A purchasing consortium

a$)$ is a form of collaborative purchasing used only by the public sector to deliver a wider range of services at a lower total cost

b$)$ consists of two or more independent organizations that combine requirements for materials, services, and capital goods to gain better pricing, service, and technology

c$)$ consists of two or more divisions of the same organization that combine requirements for materials, services, and capital goods to gain better pricing, service, and technology

d$)$ speeds up the purchasing process, but does not usually result in price concessions from suppliers

e$)$ results in price concessions from suppliers, but usually does not speed up the purchasing process