The district operates using funds collected from taxpayers for the benefit of the district's educational
program, and it is imperative that all Board members and district employees strictly adhere to district
policies and procedures when making purchases for the district.
Definitions
Competitive Bidding – A process of obtaining products or services where the district contacts
providers or advertises and interested providers submit offers or sealed bids from which the district
chooses.
Competitive Negotiation – A process of obtaining a contract for products or services where the
district contacts providers or advertises a request for proposals (RFP) detailing the scope,
specifications, terms and conditions of the proposed contract and the criteria on which the proposals
will be analyzed, then negotiates separately with each responsive provider to award the contract.
Debarred – Exclusion from state or federal government contracting and subcontracting for products
or services.
Lowest or Best Bid or Offer – The provider with the best product or service based on district criteria
that may include price, value, quality of product, history of performance, recommendations and other
qualities important to the district.
Products – All physical property other than real estate including, but not limited to, supplies, books,
furniture, machinery and equipment.
Provider – A vendor of products or an independent contractor providing services to the district.
Purchase – Obtaining or procuring products or services for the district in exchange for money or
anything of value.
Purchasing Card – A credit card in the district's name on which the district has placed automatic
restrictions such as the amount that can be charged per day, where the card may be used or the type
of purchases that can be made with the card.
Services – All providers of labor or professional expertise other than that provided by district
employees in the scope of their duties including, but not limited to, services such as construction,
auditing, bond underwriting, consulting, janitorial services and food services.
Purchasing Supervision
The chief financial officer will serve as the district's purchasing officer or will designate a purchasing
officer. The district purchasing officer will supervise district purchasing and may authorize
purchases on behalf of the district that conform to the Board-adopted budget.
General Rules
1. All funds received by district staff on behalf of the district shall be deposited in district
accounts. All funds deposited with the district, regardless of source, are considered district
funds. Any purchases made with these funds must comply with district policies and
procedures.
2. Although buildings, departments and divisions are allocated budgets for a given period, the
expenditure of those budgetary amounts is still subject to law and district policies and
procedures.
3. No contract will be entered into or bill paid without the proper documentation and without
an affirmative vote from a majority of the whole Board. Even without a contract, no
purchase that may exceed $25,000 will be made without prior Board approval, unless in
accordance with emergency provisions.
4. Regardless of the purchase method used, the district will select the lowest or best bid or
offer. The district reserves the right to waive minor technical defects in a bid, reject any and
all bids, reject any part of a bid, advertise for new bids, or make the purchase on the open
market if the product or service can be obtained at a better price. If the scope of the purchase
changes substantially, the district will rebid the product or service unless otherwise provided
in this procedure.
5. Purchases may only be made through purchase order, credit or purchasing card, or through
petty cash, when appropriate. In rare circumstances when one (1) of these methods of
payment is not available, the district may reimburse an employee for a purchase made with
the employee's personal funds. Employees should contact the district business office prior
to making a purchase outside the authorized methods to ensure reimbursement.
6. All purchases must receive approval from the principal or other appropriate supervisor
responsible for the budget code from which the purchase is made. The following items
require additional approval prior to making the purchase, regardless of the cost:
► Computer hardware and software must be approved by the district's technology
director.
► Materials purchased with grant funds must be approved by the person designated as
the grant administrator.
► Construction or maintenance of district facilities must be approved by the district's
facilities director.
► The purchasing officer or the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction
must approve travel expenses such as airline tickets and hotel reservations.
7. All purchases must be attributed to a budget code, and funds must be available in that code
prior to making the purchase.
8. If the requested expenditure does not fit into a budget code or would go beyond the approved
amount in that budget code, the request will be forwarded to the superintendent's office for
review. If the superintendent determines that the request is reasonable but will require an
amendment to the current budget, the superintendent will include the request as an agenda
item at the next Board meeting.
9. All purchases must be appropriately documented consistent with auditing guidelines.
10. District staff will provide the district's tax-exempt letter to vendors before making any
purchase that may be taxed.
