TIPS
TIPS is a national purchasing cooperative, governed by Region 8 Education Service Center, that provides governmental, educational, and non-profit entities with competitively procured vendor contracts across all 50 states via its eBid procurement platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersPittsburg, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What TIPS does
TIPS (The Interlocal Purchasing System) is a national purchasing cooperative founded in 2005 and headquartered in Pittsburg, Texas, operating under the governance of Region 8 Education Service Center. The organization connects governmental entities (cities, counties, state and federal agencies), educational institutions (K-12 districts, charter schools, universities), and non-profit organizations (churches, hospitals, nursing homes, charitable organizations) with pre-qualified vendors through competitively procured purchasing contracts available across all 50 states. TIPS maintains an electronic procurement platform (the eBid System at tips.ionwave.net) that handles vendor registration, monthly bid solicitation, and automated notification of matching opportunities to registered vendors, alongside a searchable vendor directory and contracts catalog. The platform also operates a Construction sub-brand offering Job Order Contracting (JOC) services for facility management and construction projects.
Revenue is generated through two primary streams: annual membership subscriptions from member organizations and fees from vendors participating in the eBid system and receiving contract awards. The cooperative relies on a sales-led go-to-market motion, distributing through its website, the eBid system, and partnerships with state-level educational and governmental associations such as the Illinois Municipal League, KADPF, KSPMA, LSBA, MSPMA, OROS, SASBO, and WAMOA. TIPS does not publicly disclose pricing, revenue, or financial statements, and operates without external venture capital or private equity investment.
TIPS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TIPS
- Legal name
- The Interlocal Purchasing System
- Website
- https://tips-usa.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- TIPS is a national purchasing cooperative, governed by Region 8 Education Service Center, that provides governmental, educational, and non-profit entities with competitively procured vendor contracts across all 50 states via its eBid procurement platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TIPS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cooperative Procurement Services
- NAICS
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Procurement Platforms, Catalogs & Contract Purchasing (Co-ops, GPOs, eProcurement) (EDAEAIAO)
Keywords
Where TIPS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pittsburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
TIPS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Cooperative Membership Fees: TIPS operates as a purchasing cooperative generating revenue through membership fees from governmental entities, schools, and non-profits who access vendor contracts
- Vendor Contract Awards: Vendors pay to participate in the TIPS eBid system and receive awarded contracts to serve cooperative members
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Membership for governmental entities, schools, and non-profits |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
TIPS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TIPS operates a national purchasing cooperative that delivers pre-bid, competitively procured contracts to public and nonprofit entities, enabling compliant procurement without the need for individual bidding processes. The cooperative maintains a vendor directory and contracts catalog spanning construction, facilities, technology, janitorial, food service, and educational supply categories, managed through its cloud-based eBid electronic procurement system administered by the Region 8 Education Service Center.
Product overview
TIPS (The Interlocal Purchasing System) is a national purchasing cooperative platform that connects governmental entities, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations with pre-qualified vendors through competitively procured purchasing contracts. The platform operates as a centralized marketplace featuring a vendor directory, contracts catalog, and eBid procurement system. TIPS serves as an aggregator for various product and service categories including construction (Trades, Labor, Materials, Roofing, HVAC), facility management, janitorial services, food service equipment, technology solutions, and security systems. The TIPS Construction sub-brand provides specialized Job Order Contracting (JOC) services for facility management and construction projects. The platform also maintains strategic partnerships with educational and governmental associations to expand membership access across states.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TIPS Construction: A division of TIPS focused on construction-related purchasing contracts and Job Order Contracting (JOC) services.
Products and services
- TIPS Membership Program A membership program for governmental entities (K-12 schools, cities, counties, state agencies) and non-profit organizations (churches, hospitals, charitable organizations) providing access to competitively procured purchasing contracts and cost savings through cooperative purchasing power.
- TIPS eBid System An electronic procurement system used by vendors to register, receive monthly bid notifications matching their commodity categories, and submit proposals for TIPS contract opportunities. Administered through the IonWave platform at tips.ionwave.net.
- TIPS Construction A specialized purchasing program and sub-brand focused on construction-related goods and services, including Job Order Contracting (JOC) for facility management, renovations, and construction projects in education and government sectors.
Quantifiable outcome
- Elimination of purchasing-related stress for governmental entities through proven procurement processes
Companies that use TIPS
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
TIPS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
TIPS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- CommercePaymentsminorCommercePayments helps districts, universities, and cities convert check payments into electronic, revenue-generating payment types. Their database contains over 4,000 vendors who automatically accept electronic payments. They provide complimentary analysis of vendors to determine program opportunities.
- Illinois Municipal League (IML)coreIML is a non-profit that represents Illinois municipalities. They partner with TIPS to provide access to competitively-procured purchasing contracts for cost savings to member cities and towns.
- Kansas Association of Directors of Plant Facilities (KADPF)coreFounded in the mid-1950s, KADPF connects maintenance and custodial personnel across Kansas schools. They support their members through professional networking, training, and annual conferences with vendor sponsors.
