The Board of Education views purchasing as serving the educational program by providing necessary supplies, equipment and related services. Purchasing will be centralized in the business office under the general supervision of the Purchasing Agent designated by the Board.

It is the goal of the Board to purchase competitively, without prejudice or favoritism, and to seek the maximum educational value for every dollar expended. Competitive bids or quotations shall be solicited in connection with purchases pursuant to law. The General Municipal Law requires that purchase contracts for materials, equipment and supplies involving an estimated annual expenditure exceeding $10,000 and public work contracts involving an expenditure of more than $20,000 will be awarded only after responsible bids have been received in response to a public advertisement soliciting formal bids. Similar procurements to be made in a fiscal year will be grouped together for the purpose of determining whether a particular item must be bid.

Goods and services which are not required by law to be procured by the district through competitive bidding will be procured in a manner so as to ensure the prudent and economical use of public monies, in the best interests of the taxpayers, to facilitate the acquisition of goods and services of maximum quality at the lowest possible cost under the circumstances, and to guard against favoritism, improvidence, extravagance, fraud and corruption.

Alternative proposals will be secured by requests for proposals, written or verbal quotations or any other appropriate method of procurement, except for procurements.

1. under a county contract;
2. under a state contract;
3. of articles manufactured in state correctional institutions; or
4. from agencies for the blind and severely disabled.
5. during emergencies where circumstances affecting public buildings, public property or the health, safety or property of the inhabitants of the district require immediate action.
6. procurements for which there is no possibility of competition (sole source items): or
7. very small procurements when solicitations of competition would not be cost-effective.
8. for professional services which, because of the confidential nature of the services, do not lend themselves to procurement through solicitation.

The district's purchasing activity will strive to meet the following objectives:

1. to effectively supply all administrative units in the school system with needed materials, supplies, and contracted services;
2. to obtain materials, supplies and contracted services at the lowest prices possible consistent with the quality and standards needed as determined by the Purchasing Agent in cooperation with the requisitioning authority. The educational welfare of the students is cooperation with the requisitioning authority. The educational welfare of the students is the foremost consideration in making any purchase;
3. to ensure that all purchases fall within the framework of budgetary limitations and that they are consistent with the educational goals and program of the district;
4. to maintain an appropriate and comprehensive accounting and reporting system to record and document all purchasing transactions; and
5. to ensure, through the use of proper internal controls, that loss and/or diversion of district property is prevented.

Opportunities shall be provided to all responsible suppliers to do business, with the school district. Purchases will be made through available cooperative bids, state contracts of the Office of General Services or county contracts whenever such purchases are in the best interest of the district. In addition, the district will make purchase form correctional institutions and severely disabled persons through charitable or non-profit-making agencies, as provided by law.

The district will provide justification and documentation of any contract awarded to an offeror other than the lowest responsible dollar offeror, setting forth the reasons why such award is in the best interests of the district and otherwise furthers the purposes of section 104-b of the General Municipal Law.

The Purchasing Agent, shall be responsible for the establishment and implementation of the procedures and standard forms for use in all purchasing and related activities in the district. Such procedures shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations of the state and the Commissioner of Education.

No Board member, officer of employee of the school district shall have an interest in any contract entered into by the Board or the district, as provided in Article 18 of the General Municipal Law.

Comments will be solicited from those administrators involved in the procurement process before enactment of the district's policies regarding purchasing and from time to time thereafter. The policies must then be adopted by Board resolution. All district policies regarding the procurement process will be reviewed by the Board at least annually.

The unintentional failure to fully comply with the provisions of section 104-b of the General Municipal Law or the district's policies regarding procurement will not be grounds to void action taken or give rise to a cause of action against the district or any officer or employee of the district.

Cross-reference

Reference

Adoption date

November 12, 1992

Revised

Regulation

Exhibits

• 6700-E.1
• 6700-E.2

11 Boice Road
P. O. Box 2033
Hyde Park, NY 12538
(845) 229-4000
For Emergency Information (845) 229-4001
District Fax: 229-4056
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