PURCHASING PROCEDURES
Definition of Terms
For the purpose of these policies and for the efficient operation of the district the following definition of terms shall apply.
Public Lettings: When it is reasonable and practical to do so, the superintendent will request competitive bids for goods and services to ensure the best use of the district’s financial resources. Competitive sealed bids are required in many instances for construction, remodeling or repair of school-owned buildings or site improvements that cost $100,000 or more.
Items to be included in public lettings shall be described by specifications so that vendors or potential providers will be submitting bids for items, service, or repair of similar quality or quantity. Unless an emergency exists and the superintendent of schools is authorized by the board of education, vendor responses resulting from public lettings must be reviewed and approved by the board of education prior to a commitment to expend school district funds.
Price Quotations: The superintendent of schools is authorized to request price quotations and to purchase any equipment, supplies, or services which have a unit price of less than $5,000 but more than $750 and which have previously been approved by the board of education through the adoption of the annual budget of the school district. Items included in requests for price quotations may be described through specifications or may be described as “similar to” followed by the citing of a specific brand name.
Outright Purchase: The superintendent of schools is authorized to make outright purchases, with or without developing a set of specifications or requesting price quotations, for small items, new or replacement, through established vendors, which cost $750 or less. It is expected that the superintendent of schools will use his or her discretion as well as to consult with district personnel to select those items which will best meet the educational needs of the school district. Examples of items to be included in this category are expendable or perishable items, tools, calculators, or items to supplement material, which had been purchased via price quotations but were not purchased in sufficient quantity to complete the school year. Funds to purchase items in this category must have had prior approval of the board of education through the approval of the annual budget. It is the board of education's intent to seek quality goods and services from reputable vendors and contractors via competitive public lettings, price quotations, or through outright purchases, while maintaining a concern for cost effectiveness, i.e., educational value received for dollar expended. However, in any public letting or price quotation situation the board of education expressly reserves the right of the school district to reject any or all proposals and the board of education will not be obligated to the purchasing of an item because it was represented by the lowest dollar cost per unit.
Exception: The board of education reserves the right not to seek bids through public lettings for items or services costing more than $5,000 but less than $100,000 if it is determined that said items or services are not readily available through the public letting process or if an emergency would exist. If the items are not readily available through a public letting process or if an emergency would exist, the board of education may instruct the superintendent of schools to proceed to secure the items or services through a non- public letting process.
The purchasing practice of the school district shall be such as to benefit the educational program. To accomplish this result, the decisions on purchases may not always be based upon the lowest price quotation or lowest bid but consideration shall be given to the following factors:
I. Specifications which stress good quality within limitation of the budget.
II. The lowest cost within adherence to the specifications.
III. Consideration for the quality of service.
IV. Promptness of delivery.
Local purchasing will be favored whenever the following factors are equal between local and non-local vendors:
I. Quality of product.
II. Suitability of product.
III. Price.
IV. Conformance to specifications.
V. Convenience of delivery.
VI. General reputation of business firms.
VII. Past services to the school district.
General procedures to be followed in purchasing shall include a research of potential suppliers, invitations to participate in public lettings, requests for price quotations, or outright purchases, the issuance of purchase orders, verification of receipt of goods or completion of services, and submission of claims for formal approval by the board of education. Ordinarily, bills must be submitted by the 1st of the month to be approved at the next regular board meeting. The board of education is to be informed of any circumstance wherein intended purchases are not within budgetary limitations.
No school employee is to obligate district funds without prior authorization from the superintendent of schools.
Contracting for Services – Federal Immigration Verification
Every contract for services to be provided to the district shall require that the contractor use a federal immigration verification system to determine the work eligibility status of new employees physically performing services within the State of Nebraska. Such requirement shall be deemed to be included and a part of the terms of every contract for services with the School District, including but not limited to oral contracts.
Legal Reference:
Neb. Statute 73-106
Neb. Statute 79-515
Neb. Statute 79-10,104
