Page 29 - The EDGE Spring 2022

VENDOR/BUYER CONFERENCE

BY DON HARRIS
Nancy Colbaugh Bill Munch Bary Barckman Nancy Burns Claudia Leon Rob Fiorilli
When It Comes to Due Diligence, Just Do It

A word to the wise – due diligence is here to stay. Districts are responsible for ensuring that
procurements, whether done independently or
In a breakout session at the AASBO Vendor/ Buyer through a cooperative purchasing agreement, are
Conference, a panel of purchasing experts explained carried out in accordance with School District
the why and when of performing due diligence in Procurement Rules.
order to meet audit requirements of cooperative
contracts. “Districts do due diligence because the USFR
requires it on cooperative contracts to insure the
So what is due diligence? Panelists Nancy Colbaugh, procurement was done in accordance with the
Mohave Educational Services Cooperative, Inc.; School District Procurement Rules,” Munch said.
Bill Munch, Valley Schools; Gary Barkman, Mesa
Public Schools; Claudia Leon, 1GPA; Rob Fiorilli, The USFR says, “Districts may, but are not required
Omnia Partners, and Nancy Burns, Equalis Group to, perform due diligence for every contract procured
Cooperative, provided their insiders’ views about through cooperative purchasing. It may be adequate
what due diligence entails and why it’s so important. to perform due diligence on a sample of contracts
procured by the district if that sample provides
Basically, due diligence is the process of obtaining reasonable assurance that the district’s procurement
documentation evidencing that the procuring entity practices comply with the rules.”
obtained contracts pursuant to the School District
Procurement Rules. In other words, due diligence is The USFR also suggests how districts should
the process of a buying entity – a school district – perform their due diligence: “Districts may want
uses to verify that a cooperative procurement contract to consider using the procurement questions in the
complies with the rules, regulations and statutes compliance questionnaires as a guide in reviewing
applicable to that entity’s competitive procurement. cooperative purchases."
Common School District Purchasing Cooperatives

1. State Procurement Office/Set-Aside/NASPO Value Point

2. Mohave Educational Services Coop (MESC)

3. 1GPA Government Procurement Alliance
4. Strategic Alliance for Volume Expenditures (SAVE)

5. Greater Phoenix Purchasing Consortium of Schools (GPPCS)

6. General Services Administration (GSA Contracts)

7. Other National Purchasing Cooperatives

8. Equalis Group/Sourcewell/TIPS/OMNIA Partners/etc.

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