Page 16 - AASBO The EDGE Summer 2022

PROCUREMENT

BY BILL MUNCH, CPPO, CPPB
ESSER Funds and Federal Procurement Compliance

Bill Munch

Purchasing with federal dollars has become one of the Arizona Department of Education and
of the most challenging aspects for Business and the Arizona State Procurement Office on a
Purchasing Departments in our school districts. regular basis to work in a collaborative effort
With the massive amounts of federal ESSER to clarify compliance issues and strive to make
(Elementary and Secondary School Emergency these purchases more effective and efficient for
Relief) funds being infused into our budgets, everyone. The Department of Education serves
compliance has become more complicated and as the “pass-through” for federal dollars and also
critical than ever before. audits school districts for federal compliance.
The Procurement Office is the state procurement
There are many more questions than answers. But authority and while many of their contracts are
with the help of AASBO and a wonderful group NOT federally compliant, we are hopeful we can
of procurement professionals, we believe we are work with them to that goal.
up to the challenge. To better understand federal
requirements, we have put together a Task Force As the Task Force continues its work we will
that includes the following AASBO members: update the membership as appropriate. The
information we bring forward should benefit
Michelle Hamilton, Mesa Public Schools school districts and the vendors who serve them.
Lari Staples, Dysart Unified School District We are excited about the possibilities of this
Lila McClerry, Phoenix Union High School District collaborative endeavor. Stay tuned for more
Gary Barkman, Mesa Public Schools information in the future. As an added bonus,
Roger Spivey, Litchfield Elementary School District the Task Force will conduct a Procurement Pre-
Laura Szymanoski, Deer Valley Unified School District Conference presentation at the AASBO Summer
Lourdes Banuelos, Tolleson Union High School District Conference in July.
Ken Carter, 1Government Procurement Alliance
Claudia Leon, 1Government Procurement Alliance We look forward to continuing to serve the needs
Anita McLemore, Mohave Educational Services Cooperative of AASBO members and its vendors.
Nancy Colbaugh, Mohave Educational Services Cooperative

Bill Munch, CPPO, CPPB is the Procurement Compliance
Many of these Task Force members have
and Training Officer for Valley Schools Management Group,
participated for years on the AASBO Procurement
recipient of the 2018 AASBO Bill Lovett Award and the 2016
Rules Committee. That committee remains in NIGP National Purchasing Manager of the Year. He serves
place and these same members will also serve on as Vendor Representative on the AASBO Board of Directors
the Task Force. and provides consultation on public procurement matters for
school districts and vendors across the state of Arizona and
Our Task Force hopes to meet with representatives across the country. He may be reached at: bmunch@vsit.org

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16 THE EDGE SUMMER 2022