Which arrangement is NOT a type of cooperative purchasing?

Cooperative purchasing involves different entities, such as governments or organizations, coming together to pool their purchasing power in order to achieve better pricing and more favorable terms. When looking at the nature of cooperative purchasing, independent purchasing by each government stands out as it does not align with this collaborative effort. In this scenario, each government entity operates on its own, making separate buying decisions and arrangements without leveraging the advantages of collective bargaining.

In contrast, purchasing off state contracts, councils of governments, and federal contracts are typical examples of cooperative purchasing arrangements. State contracts often provide pre-negotiated pricing advantageous to multiple municipalities, while councils of governments facilitate regional collaboration among local entities to procure goods and services together. Additionally, buying off federal contracts allows local governments to take advantage of federal pricing, which is often designed to benefit larger groups of buyers.

Thus, the independent purchasing approach distinctly deviates from the essence of cooperative purchasing, which aims to synchronize efforts for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness.