SECTION 1. Section 2 of Chapter30B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following definitions -

“Cooperative purchasing" means procurement conducted by, or on behalf of, more than one public procurement unit, or by a public procurement unit with an external procurement activity.

"External procurement activity" means:  (a) any public agency not located in this State which would qualify as a public procurement unit;  (b) buying by the United States government.

"Local public procurement unit" means any political subdivision or unit thereof which expends public funds for the procurement of supplies, services, or construction.

"Public procurement unit" means either a local public procurement unit or a state public procurement unit.

“State public procurement unit" means the offices of the chief procurement officers and any other purchasing agency of this or any other State.

SECTION 2. Section 20 of Chapter 30B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following -

“ Any public procurement unit may participate in, sponsor, conduct, or administer a cooperative purchasing agreement for the procurement of any supplies, services, or construction with one or more public procurement units or external procurement activities in accordance with an agreement entered into between the participants.”