Code Number: 803.2
The Board supports economic development in Iowa, particularly in the District’s community. As permitted by law, preference will be given to purchasing Iowa goods or services from a locally owned business located within the District if the cost and other considerations are relatively equal and meet the required specifications. Additional restrictions may apply when spending federal Child Nutrition Funds and statutory purchasing preferences will be applied as provided by law, including goals with regard to procurement from certified targeted small businesses, minority-owned businesses, and female owned businesses. The District shall comply with all federal and state laws required for procurement, including those required for evaluating whether contractors are subject to suspension or debarment.
Prior to August 15 of each year and after analyzing the District’s anticipated procurement level for the current fiscal year, the Board will set a goal of ten percent of the anticipated procurement level to be purchased from certified targeted small businesses. In determining the procurement level, the cost of utilities (heat, electricity, telephone and natural gas) and employees’ costs will not be included. After the goal has been established, the Superintendent will file the required Targeted Small Business Procurement form with the Department of Education by August 15.
By July 31 of each year, the Superintendent or his/her designee will file a report with the Department of Education outlining purchases of goods and services from targeted small businesses for the previous fiscal year with such other information as required by the Iowa Targeted Small Business Procurement Program.
The Board and Superintendent will encourage targeted small businesses which are not certified with the Department of Inspections and Appeals to become certified.
GOODS AND SERVICES
This policy applies to all District Funds. The Board shall enter into goods and services contract(s) as the Board deems to be in the best interest of the District. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to approve purchases, except those requiring Board approval as described below or as provided by law. The Superintendent may coordinate and combine purchases with other governmental bodies to take advantage of price breaks.
Employee travel, transportation, and expense reimbursement related to professional development are subject to Board Policy 431.05 Employee Travel, Transportation, and Expense Reimbursement.
- Purchases of goods and services that do not exceed $30,000. The Superintendent has the authority to approve purchases without prior Board approval and without competitive request for proposals, quotations, or bids for goods and services that do not exceed $30,000.
- Purchases of goods and services greater than $30,000 but not to exceed $75,000. The Board Finance and Facilities Committee has the authority to approve purchases of goods and services greater than $30,000 but not to exceed $75,000. The District will obtain quotes/proposals from at least two vendors. The quotation process may be informal.
- Purchases of goods and services greater than $75,000. The Board will approve purchases for goods and services greater than $75,000. The District will obtain quotes/proposals from at least two vendors for purchases greater than $75,000 but which do not exceed $135,000. The quotation process may be informal. The District will obtain formal sealed bids from at least two vendors for purchases greater than $135,000.
Multiple quotes/proposals or sealed bids will not be required when it is not feasible to do so. This determination must be supported by adequate documentation and approved by the Superintendent and Board Finance and Facilities Committee.
In the event that only one quotation or bid is submitted, the Board may proceed if the quotation or bid meets the contract specifications.
The thresholds outlined above apply to the total purchase of goods and services. It will be a violation of this policy to divide a purchase into multiple purchases. Professional services contracts are exempt from the thresholds outlined above.
The thresholds outlined above apply at the project level. A project should not be divided into multiple components in order to circumvent this policy.
The thresholds and procedures related to goods and services do not apply to public improvement projects.
Joint purchases with other political subdivisions will be considered if such an arrangement is advantageous to the District.
A contract award may be based on several 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 purchase preferences; and
- Other factors deemed relevant by the Board.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS-BIDS and QUOTATIONS
The District will follow the Iowa Public Construction Bidding Act (Chapter 26 of the Iowa Code) when applicable.
- Competitive bidding is required for public improvement projects when the estimated total cost of the public improvement exceeds the minimum threshold set by law.
- Competitive quotations are required for public improvement projects having an estimated total cost that exceeds the minimum threshold amount set by law but that does not exceed the minimum threshold required for competitive bidding.
A covered “public improvement” is as defined in the Iowa Public Construction Bidding statute.
The Director of Operations and Maintenance and the Purchasing Manager will oversee compliance with the Iowa Public Construction Bidding Act. The Board delegates the receiving and opening of public improvement bids to the Superintendent or his/her designated officer.
Public improvements will be presented to the Board Finance and Facilities Committee for recommendation to the Board. The Board will approve contracts for public improvements. Except as otherwise provided by law, the award of all contracts for public improvements subject to Chapter 26 must be to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.
If the total cost of the public improvement does not warrant either competitive quotations or competitive bidding, the District may still choose to proceed with either process.
Emergency Repairs
In the event that emergency repairs meeting the competitive bid threshold are necessary in order to ensure the continued use of any school or school facility, the provisions of the Iowa Public Construction Bidding Act referencing notice to bidders and public hearing shall not apply.
Before such emergency repairs can be made, the District will obtain a certificate from Northwest Area Education Agency stating that such emergency repairs are necessary to ensure the continued use of the school or school facility.
FOOD SERVICE PURCHASES
As required by federal regulations the District will have a written food service procurement plan. The written food service procurement plan is the District’s roadmap to ensure that purchasing practices follow federal, state, and local procurement requirements and allow for free and open competition.
The food service procurement plan must be reviewed annually.
The District’s food service procurement plan will contain a Code of Standards of Conduct for the Food Service Department and Purchasing Department.
Food service purchase thresholds will follow either the District’s purchase thresholds or the federal thresholds, whichever is most restrictive.
A District employee or officer will not participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by federal, state, or local funds if he or she (or a related party) has a real or apparent conflict of interest.
Absent a recognized legal exception, a District employee or officer is prohibited from soliciting or accepting gifts, gratuities, favors or anything of monetary value from contractors or subcontractors.
The Food Service Supervisor and Purchasing Manager are responsible for overseeing compliance related to federal, state, and local procurement requirements.
CREDIT CARDS
The District may issue District credit cards to certain employees who must sign a Credit Cardholder Agreement. It is the responsibility of each employee to use the credit card only for allowed District purposes. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall determine whether the District credit card use is for appropriate District business. It is the responsibility of the Board to determine through the audit and approval process of the Board whether the District credit card used by the Superintendent is for appropriate District business. As part of its audit and allow process, the Board will have access to a report showing the total monthly expenditure per individual District credit card holder.
Employees may use District credit cards only for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of work-related duties and within the limits set by the District. Misuse or fraudulent use of a District credit card including, but not limited to, use for personal expenses is prohibited and may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from employment.
Cross Reference: 205.1 Compensation of Expenses
431.05 Employee Transportation & Expenses Reimbursement
- First Adoption:
- 1985-08-27
- Revision Adoption:
- September 23, 2003/ November 26, 2007/ May 10, 2010/ February 25, 2013/ June 13, 2016/ June 12, 2017/ June 25, 2018/ December 9, 2019/ January 25, 2021
- Reviewed Dates:
- May 21, 2018/ November 18, 2019/ December 15, 2020
- Legal Reference:
-
2 CFR Part 200
Iowa Constitution, Art. III, § 31
Iowa Code §§ 23A.3; 26; 28E; 68B; 72.3; 73; 279.7A, .8, .29-30; 285; 297;
301;573.2
261 I.A.C. 54
281 I.A.C. 12.3(1), 43.25