Purchasing Policies and Procedures


General Information

ePROCUREMENT is Coming

The School District of Pittsburgh is about to embark on the introduction of a totally new purchasing system that will revolutionize the manner in which you enter requisitions for the purchase of supplies and educational materials from contract vendors.   No longer will you have to estimate the cost of an item using a discount from list price shown in the vendor catalog. eProcurement will allow you to access the catalog description and actual price that you will pay directly from the contract vendor's web site. That price and catalog description can then be imported directly into your PeopleSoft requisition. Items to be ordered from standard supply lists will be even easier with the preprinted list items maintained in a template stored right on the vendor web site for your use. Just enter the quantity for each item after you have entered the header information and your requisition is complete.
 

OVERVIEW

The School District of Pittsburgh has established a centralized procedure for the purchase of all supplies, equipment, materials and other appliances for use in the School District. The Purchasing Department is responsible for the procurement of all goods and related services for use by the School District in conformance with Pennsylvania law and Board of Education Policies and Regulations.   The Purchasing Department should be the first point of contact for vendors wishing to present or demonstrate products. Purchasing personnel have full authority to review the quality, quantity, and kind of material requested in order that the best interests of the District are served.
 

AUTHORITY

The Board of Education of the School District of Pittsburgh has delegated authority to the Director of General Services/Purchasing to issue purchase orders for the procurement of goods and services. Any contract, letter of intent or other commitment to purchase goods or services signed by anyone other than a representative of the Purchasing Department will not be valid, with the exception of orders -- not to exceed $500 -- to be paid by authorized school personnel from petty cash accounts or procurement cards that have been made available to designated individuals at the various school and office locations.
 

REQUISITIONS

The "requisition" is the first step in ordering any educational materials, equipment, furniture, supplies or other materials for use in the School District. That requisition must be entered into the PeopleSoft purchasing system by an individual that has been trained in the use of PeopleSoft. The account number, account balance, vendor address and delivery location will all be verified by the PeopleSoft system before the requisition is submitted to the Purchasing Department for processing. The procedures necessary for the proper entry of one of the three types of requisitions (Ad Hoc, Item I.D. or Maintenance Agreement) is available on-line (Procedures Manual) or will be provided by the Purchasing staff at a scheduled training session. To schedule training on the PeopleSoft purchasing system, contact the Purchasing Office (Phone: 412 488-4662).
 

PURCHASE ORDER

In order for a vendor to be paid for materials delivered to the School District, that vendor must have an "offical" School District of Pittsburgh "Purchase Order". Purchase orders are created from the requisition entered into the PeopleSoft purchasing system by the requesting school or office staff. Prior to issuing a purchase order to a potential vendor, the Purchasing staff will validate the price to be paid including any related fees in accordance with State law and Board policy, obtain Board legislative approval where required and dispatch the purchase order to the vendor in the appropriate manner. This process can not be implemented after the fact. Any employee who verbally or in writing authorizes a vendor to ship materials to the School District prior to the dispatching of the official School District purchase order is subject to disciplinary action.
 

RECEIVER'S REPORTS

Receiver's reports are to be entered into PeopleSoft by the designated receiver for the location. After the receiver's report has been entered into PeopleSoft for all items received on a specific purchase order, the designated receiver must file the bill of lading or packing slip with the original copy of the signed requisition. The file that contains this receipt documentation must be retained in the requesting school or office for a minimum of seven (7) years.

PAYMENTS

Payment on purchase order invoices is triggered by the electronic match of an invoice and a receiver's report. Receiver's reports should be entered into the PeopleSoft system as soon as the goods are received. Partial or complete receiver's reports can be entered into PeopleSoft. Payment for an invoice can not be processed without proof of receipt.

PROCUREMENT CARD ORDERS

Procurement cards (also called Purchasing Cards) are an acceptable method of ordering materials up to a maximum single transaction limit of $500 with any vendor that accepts them. Employees authorized to use procurement cards may use the School District of Pittsburgh procurement card to place an order by presenting it to the vendor at the vendor's place of business or by communicating the card number to the vendor by phone. The procurement card may also be used for placing internet orders with approved vendors. Using the School District procurement card to make multiple purchases with the same vendor on the same day to avoid the $500 single transaction limit is not appropriate.

