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The Internet Cooperative Purchasing Initiative (ICPI), also known as the Consortium, is a program implemented by the New Jersey Department of Education in 2014 to improve broadband procurement for K-12 schools. The initiative bundled schools into four regional groups, shifting from a decentralized procurement model to a centralized one. Under this new system, schools voluntarily participate in a coordinated procurement process where a single Internet Service Provider (ISP) wins the right to supply internet to all schools within a region.

The ICPI aims to reduce costs and increase access to high-speed internet for schools. It leverages the benefits of demand aggregation to overcome the exposure problem faced by ISPs and increase competition. The program works alongside the federal E-rate subsidy program, which provides 20-90% subsidies for schools telecommunications expenditures based on poverty level and rural status.

Results from the initiative have been significant. Participating schools experienced an average price decrease of $9.33 per Mbps per month, from a base of $19. In response to lower prices, schools increased their broadband demand sixfold, by an average of 628 Mbps compared to non-participants. The program has led to substantial cost savings for schools, ranging from $1.82 million to $6.53 million in total, depending on demand assumptions