Code No. 705.1
PURCHASING - BIDDING
The Board supports economic development in Iowa. Purchases by the school district will be made in Iowa for Iowa goods and services from a locally-owned business located within the school district or from an Iowa-based company which offers these goods or services if the cost and other considerations are relatively equal and they meet the required specifications.
Goods and Services
The Board shall enter into goods and services contract(s) as the board deems to be in the best interest of the school district. It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to approve purchases, except those requiring board approval or as provided by in law. The superintendent may coordinate and combine purchases with other governmental bodies to take advantage of volume price breaks. Joint purchases with other political subdivisions will be considered in the purchase of equipment, accessories or attachments with an estimated cost of $50,000 or more.
Purchases for goods and services shall conform to the following:
- The superintendent have the authority to authorize purchases without prior board approval and without competitive request for proposals, quotations, or bids for the goods and services up to $15,000.
- For goods and services costing at least $15,001 and up to $55,000, the superintendent shall receive proposals, quotations, or bids for the goods and services to be purchased prior to board approval. The quotation process may be informal, and include written and unwritten quotations.
- For goods and services exceeding, $55,000, the competitive request for proposal(RFP) or competitive bid process shall be used and received prior to board approval. RFPs and bids are formal, written submissions via sealed process.
In the event that only one quotation or bid is submitted, the board may proceed if the quotation or bid meets the contract award specifications.
The contract award shall be based on the total cost considerations including, but not limited to the following:
- The cost of the goods and services being purchased;
- Availability of service and/or repair;
- The targeted small business procurement goal and other statutory purchasing preferences; and
- Other factors deemed relevant by the board.
Public Improvement Projects
The board shall enter into public improvement contract(s) as the board deems to be in the best interest of the school district. “Public improvement” means “a building or construction work which is constructed under the control of a governmental entity and is paid for in whole or in part with funds of the governmental entity and is paid for in whole or in part with funds of the governmental entity, including a building or improvement constructed or operated jointly with any public or private agency.”
The district shall follow all requirements, timelines, and processed detailed in Iowa law related to public improvement projects. The thresholds regarding when competitive bidding or competitive contracts exceeding the minimum threshold stated inlaw. Competitive quotations are required for public improvement projects that exceed the minimum threshold amount stated in law, but do not exceed the minimum set for competitive bidding. The board shall approve competitive bids and competitive quotes. If the total cost of the public improvement does not warrant either competitive bidding or competitive quotations , the district may nevertheless proceed with either of these processes, if it so chooses.
The award of all contracts for the public improvements shall be awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. In the event of an emergency requiring repairs to a school district facility that exceed bidding and quotation thresholds, please refer to policy 802.3.
The superintendent may develop an administrative process to implement this policy.
Approved 6/9/97 Revised: 12/21
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 18.6(9); 23A; 28E.20; 72.3; 73; 73A; 285.10(3), .10(7); 301 (1995).
261 I.A.C. 54.
281 I.A.C. 43.25.
481 I.A.C. 25.
1984 Op. Att'y Gen. 115.
1974 Op. Att'y Gen. 171.
Cross Reference: 705 Expenditures
801.4 Site Acquisition
802 Maintenance, Operation and Management
803 Selling and Leasing