11. Purchase orders will expire within three (3) months of the date of issuance if not redeemed.
Competitive Purchasing
District staff will research all purchases and compare prices prior to making decisions regarding the
expenditure of district funds. Unless otherwise addressed in this procedure, employees are expected
to contact multiple providers before making a purchasing decision under $15,000.
If the estimated expenditure is for $15,000 or more, the employee authorized to make the purchase
must:
1. Notify the purchasing officer of the needed purchase. The purchasing officer may send
notices of the proposed purchase to all providers on the district provider list. The purchasing
officer may decide to directly conduct or oversee the purchase or allow the authorized
employee to conduct the purchase.
2. Obtain at least three (3) quotes from providers. The employee may solicit quotes directly
from providers and may utilize quotes received by fax, telephone, e-mail and catalog
comparison.
3. If fewer than three (3) providers sell or provide the service or product, document that fact and
consult the available provider(s).
4. Provide the purchasing officer the proper documentation, including documentation of which
provider was chosen and the reasons for selecting that provider.
If the estimated expenditure is $15,000 or more and is for construction or other major repairs, the
purchase will be made after receiving sealed bids through the purchasing officer.
1. The district employee authorized to make the purchase must first notify the purchasing
officer of the purchasing need. The purchasing officer will directly conduct or oversee the
purchase.
2. If the expenditure is for construction, the district will follow the bidding requirements of the
law.
3. The purchasing officer may also solicit sealed bids directly from providers.
4. It is the provider's responsibility to ensure that bids are received by the district no later than
the appointed date and hour. Late bids will not be considered and will be returned unopened
to the bidder.
5. The purchasing officer or designee will publicly open all bids received and will maintain all
documentation of the purchase, including which provider was chosen and the reasons for
selecting that provider.
Changing Specifications without Rebidding
Except as required by law, such as when bidding construction services, the district may change the
scope of the purchase and accept a provider's offer without rebidding the purchase when bids
received are unreasonable, have unacceptable terms and conditions, are noncompetitive, or when the
low bid exceeds available funds. The purchasing officer must first determine in writing that time
or other circumstances will not permit the delay required to resolicit competitive bids. Each
responsive bidder who submitted a bid under the original solicitation must be notified of the change
and given a reasonable opportunity to modify his or her bid and submit a best and final bid. In cases
where the bids received are noncompetitive or the low bid exceeds available funds, the ultimate
amount agreed upon must be lower than the lowest rejected bid of any responsive bidder under the
original solicitation.
Exceptions to the Regular Competitive Purchasing Process
1. Competitive Negotiation
The district may purchase products or services through an RFP if the purchasing officer
determines that the purchase requires competitive negotiations rather than competitive
bidding. Requests for proposals will be advertised and solicited in the same manner as
competitive bids, depending on the anticipated cost.
The district will select the lowest or best offer as determined by the evaluation criteria
established in the RFP and any subsequent negotiations. In determining the lowest or best
offer, negotiations may be conducted with responsive providers for the purpose of
understanding and clarifying the proposal and verifying that the proposal responds to the
district’s needs. All providers submitting proposals shall be accorded fair and equal
treatment with respect to any opportunity for negotiation and subsequent revision of
proposals. Revisions may be permitted after submission and before award for the purpose
of obtaining best and final offers. The purchasing officer shall have the right to reject any
or all proposals and advertise for new proposals or purchase the required products or services
on the open market if they can be obtained at a better price.
2. Single Source Purchases
The purchasing officer may waive the requirement of competitive bids or proposals when he
or she determines in writing that there is only a single feasible source for the purchase.
Immediately upon discovering that other feasible sources exist, the purchasing officer shall
rescind the waiver and proceed to procure the products or services through the competitive
process as described in this procedure. A single feasible source exists in any of the following
circumstances:
► Products or services are proprietary and only available from the manufacturer or a
single distributor.
