Collaboration between small municipalities has become a necessity in order to cope with municipal difficulties such as emergency services. Collaboration has also been mentioned as a possible solution to the challenges facing the public sector in light of economic and demographic developments that will continuously increase the demands on these municipalities. Inter-municipal collaboration is therefore something that is sought after and strived for. This essay will analyse the process surrounding the formation of this inter-municipal association, and to help understand and explain this process I will use the following theories: framing theory and public choice theory. The results show that the primary motivation for establishing Räddningstjänsten Väst was to create a robust and efficient emergency service, not just an economical one. A significant factor in its success was the tradition of trust and cooperation between these two municipalities. Another factor was the hiring of an experienced and objective consultant. The analysis indicates that those responsible for the process acted rationally based on the set goals, with shared ideas and values serving as a framework for their collaboration. Thus the focus of the essay is on municipal collaboration structures, particularly inter-municipal associations, highlighting the process and ideas behind the formation of these associations, as well as who has taken the initiative for their establishment.  In 2011 the municipalities Falkenberg and Varberg began planning their municipality association, Räddningstjänsten Väst, and in 2013 it began its operations.