General Statements

The purchasing policy of the Marcus Whitman Central School District is to secure supplies, materials, equipment and services in an efficient, economical and timely fashion to meet the District's needs.

The purchasing  procedures employed shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations of the State and Commissioner of Education.

Authority/Responsibility

In accordance  with law, the District must identify the individual or individuals  responsible for purchasing and their respective titles. Such information shall be updated biennially.

The District purchasing function will be centralized in the business office under the general supervision of the Purchasing Agent designated  by the Board of Education. The Board of Education has designated the School Business Official as the Purchasing Agent for the School District. The Purchasing Agent shall be responsible for developing and administrating  the purchasing program of the School District.

Quality

The purchasing function shall consider circumstances  and use as determining factors in quality selection. The Board of Education expects the purchasing agent to make every effort to receive the maximum educational value for every dollar expended.

Items commonly used in the various schools therefore shall be standardized whenever consistent with the educational goals and in the interest of efficiency and economy.

Vendors and Contractors

One of the purposes of the purchasing function is to purchase competitively, without prejudice or favoritism. Each order shall be placed on the basis of quality, price, delivery and past service being a factor if all other considerations are equal.

No Board member, officer or employee of the Marcus Whitman Central School District shall be interested financially in any contract entered into by the Board. This shall also preclude acceptance of any gratuities, financial or otherwise, by the above persons, from any supplier of materials or services to the District.

Requesting Bids and Quotations

The purpose of obtaining  bids or quotations is to encourage competition  in the procurement of supplies,  equipment  and  services  which  will  be paid  for  from  public  funds.  Competitive  bids  or quotations shall be solicited in connection with all purchases whenever feasible and in the best interest of the Marcus Whitman Central School District.

Contracts will be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder; residence or place of business of the local bidders may be a consideration only in cases where identical bids have been submitted.

All purchase contracts for materials, equipment or supplies involving an annual expenditure  of over twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and all public works involving an expenditure  of more than thirty-five  thousand  dollars  ($35,000)  will  be  awarded  on  the  basis  of  public  advertising  and competitive bidding.

All contracts requiring public advertising and competitive bidding will be awarded by resolution of the Board.

A  statement  of  "General  Conditions"  will  be  included  with  all  specifications  submitted  to suppliers for their bids.

Request for Proposal Process for the Independent Auditor

In accordance with law, no audit engagement shall be for a term longer than five (5) consecutive years. The District may, however, permit an independent auditor engaged under an existing contract for  such  services  to  submit  a proposal  for  such services  in response  to a request  for  competitive proposals or be awarded a contract to provide such services under a request for proposal process.

Bid Opening

Sealed  bids  should  be  received,  time-stamped,  recorded  and  kept  in  a  safe  place  until  the appointed day and time when they are publicly opened and read. It is important to note that the law requires SEALED BIDS; therefore, "FAXED" bids MAY NOT be accepted.

Bids should be checked and analyzed for compliance with specifications  and law. The right to reject all bids for valid cause is reserved to the School District. Also reserved is the right to reject, for cause,  any  bid  in  whole  or  in  part;  to  waive  technical  defects,  qualifications,  irregularities  and omissions if in its judgment the best interests of the District will be served. Also reserved is the right to reject bids and to purchase items on State Contract if such items can be obtained on the same terms, conditions, specifications, and at a lower price.

State Contracts

Purchases  shall  be made through  available State  contracts  of the Office  of General Services Division of Standards and Purchase, whenever such purchases are in the best interest of the Marcus Whitman Central School District.  However,whenever  possible, if quotations  can be obtained from suppliers locally at similar prices and equal quality to the State contract, then residence or place of business may be considered if all bidding conditions are met.

Purchase Orders

The Purchasing Agent shall be authorized to issue pre-numbered purchase orders for all goods and services where a budgetary appropriation has been made. When formal bidding procedures are required by law, the purchase order will be issued after the Board award of the bid and will refer to the bid submitted, to the specifications  which will be attached  as part of the contract and will bear the price or prices indicated by the bidder in the bid.

Blanket  purchase  orders  issued  yearly  to  local  vendors  shall  be  used  only  for  day-to-day custodial needs, minor repairs or incidental instructional supplies.

Purchase orders shall also indicate the address for delivery. All goods received must be accepted by an authorized Marcus Whitman Central School District employee who shall certify that the goods were received in good condition, before payment can be approved.

No payment for goods or services shall be made unless both an itemized invoice showing name of the person or firm to whom payment is due, and a receiving copy of the purchase order, bearing the signature  of an authorized  school  employee  are present.  Furthermore,  the invoice  must have been issued in response to an approved purchase order.