Bulk Purchasing
Effective July 1, 2026
Mississippi Senate Bill 2288, signed by the Governor in April, 2026, clarifies that Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs), which are organizations formed by school districts to pool resources, can engage in bulk purchasing and mandates that all services provided by RESAs must be competitively bid, with a request for proposals required for purchases exceeding a certain threshold to ensure open and fair competition.
The MS RESAs have partnered with 2 companies, Howard Technology Solutions and Apple, in an effort to sustain and expand upon the gains made through the Mississippi Connects program. The MS RESAs are now spearheading the transition to a sustainable, continuous, state-wide device refresh program.
This initiative aims to:
- Ensure continuous device availability for educational stakeholders
- Streamline procurement processes
- Achieving meaningful savings
- Enhanced value for districts across the state.
- Opportunities for Professional Development
For More Information
Contact:
Your Local RESA
or
Jerry Moore
jerrymoore@olemiss.edu