Missouri
Missouri's cooperative purchasing authority is grounded both in the Missouri Constitution (Article VI, Section 16) and in statute (RSMo §70.220), with explicit authority for cooperation in 'planning, development, construction, acquisition or operation of any public improvement or facility' — making Missouri broadly construction-friendly. The state also runs a Cooperative Procurement Program through the Office of Administration.
Cooperation by Local Governments — Powers of Political Subdivisions Mo. Rev. Stat. §70.220 and Mo. Const. Art. VI, §16
"Any municipality or political subdivision of this state, as herein defined, may contract and cooperate with any other municipality or political subdivision, or with an elective or appointive official thereof, or with a duly authorized agency of the United States, or of this state, or with other states or their municipalities or political subdivisions, or with any private person, firm, association or corporation, for the planning, development, construction, acquisition or operation of any public improvement or facility, or for a common service."
— Mo. Rev. Stat. §70.220 and Mo. Const. Art. VI, §16, Cooperation by Local Governments — Powers of Political Subdivisions
Plain-language summary
Missouri's framework for cooperative purchasing is unusually robust and explicitly construction-friendly. The authority operates at three levels. At the constitutional level, Mo. Const. Article VI, §16 authorizes municipalities and political subdivisions to contract and cooperate with each other, with other states, and with the United States. At the statutory level, RSMo §70.220 implements this constitutional authority, expressly naming 'planning, development, construction, acquisition or operation of any public improvement or facility' as permitted purposes — construction is directly authorized in the statutory text. At the administrative level, the Missouri Office of Administration operates a Cooperative Procurement Program under RSMo Chapters 34, 37, and 67, which authorizes Missouri Purchasing to conduct, and eligible local governments and political subdivisions to participate in, a cooperative purchasing program with the State of Missouri. The Missouri commissioner of administration may participate in, sponsor, conduct, or administer a cooperative purchasing agreement whereby supplies are procured in accordance with contracts established by other governmental entities, provided those contracts were established in accordance with the establishing entity's laws and regulations.
Key requirements
- →Authority extends to municipalities, political subdivisions, federal and state agencies, other states, other states' subdivisions, and private parties (RSMo §70.220).
- →The subject and purpose of the cooperative action must be within the scope of powers of each participating municipality or political subdivision.
- →Permitted purposes explicitly include: planning, development, construction, acquisition, or operation of any public improvement or facility, OR a common service.
- →If the cooperative action is between a municipality/subdivision and an elective or appointive official of another, it must be approved by the governing body of the unit where the official resides.
- →For state cooperative procurement: contracts established by other governmental entities must comply with the establishing entity's laws and regulations.
- →Eligible local governments, political subdivisions, and quasi-public bodies may participate in the State of Missouri's Cooperative Procurement Program under RSMo Chapters 34, 37, and 67.
Construction services
Missouri is among the most construction-friendly states for cooperative purchasing. RSMo §70.220 explicitly names 'construction' as a permitted purpose of intergovernmental cooperation, and Mo. Const. Article VI, §16 provides the constitutional foundation for cooperation in 'public improvement or facility' development. Missouri public agencies can use cooperative purchasing for construction services through multiple pathways: state cooperative contracts via the Office of Administration's Cooperative Procurement Program, intergovernmental agreements under §70.220, or participation in regional and national cooperatives (such as the Kansas City Regional Purchasing Cooperative or OMNIA Partners). Public works construction projects must still comply with applicable Missouri public works statutes including prevailing wage requirements and bidding procedures for direct competitive procurement when cooperative purchasing is not used. Agencies should verify with counsel that the specific cooperative contract was established in accordance with appropriate competitive procurement procedures.
How Missouri agencies access our contracts.
LNC holds multiple cooperative purchasing contracts through OMNIA Partners and Region 14 ESC Texas, all of which are available to public agencies in Missouri under Mo. Rev. Stat. §70.220 and Mo. Const. Art. VI, §16.
Your agency can use our contracts to procure construction services through certified Affiliate Vendors. Every Affiliate proposal is audited and certified by LNC before reaching you.
Talk to LNC About Your Project →This summary is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Missouri's procurement code may have been amended since this content was prepared. Confirm the current text of Mo. Rev. Stat. §70.220 and Mo. Const. Art. VI, §16 and consult your jurisdiction's legal counsel before relying on this authority for a specific procurement.