► Based on past procurement experience, it is determined that only one (1) distributor
services the region in which the products or services are needed.
► Purchases are available at a discount from a single distributor for a limited period of
time, and the discount is significant based on the current market price and/or the last
price paid for the product or service.
► Specific parts or authorized maintenance must be utilized to maintain validity of a
warranty.
► The services of a particular provider are unique, such as speakers on a particular topic
or authors.
If the estimated expenditure is $15,000 or more, the purchasing officer shall post notice of
the proposed purchase in the same location as postings for School Board meetings for at least
five (5) business days prior to the purchase. If the estimated expenditure is $15,000 or more
and is for construction or major repairs, the purchasing officer will follow the bidding
requirements of the law.
The requirement for notice and advertising may be waived if not feasible due to the purchase
being available at a discount for only a limited period of time.
3. Approved Providers
In some circumstances where products and services are routinely needed, the purchasing
officer may competitively bid or negotiate for the product or service for use throughout the
school year, based on past usage of the product or service. Such circumstances include, but
are not limited to, the purchase of food, textbooks, office supplies or services such as bus
maintenance or plumbing. The purchasing officer will use the single source purchasing
process for unique products or services. Once a provider has been approved, district
employees may purchase the designated products or services from the approved providers
without additional competitive bidding.
Before designating approved providers, the purchasing officer will first determine that the
district will receive quality products and services from the providers at a reasonable cost to
the district. The purchasing officer will review and redesignate approved providers annually
to ensure that the prices of the products and services provided remain competitive. Textbook
providers will only be designated as approved providers if all statutory requirements are met.
Approved providers may be designated at any time.
4. Cooperative Purchasing
Cooperative purchasing should be utilized when it is determined to be to the financial
advantage of the district. Before joining a cooperative purchasing program, the purchasing
officer will conduct an analysis to determine whether the cooperative purchasing program
will result in a cost savings to the district based on the district's history of expenditures. This
analysis will be conducted on an annual basis to determine whether the district should
continue to participate in the program.
5. Emergency Situations
Unless required by law, the superintendent may waive the requirement of competitive bids
or proposals when he or she determines that there exists a threat to life, property, public
health, or public safety or when immediate expenditure is necessary in order to protect
against further loss of or damage to property, or to prevent or minimize serious disruption
in services. If an employee utilizes this exception, he or she will contact the district's
purchasing officer and the superintendent immediately to explain the situation.
Emergency purchases shall be made with as much competition as is practical under the
circumstances, which may include calling known providers to obtain a quote or e-mailing
vendors on the provider list and requiring an immediate response. Emergency purchases will
only be utilized to purchase those products or services that are necessary to alleviate the
emergency.
Leasing, Renting or Lease-Purchasing
Lease, rent or lease-purchase arrangements are subject to competitive bidding requirements in the
same manner as other purchases. The Board may purchase apparatus, equipment and furnishings
by entering into lease-purchase agreements with providers. Any agreement that results in school
district ownership of the leased object must contain a provision that allows the district an option to
terminate the agreement on at least an annual basis without penalty. All expenditures related to
lease-purchase agreements shall be considered expenditures for capital outlay.
Legal Compliance
In addition to the bidding requirements of this procedure, the district will comply with all laws with
respect to acquiring products and services including, but not limited to, the following:
1. All construction projects that may exceed an expenditure of $15,000 shall be advertised in
a newspaper of general circulation and competitively bid, in accordance with law, and may
also be advertised in business, trade or minority newspapers or using other modes of
communication such as the district's website. Bid specifications and contracts for
construction projects will include all elements required by law including, but not limited to,
prevailing wage, mandatory training, excessive unemployment restrictions, mandatory
affidavits regarding the employment of authorized labor, and bonding requirements when
applicable. See §§ 107.170, 177.086, 285.530, 290.210 - .340, 290.550 - .580, 292.675,
RSMo.
2. All purchasing of architectural, engineering or land surveying services must be advertised,
bid and selected in accordance with Board policy and law. See §§ 8.285 - .291, RSMo.
