No surprising conclusions there. This is a murky question, legally. But as Bradley Dugger, a Tennessee information official, put it at a recent vendor-fed meeting in Washington, if the business case can be made, the technicalities are easily overcome. After all, the needs of these governments vary widely. Los Angeles County has little in common with Rindge, N.H., or with the state of Illinois.
Many places have buy local rules.
Some have superb contracting systems, others are like little Tammany Halls. Yet there doesn't seem to be any compelling reason why cooperative buying should not be available across government levels. GSA and GWAC prices can be pretty good. Federally focused vendors tend to understand government and its unique requirements. At the least, nonfederal use of the MAS or other such vehicles would put a little more cash into agency coffers.