasing cooperative operated by Region 8 Education Service Center in Texas. It conducts solicitations and publishes awarded contracts that participating members can review when procuring products or services. A cooperative contract can give a purchasing team a documented procurement path, but it does not replace local review or automatically authorize every purchase.
The distinction matters. TIPS states that applicable requirements vary by entity type, location, spending amount, purchase type, and local policy. TIPS cannot legally advise a member when a particular cooperative purchase is appropriate. The member or end user must review the cooperative’s process and determine whether it satisfies the rules governing that transaction.
Who can become a TIPS member?
The official TIPS membership page groups prospective members into education, government, and nonprofit categories. Examples include K-12 districts, charter and private schools, colleges, universities, cities, counties, state agencies, emergency service districts, park and water districts, tribes, churches, hospitals, nursing homes, associations, and charitable organizations. An example on a category page does not prove that every similarly named organization qualifies.
| Entity category | Examples TIPS lists | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Education | School districts, charter schools, colleges, universities, and special education districts | Authorized signer, entity-specific enrollment documents, and local procurement policy |
| Government | Cities, counties, agencies, emergency services, transportation authorities, and public districts | Cooperative purchasing authority, approval thresholds, and governing resolutions or agreements |
| Nonprofit | Churches, hospitals, nursing homes, associations, and charitable organizations | Qualifying status, organizational authorization, funding restrictions, and internal purchasing rules |
Start with the official Become a Member page. Organizations outside Texas should also review the other-state entity terms. Texas entities use a separate enrollment route.
What to verify before using a TIPS contract
How to purchase through TIPS
The official How to Purchase page is the controlling process reference. A practical working sequence is:
Automated and non-automated vendor routing
| Vendor status | Typical routing described by TIPS | Record to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Automated vendor | Send the purchase order directly to the vendor using the instructions on its profile. Confirm the profile still shows automated status before routing. | Quote, PO, vendor acknowledgement, contract reference, and internal approval record |
| Non-automated vendor | Send the completed purchase order and vendor quote to the TIPS PO process as PDF documents. Follow the current official instructions for submission and processing. | Quote, PO, TIPS receipt or compliance correspondence, vendor acknowledgement, and approvals |
Processes can change. Do not rely on an old PDF, saved email, or previous transaction when the current vendor profile or TIPS instructions say something different.
How to evaluate an awarded vendor
An award establishes a cooperative contract path. It does not eliminate the need to evaluate whether the vendor and proposed work fit the organization’s requirements. Review the current contract, then assess:
- Whether the requested work falls within the vendor’s awarded category and contract term.
- Whether the quote separates products, recurring services, projects, taxes, shipping, travel, and optional work.
- Implementation ownership, acceptance criteria, schedule assumptions, support responsibilities, and change control.
- Security, privacy, accessibility, insurance, background-check, grant, and record-retention requirements that apply to the organization.
- What happens if equipment availability, third-party licensing, site access, or customer approvals delay delivery.
For technology procurement, also document system compatibility, licensing ownership, configuration standards, data handling, warranty coverage, support escalation, and the evidence required before the project is accepted.
Where Rivell fits
TIPS currently lists Rivell LLC as an awarded vendor serving Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The official profile shows awards covering audio visual equipment, telephone and communications systems, networking equipment and services, consulting, and technology solutions. Contract scope and dates should always be confirmed on the live profile before a quote or purchase order is approved.
Use the official Rivell TIPS vendor profile to verify the current awards and routing instructions. For a commercial overview of Rivell’s process, contract categories, and technology planning, visit TIPS technology procurement for New Jersey organizations.
Frequently asked questions
Is TIPS membership free?
TIPS describes membership as free. An organization still needs to use the correct enrollment process and maintain the approvals, agreements, and purchasing records required by its own rules.
Does a TIPS contract make every purchase legally compliant?
No. TIPS expressly says it cannot legally advise whether a particular purchase is appropriate. The member must determine whether the cooperative process meets the laws and policies that apply to the entity and transaction.
Do members have to purchase only through TIPS?
The cooperative provides a purchasing option. The organization should follow its own procurement policy when deciding which available method fits a specific purchase.
What should a TIPS quote include?
At minimum, the quote should identify the TIPS contract number and clearly describe scope, products, services, quantities, pricing, dates, exclusions, dependencies, and responsibilities.
How do I know where to send the purchase order?
Check the current vendor profile and official TIPS purchasing instructions. Automated and non-automated vendors use different routing, and saved instructions may become outdated.
Official sources
- TIPS: Become a Member
- TIPS: How to Purchase
- TIPS member portal and purchasing responsibility statement
- TIPS: Other-State Entities
- TIPS: Rivell LLC vendor profile
Source and contract information checked August 20, 2026. Review the live TIPS pages before acting because membership terms, vendor status, contracts, and routing instructions can change.
Planning a technology purchase through TIPS?
Rivell can help define the technology scope, map it to the current awarded category, prepare a contract-referenced quote, and document implementation responsibilities. Your organization remains responsible for procurement authorization and final approval.
