It is the policy of the Board of Education that the Superintendent or designee seek at least three (3) price quotations on purchases of more than $10,000 for a single item, except in cases of emergency or when the materials purchased are of such a nature that price negotiations would not result in a savings to the District or when the item is subject to formal bid.

When the purchase of, and contract for, single items of supplies, materials, or equipment and when the Board determines to build, repair, enlarge, improve, or demolish a school building the cost of which will exceed $25,000, the Superintendent or designee shall obtain competitive bids.

The Superintendent shall ensure that the specifications for any public improvement project for which bids are solicited do not require any bidder to:

Bids shall be sealed and shall be opened by the Superintendent or designee in the presence of at least one (1) witness.

The Board, by resolution, may award a bid to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. For a bidder to be considered responsive, the proposal must respond to all bid specifications in all material respects and contain no irregularities or deviations from the bid specifications which would affect the amount of the bid or otherwise provide a competitive advantage. For a bidder to be deemed responsible, the Board may request evidence from the bidder concerning:

The Board shall approve all contracts resulting from competitive bids prior to being awarded. The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

In situations in which the Board has resolved to award a bid to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder and the low bidder does not meet the considerations specified above, the Board shall so notify the bidder, in writing, by certified mail. The bidder may protest the award of a bid within five (5) days of the notification and the Board shall meet with the protesting bidder and then reaffirm or reverse its decision.

All purchases that are within the amount contained in the function of the appropriation and were originally contemplated in the budgeting process may be made upon authorization of the Treasurer.

The Superintendent is authorized to make emergency purchases, without prior adjustment, of those goods and/or services needed to keep the schools in operation. Such purchases shall be brought to the Board's attention at the next regular meeting.

"Blanket" Certificates

The Treasurer may issue "blanket" purchase orders (certificates) for a sum not exceeding an amount established by resolution of the Board against any specific line item account over a period of time, not to extend beyond the end of the fiscal year in which it is issued. Only one (1) "blanket" purchase order (certificate) may be outstanding at any one (1) particular time for any one (1) particular line item appropriation.

"Super Blanket" Certificates

The Treasurer may issue "super blanket" purchase orders (certificates) for any amount for expenditures and contracts from a specific line-item appropriation account in a specified fund for most professional services, fuel, oil, food items, and any other specific recurring and reasonably predictable operating expense. Such a purchase order (certificate) shall not extend beyond the fiscal year.

A completed DMA form with no positive indications that material assistance has been provided to a terrorist organization is required of each private person or entity with whom the Board intends to enter into a contract that amounts to an aggregate of greater than $100,000 annually.

A private person or entity with whom the Board enters into frequent contracts may apply for pre-certification. Pre-certification is specific to the District and is effective for one (1) year at time.

All contemplated contracts for professional design services such as from an architect or for construction management shall be in accordance with R.C. 9.33, 9.333, and 153.54 et seq.

Lease-purchase agreements entered into by the Board shall be in accordance with R.C. 3313.375. Such agreements shall be a series of not more than thirty (30) one-year renewable lease terms, after which time ownership is transferred to the Board if all obligations of the Board under the agreement have been satisfied.

In accordance with State law (R.C. 4115.31 et seq.), the Superintendent shall purchase products and services which are available from the Ohio Industries for the Handicapped (OIH) when such products or services are needed by the District. The Superintendent is to maintain the current catalog provided by OIH and inform all District personnel who may be purchasing products or services of the catalog's current listings.

Before the Treasurer places a purchase order, s/he shall check as to whether the proposed purchase is subject to bid, whether sufficient funds exist in the budget, and whether the material might be available elsewhere in the District. All purchase orders shall be numbered consecutively.

In the interests of economy, fairness, and efficiency in its business dealings, the Board requires that:

Employees may be held personally responsible for anything purchased without a properly-signed purchase order or authorization.

The Board may acquire equipment as defined in law by lease, by installment payments, by entering into lease-purchase agreements, or by lease with an option to purchase, provided the contract sets forth the terms of such a purchase.

It is the policy of the Board to permit the use of a reverse auction to purchase services and supplies whenever it is determined that the reverse auction process will be advantageous to the District (e.g., result in a cost savings to the District.) To that end, vendors may submit proposals when competing to sell services and/or supplies in an open environment via the Internet. While the reverse auction process may be used to purchase supplies such as equipment, materials, tangible assets and insurance, the process may not be used to purchase real property or interests in real property. The process may also be used to purchase services such as the furnishing of labor, time, or effort by a person, provided such services do not involve the delivery of a specific end product other than a report, and are not being furnished in connection with an employment agreement or collective bargaining agreement.

The Board will provide notice of the request for proposals and award contracts in accordance with the Superintendent’s administrative guidelines. When competitive sealed bidding and/or competitive sealed proposals for the purchase of services or supplies are required by law, purchases made by reverse auction will satisfy such legal requirement.

R.C. 9.25, 9.30, 9.31, 9.311, 9.312, 9.314, 153.12, 153.54, 2909.33, 3313.37
R.C. 3313.375, 3313.46, 4115.32 et. seq., 4116.02, 4116.03, 5705.41, 5705.45

Revised 7/30/01
Revised 7/16/07