Joint solicitation happens when two or more agencies aggregate their individual product and service needs into a single solicitation effort. Each agency is bound to the contract that results from the singular effort.
Joint solicitation is a forward-looking, collaborative approach to cooperative practice that can provide clearly defined requirements. It gives prospective suppliers a clear understanding of the volume and service level requirements necessary to support the committed agencies. In general, joint solicitations occur with a relatively small number of agencies putting forward a greater – though shared – level of effort early in the procurement process to improve their negotiating position.