AK Technologies

DIR vs BuyBoard vs TIPS for security projects

Texas public entities have three well-worn cooperative purchasing routes. All three replace a do-it-yourself solicitation with a pre-competed contract. They differ in who runs them, who can use them, and how a security project actually flows through each.

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Our contract DIR-CPO-6165 Purchasing desk contracts@aktechnologies.com Phone (512) 522-9137

The three programs, side by side

What a purchasing office needs to know before routing a security purchase.

Texas DIR Cooperative Contracts

  • Run by: the Texas Department of Information Resources, a state agency.
  • Who buys: state agencies, local governments, K-12 districts, and higher education. No cooperative membership to join; eligible customers reference the contract number on a PO.
  • Catalog: technology and technology-adjacent goods and services, which is where electronic security lives: access control, IP video, and the services to install and maintain them.
  • Flow: quote from an awarded vendor, PO referencing the contract number, done. DIR's framing is that it has already done the heavy lifting of procurement.

BuyBoard

  • Run by: the Local Government Purchasing Cooperative, administered by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).
  • Who buys: 3,000+ member entities: school districts, cities, counties, and other political subdivisions. Membership is by interlocal agreement; Texas districts join through TASB.
  • Catalog: broad, from buses to buildings. Security and construction-adjacent trades appear through its awarded vendor lists.
  • Flow: members purchase from BuyBoard-awarded vendors under the cooperative's competitively procured contracts.

TIPS

  • Run by: The Interlocal Purchasing System, a national cooperative with Region 8 Education Service Center in Texas as lead agency.
  • Who buys: public entities eligible under the Texas Interlocal Cooperation Act (Government Code Chapter 791), plus members in other states.
  • Catalog: broad, with heavy use in construction trades and facilities work.
  • Flow: members purchase from TIPS-awarded vendors under the cooperative's contracts.

The practical differences

  • Membership. DIR requires none for eligible Texas customers. BuyBoard and TIPS are membership cooperatives, though joining is routine and most districts already belong to at least one.
  • Fit for electronic security. DIR's catalog is technology-centered, so access control and video sit squarely in scope. BuyBoard and TIPS reach the same trades through broader catalogs.
  • Vendor overlap is not guaranteed. A vendor awarded on one program is not automatically on the others. Check which contracts your preferred vendor actually holds.

Where AK Technologies fits

One contract, held directly, covering the whole security scope.

AK Technologies is an awarded vendor under Texas DIR contract DIR-CPO-6165: access control systems, video surveillance and video management, supporting infrastructure, and professional services from design through maintenance. Manufacturer lines include Brivo, LenelS2, Gallagher, Avigilon Alta, Axis, Milestone, Hanwha Vision, and Eagle Eye Networks; the full list is on the contract page.

If your entity buys through DIR, the path is short: scope, quote, PO referencing DIR-CPO-6165. School districts in particular use this route to move security work inside a construction window instead of around a bid calendar; the walkthrough is here: how Texas districts buy access control without a separate bid.

If your purchasing office prefers BuyBoard or TIPS, tell us. Knowing which routes your entity uses lets us point you at the right path honestly, ours or otherwise.

Talk to the purchasing desk

Your purchasing office owns the final call on procurement method and local policy. Federal grant funds bring EDGAR requirements on top of state law; flag them early and we will paper the file accordingly.

Common questions

What is the difference between DIR, BuyBoard, and TIPS?

All three are cooperative purchasing programs that run competitive procurements so member entities do not have to. DIR is a Texas state agency program focused on technology and technology-adjacent goods and services. BuyBoard is a purchasing cooperative administered by the Texas Association of School Boards with a broad catalog for local governments and districts. TIPS is a national cooperative with Region 8 Education Service Center in Texas as its lead agency.

Do I need a membership to buy through DIR?

Texas public entities do not join DIR the way they join a cooperative. Eligible customers, including state agencies, local governments, K-12 districts, and higher education, can buy from awarded DIR vendors directly by referencing the contract number on a purchase order.

Which cooperative does AK Technologies hold a contract with?

AK Technologies holds Texas DIR contract DIR-CPO-6165, covering access control, video surveillance, supporting infrastructure, and related professional services. Eligible entities can buy security systems and installation through that contract with a quote and a purchase order.

Does buying through a cooperative satisfy competitive bidding requirements?

That is the point of these programs: the competitive procurement is performed by the program before the contract is awarded. Each entity's purchasing office still owns the final call on procurement method and local policy, and federal grant funds bring their own EDGAR requirements.