NASPO ValuePoint Aligned Cooperative FAQs

NASPO ValuePoint (NVP) is expanding its offerings to better serve the needs of all procurement professionals at state, local, and educational agencies across all 50 states and U.S. territories, making best-value solutions more accessible and convenient than ever before. As more local and educational entities turn to our NASPO members for support and resources, providing support through a unified cooperative allows NASPO and its member states to serve the needs of the full SLED community.

NVP is aligning with RFxPremier (RFxP), a move that will expand NVP’s solicitation and contract offerings to better serve state members and the full SLED community. This expansion allows NVP to broaden its portfolio, streamline access to a wider range of pre-vetted solutions, and deliver added value to procurement professionals across the state, local, and education landscape.

The cooperative you’ve always trusted now includes solutions tailored to the full spectrum of public-sector agencies, including local governments, special districts and authorities, K-12 schools, and higher education institutions. Best-value solutions are now more accessible and convenient for state, local, or educational buyers. Current RFxPremier portfolios will go through a formal evaluation process for potential adoption by NASPO ValuePoint. While this evaluation process is conducted, current RFxPremier agreements remain available for buyers’ continued use.

Yes, local governments and educational institutions are eligible to purchase from NASPO ValuePoint with approval from the state CPO’s office, which will not change. This expansion will now provide solutions that address not only the state’s needs but also those of all public agencies across the U.S.

Through its partnership, the Procurement Professionals Alliance (PPA) and NASPO share a commitment to advancing the public procurement profession. Providing best-in-class contract solutions is just one of those ways we do that. PPA choosing NVP as its official U.S. cooperative is a statement of confidence not only in the contract solutions, both in breadth and scope, but also in the integrity of NVP’s process.

This is an expansion of an already trusted brand and a statement of confidence. Both suppliers and procurement professionals gain access to a single, unified cooperative that addresses the needs of all procurement professionals, rather than having to navigate two separate programs. And public entities – state, local, and education alike – gain one clear, trusted place to go for a procurement cooperative. And because NASPO ValuePoint is a 501(c)3 true non-profit, that cooperative is mission-driven, not profit-driven. Its purpose is to serve the public entities and taxpayers who rely on it, not shareholders.

Please direct all questions to Jared Gardner, Chief Business Development Officer of the Procurement Professionals Alliance, at [email protected] or Solomon Kingston, Chief Cooperative Procurement Officer for NASPO ValuePoint at [email protected].

In just two years, RFxPremier proved there’s real demand for a true non-profit cooperative that not only provides best-value contract portfolios designed for local government, education, and other public agencies nationwide, but also actively reinvests in the growth and development of public procurement professionals and their teams. This is a demand NASPO ValuePoint is now positioned to meet at scale. With lessons learned from two years of RFxP’s growth and development, the time is ripe to bring the cooperatives together under the NASPO ValuePoint name to serve the full public sector market with both best-value contracts and investment back into NASPO membership and the organizations they serve. Rather than two cooperatives building separate track records, RFxPremier’s momentum now folds directly into the strength, trust, and reach of the NASPO ValuePoint brand.

The short answer is: expanded depth and breadth, no disruption. The NASPO ValuePoint name, brand, and your state’s dedicated focus all stay exactly as they are. What has changed is that the cooperative now also has a separate, parallel team dedicated to serving local and educational entities – bringing added scale and long-term sustainability to the program your state already relies on. You don’t need to take any action; your existing contracts, Sourcing Team participation, and relationship with your Cooperative Portfolio Managers will continue as normal.

Yes, and that focus will now be stronger, not weaker. A dedicated team of Cooperative Portfolio Managers will continue to work exclusively with State CPO offices on state-led portfolios, while a new, parallel team will be dedicated to local and education portfolios. That means the added scale, which directly fortifies the long-term sustainability of the NVP programs you already rely on. The state focus remains intact and is now built on a stronger foundation.

No. Any participating addendum your state has already signed remains valid and in effect. Going forward, states retain sole authority to make a NASPO ValuePoint master agreement available to all public entities within the state.

No, you do not need to reach out to your suppliers yourself. NASPO ValuePoint is handling supplier communication centrally, so that everyone hears a consistent, unified message at the right time, eliminating any confusion or disruption. If a supplier asks you about it directly, feel free to direct them to the NASPO ValuePoint/PPA Communications team.