3. Construction management services must be advertised, bid and selected in accordance with
Board policy and law. See §§ 8.675 - .687, RSMo.
4. The district must competitively bid auditing services and select an auditor who meets the
qualifications set by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). See
5 C.S.R. 30-4.030.
5. Health and life insurance contracts will be competitively bid at least every three (3) years.
See § 67.150, RSMo.
6. General liability and other forms of insurance contracts will be competitively bid at least
every six (6) years. See § 376.696, RSMo.
7. Depositories of district funds will be competitively bid at least every five (5) years. See
§§ 165.201- .291, RSMo.
8. Transactions with School Board members or employees, or businesses they own, will only
be conducted as required by law and Board policy. See §§ 105.454, .458, 171.181, RSMo.
9. As a condition for the award of a contract to provide the district services in excess of $5,000,
the provider must submit a sworn affidavit and documentation affirming enrollment in E-Verify and stating that the provider does not knowingly employ any person who is not
authorized to work in the United States. See § 285.530, RSMo.
Purchasing Preferences
The district will comply with all purchasing preference requirements, in accordance with law.
1. When contracting for any job or service, the district will give preference to Missouri
businesses, or businesses that maintain Missouri offices or places of business, when the
quality of performance promised is equal to or better than and the price quoted is the same
as or less than that of the other responsive providers. See § 34.073, RSMo.
2. The district will give preference to all commodities manufactured, mined, produced or grown
within the state and to all Missouri firms, corporations or individuals that supply
commodities when quality and price are approximately the same. See § 171.181, RSMo.
3. The Board encourages district staff to purchase products manufactured, assembled or
produced in the United States of America. See § 34.353, RSMo.
4. When contracting for any job or service, the district will give a three-point bonus preference
to service-disabled veteran businesses that are Missouri businesses or businesses that
maintain Missouri offices or places of business. See § 34.074, RSMo.
5. When purchasing food or beverages to be processed or served in a building or room owned
or operated by the district, the Board will give preference to those that contain a higher level
of calcium if they are equal or lower in price and of the same type and nutritional quality.
This consideration is in addition to any requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
under the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program. See § 34.375,
RSMo.
6. When purchasing appliances with all or a portion of state funds, the appliance must have
earned the Energy Star under the federal Energy Star program, unless exempted by the
commissioner of the Office of Administration. See § 8.305, RSMo.
7. When purchasing coal for fuel purposes, the district must purchase coal mined in the state
of Missouri or an adjoining state, if the cost is not greater than the cost of coal mined in any
other state or states, including the cost of transportation. See § 34.080, RSMo.
8. Employees responsible for the purchase of cleaning products will consult DESE guidelines
on environmentally friendly products prior to purchase. See § 161.365, RSMo.
Provider Lists
The purchasing officer or designee will maintain lists of providers interested in receiving electronic
notices of proposed district purchases. Any provider may request to be added to the list. It is the
provider's responsibility to update contact information.
The purchasing officer will not include providers who have been suspended or debarred at the state
or federal level, and the purchasing officer will remove providers when the district discovers that the
provider has been suspended or debarred. The purchasing officer may remove providers from the
provider list if they have not submitted a bid or proposal in more than one (1) year or have proven
to be unreliable or unqualified. The purchasing officer will attempt to notify removed vendors using
the last known e-mail address.
Debarred or Suspended Providers
The district will not do business with providers who have been suspended or debarred on a state or
federal level, unless the superintendent authorizes the transaction and provides the Board written
justification. If the district is currently under contract with a provider who becomes suspended or
debarred, the district will comply with all legal obligations to the provider, but will not do business
with the provider in the future until the provider is no longer suspended or debarred or the
superintendent approves the purchase in writing.
The purchasing officer will monitor the state and federal information regarding suspension and
debarment and will immediately notify staff members if a provider with whom the district regularly
does business is suspended or debarred. Before making purchasing decisions, district staff will
consult the purchasing officer for confirmation that the desired provider is in good standing.
