Policy Details Page
Regulation 6210R
Management Support
PURCHASING AUTHORIZATION AND CONTROL
The Purchasing Department is authorized to issue purchase orders for equipment, supplies, services and personal service contracts. The District shall not be responsible for purchases initiated other than via purchase order unless it is made with a District authorized procurement card (PCard).
Stock Catalog
A. All schools and departments will use the current financial management enterprise resource planning (ERP) system’s stock catalog as the first source of supply.
B. Whenever possible, users should adjust their requirements to use the standard supply items available through the District warehouse. Special preference items will not be provided through District funds except as approved, in advance, by the administrator in charge of Purchasing or designee. The decision may be appealed to the superintendent or their designee.
Submitting Requisitions
A. On-line requisitions for outside vendors should be prepared accurately and completely in the current ERP system. Information should include the appropriate accounting and approximate price (to ensure budget capacity). Although the Purchasing Department has the responsibility for selecting the actual vendor, requisitions should include a suggested vendor and contact name, if appropriate, to facilitate processing.
B. Requisitions first route to Finance for accounting review, then to the Budget Responsibility Authority (BRC) for approval. Once received at Purchasing, requisitions will be processed within a maximum of two (2) working days as long as all necessary paperwork and required documents are included and school board approval received, if required.
C. The Purchasing Department has the right and responsibility to select requisitions that will be included in a bid call.
D. Bids are to be processed within thirty (30) days.
Vendor Selection
A. Requisitions shall include a recommended vendor, along with the name of a contact person, if appropriate.
B. The Purchasing Department has responsibility for selecting the actual vendor, which may be different from the recommended vendor, depending on research conducted by the Purchasing Department.
Contact with Vendors
A. Employees are allowed to contact vendors to obtain information on potential purchases and to provide information necessary to complete a requisition. Schools and departments are encouraged to contact the Purchasing Department early in the planning process. In addition to providing best procurement practice recommendations, Purchasing can often identify vendors, cost savings and help to avoid wasted time. Demos and vendor meetings (except vendor meetings to manage current purchase orders or contracts) should only be attended for information gathering unless at the direction of the Purchasing department.
B. All bidding and quoting are to be done exclusively by the administrator in charge of Purchasing or designee. Other employees should take care to avoid suggesting to vendors that informational figures are really quotations.
C. During the RFP process, employees shall refrain from communications and/or meetings with vendors participating in the RFP process.
Levels of Purchasing Authority
A. Goods and Services
The Purchasing department, in accordance with state laws and regulations, adheres to specific procurement processes as determined by the purchase amount. Reference 6220R for detailed bid thresholds and processes.
B. Federal Purchases
If federal funds are used for grant related purchases of goods and/or services, then purchasers must follow the competitive bid laws and regulations of the federal government. Contact the Purchasing Department for assistance as soon as you are aware of a requirement that will utilize federal funds. Reference 6220R for detailed federal bid thresholds.
C. Purchased and Personal (Professional) Services
Purchased and Personal (Professional) services do not require competitive procurement process as RCW 28A.335.190 is silent. The Purchasing Department reserves the right to require competitive procurement for these services if deemed in the best interest of the District.
1. Purchased Services/Goods are those provided by vendors for routine, necessary and continuing functions of a local agency/District mostly relating to physical activities.
a) Following established or standardized procedures
b) completion of an assigned or specific tasks
c) decision making is routine or perfunctory in nature
Examples include:
i. Delivery/courier service
ii. Recycling/disposal/litter/shredding services
iii. Repair office equipment
2. Professional/ Personal services are technical expertise provided by a consultant to accomplish a specific study, project, task, or other work statement. Activity or product is mostly intellectual in nature.
Examples of Professional/Personal services include:
i. Retreat Facilitator
ii. Trainers
iii. Chaplin services
iv. Court Interpreter
v. Transcript services
Examples of Professional services include:
i. City Attorney
ii. Audit services
iii. Right of way appraisals
iv. Environmental studies
v. Hearing examiner
D. Purchases may be made with District procurement cards based on District guidelines.
E. Only confirmed purchase orders issued by the Purchasing Department will be recognized. All other confirmed requisitions will be returned to the BRC authority and charges may be the responsibility of the staff person.
F. The District expects that all purchases are to be made with advance approval. Occasionally, staff members may make purchases using personal funds. The District will make reimbursement for purchases, with supervisory approval up to $350 of personal funds via a Reimbursement form. Staff members who do not have approval by their supervisor to make a purchase, or make purchases in excess of $350, are making purchases at their own risk and should not expect reimbursement from the district.
G. All trade-ins will be approved by the administrator of Purchasing or designee. Trade-ins are considered items that still have value that the vendor is willing to give us credit for to use against a new purchase of like items.
H. Changes to Existing Contracts. In the event a change (or cumulative changes) exceeds the original contract amount by more than twenty percent, a new solicitation should be considered, and a sole source justification must be written and approved by the Director of Purchasing if new competition is not obtained. In most cases, this will consist of a simple memo justifying why it is impracticable to obtain competition. Changes shall be approved at the level appropriate to the particular change unless the cumulative total amount causes the contract to move to the next higher threshold. Formal Board of Directors approval is not required unless the cumulative additional amount exceeds $200,000. Notwithstanding the preceding sentences, changes shall not be separated or divided so as to avoid the requirements for higher management approval.
