Commission approves intergovernmental agreement allowing Johnson County to piggyback on contracts

Christian County commissioners approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) that allows Johnson County to “piggyback” on Christian County contracts if the vendor agrees, the county’s purchasing manager said.

Purchasing Manager Kim explained that the IGA formalizes cooperative purchasing when a vendor’s contract includes language permitting other entities to use the pricing. “As long as the piggyback language is in there, then, we can do that,” Kim said, describing prior IGAs with other counties, including Buchanan County. Kim told commissioners Johnson County’s commissioners had already signed the agreement and asked Christian County to approve the IGA so Johnson County could be a cooperating party.

A commissioner moved to approve the IGA; another commissioner seconded and the motion passed by voice vote. The transcript does not record the mover’s or seconder’s names or a roll-call tally.

Commission discussion included a brief note about a scrivener’s error in the Johnson County document referencing a “western district commissioner” and an “eastern district commissioner,” which a commissioner suggested Johnson County should correct. Commissioners also discussed the county’s competitive bidding practices and past work with other counties; one commissioner referenced Christian County’s role in advising other counties on drafting similar programs and cited ongoing work on state-level legislation.

The IGA permits cooperative use of contracts only when the vendor consents and when the written contract language permits cooperative or piggyback use; no vendor-specific contracts or prices were altered at the meeting.