Joint Contracting involves two or more nonprofit organizations that collaborate to issue a shared request for services and contract a service provider. Alternatively, one organization may convene a cohort of organizations, with similar service needs, to establish a joint contract with a service provider. Jointly contracted services may be provided by private sector firms, individual consultants, public agencies or nonprofit organizations with a mission related to offering shared services.

Joint contracting requires the development of a written agreement to describe the scope of work, timeline for completion, compensation and benefits, staffing model and other details that define how the work will be completed. Organizations engage in joint contracting to develop economies of scale and purchasing power, gain from operating efficiencies and increase access to higher quality services.

The Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) offers the opportunity for its members to opt into joint contracting cohorts to use their collective buying power to access higher quality services.