Urgent and Emergency Orders
A. Urgent Order
When an urgent requirement or situation occurs that requires immediate action, contact Purchasing to request response actions for an urgent order.
B. Emergency Order
Emergencies are made by declaration of the school board and include unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the school or department which present a real, immediate, and extreme threat to the proper performance of essential functions of the district, or which may reasonably be expected to result in excessive loss or damage to property, bodily injury, or loss of life.
1. If an emergency purchase would normally require bids or quotes in accordance with RCW 28A.335.190 and RCW 39.04.280, the Board of Directors may waive the requirement by issuing a resolution declaring the existence of an emergency within two weeks following the award of contract/purchase,
2. Activities needing to conduct an emergency purchase must complete and submit a Declaration of Emergency Purchase Form through the Purchasing Department to the Superintendent requesting a resolution from the Board.
Both urgent and emergency orders should be submitted by using the current ERP system. The requester should then contact Purchasing to request expedited processing. In the event of system failure, urgent orders may be brought to the Purchasing Department between 6:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. For emergencies, the Purchasing staff will set aside ongoing work and the requisition will be processed immediately.
Associated Student Body (ASB) Requisitions
Associated Student Body (ASB) requisitions will be processed by the Purchasing Department in the same manner as all other requisitions using the current ERP system.
Receiving Goods
A. All purchase orders for goods, except items from the District warehouse, must be received in the current ERP system.
B. Principals or department heads are responsible for establishing receiving persons and locations within their buildings. These persons must have security rights in the current ERP system allowing them to receive items in the requisition module.
C. Since receiving goods is an important phase of the procurement cycle, principals/department heads are required to supervise the process in their buildings so that receiving documents and ERP system entries are completed correctly and maintained at their site.
D. Goods received must also be released in the ERP system by an approved person, which would be an individual with security rights in the EPR system (using their own log-in credentials)
Receiving Services
A. It is important for schools and departments to verify and keep a record of purchases for services.
B. It is the responsibility of the BRC authority to ensure services have been received, including the performance of all requirements, prior to receiving and releasing services in the current ERP system. Completing this function will allow approval for invoice payment in the current ERP system.
C. If the service provider has failed to meet contract or purchase order requirements, contact the Purchasing Department for assistance in resolving this problem.
Return of Merchandise
A. The Purchasing Department shall be responsible for coordinating the return of merchandise for all schools and departments that were ordered via a Purchase Order.
B. Authorization for a return as well as instructions is to be obtained from the Purchasing Department before school or department contacts the vendor or moves the items.
C. Return of items purchased with a District Pcard shall be handled by the individual card holder. If assistance is required, please reach out to the District Pcard Coordinator.
Developing Bids
A. It shall be the responsibility and right of the Purchasing Department to establish procedures for bids and quotes.
1. The Purchasing Department has the responsibility and right to combine requisitions to develop bid quantities.
2. Schools and departments shall be responsible for responding to requests from the Purchasing Department for participation in annual bidding by submitting requisitions in a timely manner.
B. It shall be the responsibility and right of the Purchasing Department to review specifications submitted by schools and departments and to make appropriate modifications so that vendor competition can be as fair and open as possible. Modifications must be mutually agreeable.
C. The board may, by resolution reject any and all bids and make further calls for bids in the same manner as the original call.
Public Works
A. The Purchasing department, in accordance with state laws and regulations, adheres to specific procurement processes as determined by the purchase amount. Reference 6220R for detailed bid thresholds and processes.
B. The Purchasing Department will initiate and maintain the small works roster for the District in accordance with laws and regulations of the state of Washington. Vendors who wish to be included in our small works roster and participate in quotes will register for the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington (MRSC) rosters, a shared statewide public works and consultant roster database.
Architectural and Other Professional Services
RCW 39.80 requires that architectural, landscaping and engineering services be contracted according to certain procedures which required the selection of the “best qualified” firm before price is considered. Procurement of such services is handled by the Department of Purchasing and Planning and Construction and such contracts shall be executed by either the Chief Operating Officer or Director of Purchasing.
Legal References:
RCW 28A.335.190 Advertising for bids – Competitive bid procedures – Telephone or written quotation solicitation, limitations – Emergencies
RCW 39.04.155 Small works process, Chapter 286, Laws of 2005RCW 39.04.280 Competitive Bidding requirements - Exemptions
RCW 39.10 Alt. Public Works (GCCM, Design Build, JOC)
RCW 39.04.270 Competitive Negotiation (low voltage)
RCW 39.80.040 Architect Selection
RCW 39.04.290 Building Engineering Systems
RCW 28A.330.100 Additional Powers of the Board (Selection of attorneys, business managers, etc.)
Approval Date: 2/05/2014
Revised Date: 4/21/2015, 12/13/2022