An employee may make a written request to the superintendent to purchase from a suspended or
debarred provider if the provider is a single-source provider or there are other extenuating
circumstances. The written request must include the specific reasons the district should continue to
do business with the provider.
Purchase Documentation
Documentation related to purchases must be maintained in accordance with the Missouri Secretary
of State's retention manual and maintained in a centralized location so that there is a clear audit path
linking the solicitation, evaluation, award and payment. When applicable, documentation should
include:
1. Bid specifications.
2. Newspaper advertisements or posted notices.
3. List of providers contacted.
4. Original or copy of each written bid received.
5. Bid record/tabulation summary sheets.
6. Correspondence concerning the purchase.
7. Evaluation report, including an explanation if the order is awarded to anyone other than the
low bidder.
8. Description of the emergency condition that existed if bids are obtained due to emergency
conditions.
9. Description of the single feasible source purchase.
10. An explanation if the order is awarded to a non-Missouri manufacturer or service provider.
Receiving Products
All district buildings will have a designated receiving area where all products are delivered. Each
building supervisor/administrator will designate two (2) employees who will sign for products
received at that building. An employee will not sign for receipt of a product that the employee
requisitioned or ordered. Therefore, all employees must notify the employees designated to receive
products when an item is ordered. However, if there is a question as to whether the product was
ordered or there is a mistake in the order, the employee ordering the product will be consulted prior
to consenting to the delivery.
Within one (1) business day of receipt of a product, the employee who ordered it will inspect the
product to ensure that the district received the appropriate quality and quantity of the product, that
the product was delivered in a timely manner and that the price and quantity on the invoice matches
the receipt. If the product is acceptable and the purchase was made by purchase order, the employee
who ordered it will send proof of receipt to the purchasing officer so that the purchase order can be
paid. If a partial shipment is received, the employee will send the receipt to the purchasing officer
and will include notification that the entire order has not been received. If the purchase was made
by credit or purchasing card, the employee issued the card will submit the receiving slip to the
purchasing officer with the card statement. If the statement has already been paid prior to receipt,
the employee issued the card will submit the receiving slip to the central office for documentation.
If the product is not what was ordered, the employee who ordered it will contact the provider
immediately for correction. If the product cannot be replaced or the error corrected before the
expiration of the purchase order, the employee will notify the purchasing officer immediately so that
the first purchase order is canceled and a new purchase order is issued. If the provider refuses to
correct the error, the employee will contact the purchasing officer immediately so that payment can
be withheld or a protest filed with the credit or purchasing card issuer.
The building supervisor/administrator will designate one (1) or more employees to verify all products
received over the summer or in other situations where the employee who ordered a product is absent
for an extended period of time. The person(s) designated will stand in place of the person ordering
the product and perform the duties detailed above. The designated person(s) will attempt to notify
the person who ordered the product, in addition to the purchasing officer, if there are any concerns.
All products received over the summer or in other situations where employees who ordered products
are absent for an extended period of time will be stored in a secure, locked location and may only
be removed by the employees who ordered the products or upon direction of the building
supervisor/administrator or designee.
Receiving Services
In general a service provider will only be paid after the employee who requested the service verifies
that the service has been rendered in accordance with the specifications. Exceptions may be made
for purchases such as membership dues, registration fees and travel expenses such as airline tickets.
Employees will contact the purchasing officer if there are concerns regarding the quality of the
service provided or if the service is not completed in a timely manner.
Payment
Because by law the Board must approve all bills, the purchasing officer will work with regular
providers to arrange for a billing cycle that allows for official Board approval before payment, and
yet protects the district from late fees or interest payments.
* * * * * * *
Note: The reader is encouraged to review policies and/or forms for related information in this
administrative area.
Implemented: 08/12/2010
Revised: 08/11/2011
St. Charles R-VI School District, St. Charles, Missouri
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