CASES WERE SELECTED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF WELL-KNOWN AUTHORITIES ON INTERLOCAL CONTRACTING FROM CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS IN TEXAS AND FROM SEVERAL ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS. GUIDELINES IN CHOOSING THE CASES WERE APPLICABILITY (AGREEMENTS WITH HIGH TRANSFERABILITY TO OTHER GOVERNMENTS IN TEXAS), AVAILABILITY (AGREEMENTS WITH SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO BUILD A REASONABLY EXACT CHRONICLE OF WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED), CAPABILITY (AGREEMENTS THAT ANY GOVERNMENT CAN EXECUTE AND ADMINISTER), DIVERSITY (AGREEMENTS THAT REPRESENT COOPERATION AMONG VARIED JURISDICTIONS), INTEREST (AGREEMENTS CONTAINING MEANINGFUL INFORMATION), TIMELINESS (AGREEMENTS REGARDING FUNCTIONS AND SERVICES THAT ARE OF MAJOR CONCERN TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS), AND UNIQUENESS (AGREEMENTS THAT DEMONSTRATE NOVELTY IN THEIR APPROACH TO PROVIDING SERVICES). EACH CASE STUDY ADDRESSES A COMMUNITY PROBLEM WHICH RESULTS IN COOPERATION. IT SHOWS WHAT GOVERNMENT LEADERS HOPED TO ACCOMPLISH BY COOPERATION, HOW THE AGREEMENT WAS STRUCTURED TO CARRY OUT ITS INTENDED PURPOSE, AND WHAT BENEFITS RESULTED TO THE CONTRACTING PARTIES FROM THE AGREEMENT. THE PROGNOSIS FOR CONTINUED COOPERATION IS ALSO GIVEN. CASE STUDIES FOCUS ON EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, A CONSOLIDATED LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICE, SHARED COMPUTER SERVICES, COOPERATIVE SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL, A MULTICITY HEAVY EQUIPMENT SHARING PROGRAM, AND COOPERATIVE TAX ADMINISTRATION. CERTAIN INGREDIENTS OF INTERLOCAL CONTRACTING, ESSENTIAL IN SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION, ARE A COOPERATIVE SPIRIT, SUSTAINED LEADERSHIP, APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATION, REALISTIC GOALS, AND OPEN COMMUNICATION. FIGURES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)