Page 19 - The Edge - Spring 2018

VENDOR/BUYER CONFERENCE

BY DON HARRIS

Proposed Changes to School Procurement

Rules Await Board of Education Approval

Lari Staples Anita McLemore

Numerous changes to school district procurement rules In addition to advertising the notice in “the o cial newspaper
proposed by a blue ribbon committee are subject to approval by of the county” as de ned in statute, the notice may instead be
the State Board of Education. published in “a newspaper of general circulation.”
e last time the rules were fully examined was July 2014 – Under sections on Notice of Competitive Sealed Bidding (1022)
20 years a er the previous changes were made – and committee and Invitation for Bids (1024), changes propose that a school
members agreed that they should be reviewed every few years to district may award multiple contracts with multiple awards to the
ensure that the changes are mostly tweaks instead of a full-scale least number of suppliers to meet the district’s needs, which is
revision. School o cials are hoping the new changes will be consistent with State Procurement O ce requirements.
approved and in e ect by July. Under sections 1022 and Late Bids, Withdrawals or Modi cations
e proposed changes, many of which are aimed at adjusting (1044), if the vendor wants documents to be returned the vendor
various timelines and deadlines, are designed to clarify and improve must provide funding.
relations between school districts and vendors. Details of those For sections on Bid Evaluation and Award (1031), Request for
changes were explained by Anita McLemore of Mohave Educational Proposals (1042) and Contract Award (1050), changes are proposed
Services Cooperative, and Lari Staples, Director of Procurement to make language more clear and concise – same requirements, just
& Distribution for Peoria Uni ed School District, in a breakout restructured.
session at AASBO’s Vendor/Buyer Conference on January 30. Both In the section on Bid Security (1102), the need for a cashier’s
were members of the committee, along with several other AASBO check for payment is deleted. It was removed from statute last year.
Smart nancing for public education members and representatives of the Attorney General’s O ce, the Procurement of Specified Professional Services (1117), and
Under sections on Request for Qualifications (1108),
Auditor General’s O ce, and the State Board of Education.
McLemore explained at the time that it wasn’t too late to suggest Speci ed Professional Service Contracts Not Exceeding Certain
additional proposed changes. Amounts (1122), language is clari ed to state that the number of
Under section 1001, De nitions, only three small changes people on the nal list of persons to be interviewed can exceed ve.
Stifel is proud to o er Arizona school districts comprehensive are proposed. For example, “design professional services” On the section for Filing a Protest (1142), a change provides for

investment banking and nance consulting services. means architect services, engineer services, land surveying steps to be taken when a vendor seeks, in writing, an extension of
services, geologist services or landscape architect services or any time to provide additional information sought by the district.
combination, and the de nition of design professional services was Under the section of Stay of Procurements During a Protest
added. (1144), language is added that the district representative may stay
Under section 1002, Applicability, an exemption to the rules was all or part of the procurement or contract if there is a reasonable
Bob Casillas Grant Hamill Michael LaVallee added covering the purchase of a fee or license from a local, state probability that the protest will be upheld or that a stay is
Managing Director Managing Director Managing Director or federal entity required by law. Staples said they also added to advantageous to the district.
the exemption high school textbooks purchased from a publisher, McLemore said proposed changes are intended to align school
Bryan Lundberg Mark Reader Randie Stein plus conference hotels and airfares that meet Department of purchase rules with the state procurement code. “ ey’re a lot
Administration general travel principles and policies.
cleaner,” she said.
Managing Director Managing Director Director Even so, school districts need procedures in place so such Under the section of Decision by a District Representative
expenditures meet those guidelines. Schools can’t do whatever (1145), the time for the district to issue a written decision a er a
they want to do, and having documentation in place helps, AASBO protest has been led is reduced to 14 days from 42 days. Also, the
Erika Coombs Sandra Day members were told. time to appeal is extended to 30 days from 14 days, to align with the
Another exception is the cost of special elections, including state procurement code.
Director Vice President the preparation of ballots. Also removed are purchases from Under the section of Appeal to a Hearing O cer (1147), the

Arizona Institutes for the Blind, which has been removed from appeal must be led within 30 days from the date of the decision,
state statute. instead of the existing 14 days.
East Camelback Road, Suite   Under sections on Reverse Auctions (1018), Notice of McLemore summed up, saying several changes are consistent

Phoenix, Arizona ­ €‚ Competitive Sealed Bidding (1022), and Material Management and with the state procurement code. “ ere is nothing major,” she said.
Disposition (1131), notices that are required to be published in a “ at’s the big reason we expect approval. We’re still in a holding
newspaper need to be advertised only once. pattern.”

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