Yes. The Lead State Model® remains the same under the expanded cooperative. States will continue to participate in Sourcing Teams exactly as they do today.

No immediate action is required. Existing NVP contracts and processes continue as they are today. As the cooperative expands, you’ll have access to an expanded NVP organization that includes a newly formed Business Development and Supplier Engagement team focused on growing awareness and usage of NVP portfolios nationwide.

Instead of deciding whether to pursue NVP, RFxPremier, or both, you’ll work with a single, unified NVP cooperative that covers the full SLED market. That means one brand to build a relationship with, one process to understand, and a broader base of eligible entities to reach through your existing contracts – all under the NVP name you already know and trust.

This is a clear competitive advantage. You will leverage an established brand across a bigger footprint, without the cost or confusion of building awareness for a second, newer cooperative brand.

It provides a clear competitive advantage in the market. While the hundreds of other public sector cooperatives serving the market today have limited industry vertical focus or fragmented offerings, NASPO ValuePoint and RFxPremier are consolidating under one proven, trusted brand – aligned and focused on meeting the needs of our NASPO member agencies and all other public sector agencies across the US. As a true non-profit, NASPO exists to strengthen public procurement for states and the citizens they serve, including educational institutions, local governments, and other public entities nationwide. Keeping the established NVP name and logo means there is zero disruption to your existing and future public-sector business.

You immediately gain the visibility, brand recognition, and support of the NASPO ValuePoint name and organization. This expansion means more visibility for your contract and a larger, more diverse base of buyers that already know and trust the NVP name.

Your existing award will go through a formal evaluation process for adoption, as is standard for any NASPO ValuePoint portfolio. While this evaluation process is conducted, your current RFxPremier award remains active, and your contracts are available to your current and prospective buyers for continued use. Your primary point of contact(s) at RFxP will work closely with you to keep you informed at every step of the transition.

You do not need to immediately re-bid, re-apply, or resubmit anything. All active RFxP portfolios will automatically enter the formal evaluation process for adoption by NASPO ValuePoint. If any additional information is required during this evaluation process, your primary point of contact(s) at RFxP will reach out to you. Your RFxP team will proactively keep you informed of status and timing throughout the evaluation process.

No, your administrative fee will not change as a result of this transition or, if applicable, your contract’s formal adoption by NASPO ValuePoint.

In this regard, any change in focus will depend on your unique go-to-market strategy and how your RFxP agreement fits into that overall approach. If your contract is formally adopted by NASPO ValuePoint, the recognition, reputation, and reach of that brand will certainly increase your visibility as a supplier in the state government market.

You may reach out to your primary RFxP Cooperative Portfolio Strategy Official (CPSO) and Business Development and Growth Representative (BDGR) for more information. You may also contact NVP via www.naspovaluepoint.org/contact-us/

The timing of the transition will depend on the formal evaluation of your award for potential adoption by NASPO ValuePoint. Firm timelines have not yet been established. Your RFxP team will proactively keep you informed of status and timing throughout this evaluation process. As previously noted, while this process is conducted, your current RFxP award remains active, and your contracts are available to your current and prospective buyers for continued use.

We recognize that this is another change for the awarded Data Communications suppliers. If you have not already been contacted directly by RFxP and NASPO ValuePoint, you will imminently receive an invitation to a one-on-one meeting to discuss this transition and the impact it may have on your current portfolio transition work and your overall public sector business. Our primary goal is to minimize any negative impact on your contract teams. You will have dedicated one-on-one support from NASPO ValuePoint to help make this transition as efficient and productive as possible.

Yes. A dedicated team – separate from the state-focused team – will develop and manage portfolios built around the operational and purchasing realities of local governments and educational institutions.

Yes, the expansion will serve that exact purpose. NASPO ValuePoint will be positioned as a unified cooperative for the entire SLED community, with access determined by state statutes and standard cooperative processes. It will no longer be tailored exclusively to state agencies alone.

Yes, local governments and educational institutions are eligible to purchase from

NASPO ValuePoint with approval from the state CPO’s office, which will not change. This expansion will now provide solutions that address not only the needs of the state but also those of local governments and educational institutions. It will also offer local governments and educational institutions the opportunity to serve as leads for NASPO ValuePoint solicitations.