803.01 – Purchasing Policy
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 that offers these goods or services if the cost and other considerations are relatively equal and they meet the required specifications.
It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to approve purchases, except those authorized by or requiring direct Board action. 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 shall have the authority to authorize purchases without prior board approval and without a competitive request for proposals, quotations, or bids for goods and services up to $50,000.
- For goods and services costing at least $50,000 and up to $139,000 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 or unwritten quotations.
- For goods and services exceeding $139,000, 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 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 purchasing preferences; and
- Other factors deemed relevant by the board.
The Board may elect to exempt certain professional services contracts from the thresholds and procedures outlined above.
The thresholds and procedures related to purchases of goods and services do not apply to public improvement projects.
Date of Adoption: July 1, 1996
Reviewed & Revised: February 7, 2005; January 18, 2010; September 19, 2011; June 20, 2016; September 19, 2011; June 27, 2016; December 21, 2020