- Kentucky School Plant Management Association (KSPMA)coreKSPMA supports school facility management and maintenance professionals in Kentucky. Focuses on resources, education, and networking for effective school building management.
- Louisiana School Board Association (LSBA)coreLSBA is a non-profit entity created in 1938 providing leadership, service, and support for all elected school boards across Louisiana.
- Missouri School Plant Manager Association (MSPMA)coreEstablished in 1991, MSPMA is Missouri's premier association for school plant managers, dedicated to enhancing educational processes through excellence in support staff operations.
- Organization of Rural Oklahoma Schools (OROS)coreOROS is a non-profit advocacy group dedicated to supporting and promoting interests of rural school districts in Oklahoma through resources, legislative advocacy, and networking.
- Southeastern Association of School Business Officials (SASBO)coreSASBO provides networking, professional development, and relevant information to promote and advance personnel in business and administrative services supporting education in the Southeast.
- Washington Association of Maintenance and Operation Administrators (WAMOA)coreWAMOA is an organization of educational facilities and maintenance professionals in Washington State that fosters an inclusive community and promotes excellence in creating safe and sustainable learning environments.
- Region 8 Education Service CentercoreRegion 8 ESC serves as the lead agency for The Interlocal Purchasing System and administers contract awards through its Board of Trustees.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
TIPS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Cooperative Purchasing Partners (NCPP): NCPP operates an interlocal cooperative purchasing system providing competitively procured contracts to public agencies, education, and non-profits nationwide. It is a direct peer to TIPS with a similar interlocal structure and lead-agency governance model.
- HGACBuy: HGACBuy is a cooperative purchasing program operated by the Houston-Galveston Area Council serving local governments, school districts, and non-profits. It overlaps significantly with TIPS in the Texas public-sector procurement market and shares the council-of-governments governance model.
- E&I Cooperative Services: E&I Cooperative Services is a member-owned purchasing cooperative exclusively serving education institutions including K-12, higher education, and private schools. It is directly comparable to TIPS's education segment with a similar contract award and vendor network model.
- BuyBoard: BuyBoard is a Texas-based purchasing cooperative operated by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) that serves school districts, municipalities, and other public entities. It is a direct competitor to TIPS, particularly in Texas, with a similar cooperative contract award process.
- Pace (Purchasing Association of Cooperative Entities): Pace is a national purchasing cooperative serving schools, universities, municipalities, and non-profit organizations with competitively solicited vendor contracts. It is a direct peer to TIPS operating a similar cooperative contract model for education and government buyers.
- Sourcewell: Sourcewell (formerly NJPA) is a national government purchasing cooperative serving education, government, and non-profit entities with competitively solicited cooperative contracts. It is a direct peer to TIPS, operating a similar eBid/RFP-based contract award model with state-level membership reach.
- Government Procurement Alliance: Government Procurement Alliance is a national interlocal cooperative purchasing organization offering competitively procured contracts to public agencies. It is directly comparable to TIPS as a peer cooperative serving overlapping government and education member segments.
Broad incumbents
- OMNIA Partners: OMNIA Partners is one of the largest national purchasing cooperatives serving public agencies, education, and non-profits with competitively procured contracts. It directly competes with TIPS in the government and education cooperative purchasing space but operates at significantly larger scale.
- NASPO ValuePoint: NASPO ValuePoint is the cooperative purchasing arm of the National Association of State Procurement Officials, providing master agreements used by states and local governments. It competes with TIPS in the public-sector procurement space at a broader state-procurement-official level.
Regional players
- Region 4 Education Service Center / Omnia Partners Education: Region 4 ESC in Texas operates cooperative purchasing programs for school districts and public agencies, similar to how Region 8 ESC governs TIPS. It is a regional peer demonstrating the Education Service Center-based cooperative procurement model that TIPS operates within.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TIPS social profiles
Digital presenceTIPS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TIPS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
TIPS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TIPS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TIPS
What does TIPS do?
TIPS operates a national purchasing cooperative that delivers pre-bid, competitively procured contracts to public and nonprofit entities, enabling compliant procurement without the need for individual bidding processes. The cooperative maintains a vendor directory and contracts catalog spanning construction, facilities, technology, janitorial, food service, and educational supply categories, managed through its cloud-based eBid electronic procurement system administered by the Region 8 Education Service Center.
Is TIPS a public or private company?
TIPS is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was TIPS founded?
TIPS was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is TIPS based?
TIPS is headquartered in Pittsburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does TIPS make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Cooperative Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are vendor Contract Awards.
Who are TIPS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Cooperative Purchasing Partners (NCPP), HGACBuy, E&I Cooperative Services, BuyBoard, Pace (Purchasing Association of Cooperative Entities), Sourcewell and Government Procurement Alliance. Broad incumbents are OMNIA Partners and NASPO ValuePoint. Region 4 Education Service Center / Omnia Partners Education is listed as a regional player.
Does TIPS have an API?
No public API is recorded for TIPS.
What industry is TIPS in?
TIPS's product category is Cooperative Procurement Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAIAO, Procurement Platforms, Catalogs & Contract Purchasing (Co-ops, GPOs, eProcurement). Its NAICS code is 541 and its SIC code is 8600.