BUYER ASSIGNMENTS

Kevin Bosle         (412) 488-5145
Automotive equipment, custodial supplies and equipment, interscholastic athletics/physical education supplies, tradesmen's materials, supplies and equipment for vocational shops.
Buyer Code:  KB
kbosle1@pghboe.net

Terri Ciletti        (412) 488-4664
Computer hardware, printers, peripherals and software, copiers, home economics materials, library supplies, magazine subscriptions, maintenance agreements and office equipment.
Buyer Code: TC
tciletti1@pghboe.net

Don Rase       (412) 488-5148
Audio-visual equipment and miscellaneous classroom supplies for elementary education, kindergarten, special education, etc.
Buyer Code:  DR
drase1@pghboe.net

Fran Reese-Chope       (412) 488-5142
Printing and printed forms for all schools and offices and contract classroom supplies for elementary education, kindergarten, special education, etc.
Buyer Code:  FC
freesechope1@pghboe.net

Ella Stover        (412) 488-4663
Catalog contracts and core item contracts for office supplies. Responsible for the dispatch of all School District purchase orders.
Buyer Code:  ES
estover1@pghboe.net

Ellie Yanchik         (412) 488-4662
Medical supplies, musical instruments, science supplies, textbooks. Responsible for the training of all School District staff on use of the PeopleSoft purchasing systems.
Buyer Code:  EY
eyanchik1@pghboe.net

Daniel R. McConachie, Director         (412) 488-5140
Responisble for the overall operation of the materials management function within the School District. As Director of General Services/Purchasing, oversees the staff in the equipment repair shops, purchasing, warehouse and truck transportation sections of the School District. Purchasing responsibilities include standard classroom furniture and telephone systems.
Buyer Code:  DM
dmcconachie1@pghboe.net

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PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES

PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES

Small Purchases - Request for Quotation (RFQ)
Where the total cost of goods or services is less than $10,000, the Purchasing Department is authorized by the Board of Education to issue a purchase order based on verbal or written(under $4,000) or multiple written ($4,000-$10,000) quotations obtained through an informal process. A record of all vendors solicited and responses received is maintained by the Purchasing Department. Those purchase orders for a total cost of more than $5,000 but less than $10,000 must be approved at a Legislative Meeting of the Board prior to issuance.
 
Sealed Competitive Bidding - Request for Bid (RFB)
Where the estimated total cost of goods or services is more than $10,000, sealed competitive bids will be solicited from vendors who have requested in writing that their names be placed on the Purchasing Department's vendor bid lists. The Purchasing Department may add names of prospective vendors who are known to the Purchasing Department.  In addition, the Purchasing Department is required to advertise for bids in two local newspapers during each of the three weeks immediately preceeding the date of the bid opening.  Generally, bid notices will be available from the Purchasing Department at least 10 days prior to the date set for receipt of the bids.  All purchases in excess of $10,000 must be approved by the District's Board of Education before a purchase order will be issued.   Bids which do not conform to the bid terms will not be considered.
 
Emergency Purchases
An emergency situation may arise involving a threat to personal safety, life or property; i.e. a sudden and unexpected occurrence of a serious, urgent and threatening nature that demands immediate action to avoid termination of essential services or dangerous conditions. In such cases, the Purchasing Department may issue a purchase order without formal competitive bidding only with the authorization of the Secretary of Education as outlined in Section 751 of the Public School Code of Pennsylvania. Emergency procurements will be made with as much competition as is practicable under the circumstances and must be approved by the Director of Business Affairs and the Superintendent.
 
Sole Source Procurement
Upon determination that only one (1) source exists for a specific good or service, a purchase order may be issued to that source without competitive sealed bidding if it falls under one of the exceptions specified in the state law and subject to prior approval by the Board of Education if the cost exceeds $10,000.  The Director of Purchasing will approve or disapprove such as a "sole source" purchase. All other purchases exceeding $10,000 in value for equipment, furniture, supplies and other appliances for school use may be purchased only through the competitive sealed bid process as outlined is Section 807.1 of the Public School Code of Pennsylvania.
 
Scheduled Purchases (The School Office Work Calendar)
Purchasing efficiency is improved and the lowest prices can generally be obtained when purchases of the same or similar types of items can be consolidated accross all schools on a single order to the same vendor. The School District encourages all schools to order similar items at the same time of the year in order to obtain the best possible prices. The standard ordering period for various types of similar items is listed in the  School Office Work Calendar.  

INVOICES

Vendors must address all invoices to the Accounts Payable Department address shown on each Purchase Order.  Failure to do so may delay payment. Payment is not made until the purchase order is filled complete.  Invoices that do not reference an authorized Purchase Order will be rejected.

TAXES

The Pittsburgh School District is exempt from federal and state sales taxes. A formal sales tax exemption certificate will be provided by the Purchasing Department upon request by the vendor.

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT ADDRESS:

Pittsburgh Public Schools
Purchasing Office
1305 Muriel St.
Pittsburgh, Pa 15203
Phone: (412) 488-5140
FAX: (412) 488-5146

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