POLICY: DJF
CATEGORY: PURCHASING PROCEDURES
POLICY STATEMENT:
The
Board believes that formal purchasing procedures contribute to the effective
use of Division resources.
GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES:
A. General Guidelines
1. The Superintendent, Secretary-Treasurer, Chief Deputy
Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, Directors, Principals, Supervisors
and Coordinators, are delegated responsibility for purchasing within the limits
of budgets allocated to them.
2. All goods
and services purchased must be obtained by purchase
orders or by approved credit cards, with the
exception of purchases through petty cash.
3. All
purchase orders must give an adequate
description, including prices of the product
or service.
4. All
purchases are the property of the Board.
5. Purchases
of any goods or services from an employee or a member of an employee's
immediate family will not be permitted without the prior written consent of the
Superintendent or Secretary-Treasurer.
6. The authority for the purchase of materials, equipment,
supplies and services is approved by the board through the adoption of the
budget.
7. Purchases should be done competitively without prejudice
and should seek maximum educational value for every dollar expended.
8. Purchase should be made locally whenever goods and
services of equal quality at competitive prices are available.
9. All purchases should fall within the framework of budget
limitations and should be consistent with the approved educational goals and
programs of the Division.
10. The
Secretary-Treasurer shall review arrangements with current providers of
services (including but not limited to
banking, equipment maintenance, etc.)
from time to time in order to assess changes that may be required,
quality of service, and other relevant factors.
B. Purchase Cards
1. Purchase
cards will be made available to an employee when a card user agreement, as
prepared by the Secretary-Treasurer, is completed and signed by the employee.
2. Department
heads and principals shall develop internal procedures for the use of
department credit (purchase) cards.
3. The
internal procedures developed by schools or departments shall provide for the
security of department credit cards.
4. All
purchases made with purchase cards must be in accordance with the Purchasing
Program Policy and Procedures Guidebook.
C. Petty
Cash
1. Petty
cash funds may be used for small local purchases where the aggregate cost for
each item purchased is less than $100.00.
Schools and departments may, by purchase order, establish Petty Cash
accounts to accommodate small incidental purchases or payment of minor
expenses. Petty Cash accounts are
replenished by a cheque request to the Division Office, accompanied by the
receipts for disbursements.
1. Written
quotations shall be obtained from a minimum of three suppliers when the total
cost of an individual item, an individual project, or a commodity purchased
throughout the year is more than $5,000.00. This requirement may be waived when the emergent nature of a situation or the
limited number of suppliers makes obtaining formal tenders or quotations
impractical, or when the Secretary-Treasurer deems it to be in the best
interest of the Board.
2. Department
heads and principals shall ensure that adequate information is provided to the
vendor so that the request for quotations is made in as fair a manner as
possible.
3. The
Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for reviewing quotations prior to
approving purchase orders.
4. The
supplier shall not be authorized to deliver under the quotations until the proposed purchase is approved by the
Secretary-Treasurer.
1. Aspen
View Schools will adhere to the principles of Annex 502.4 of the Agreement
On Internal Trade signed by the provinces, territories and the federal
government in February 1998. Goods and
services required for the Division will be purchased through competitive buying
practices required under the trade agreement.
a. Goods
and services purchases over $100,000 and construction over $250,000 shall be
posted on the National Electronic Tendering Service in compliance with
Annex 502.4 of the Agreement On Internal Trade.
b. When
utilizing the National Electronic Tendering Service (MERX), the full
tender documents, prepared in accordance with appropriate protocol and careful
business practice, shall be posted. This
practice will avoid the needless copying and forwarding of hardcopy documents.
2. Formal tendering
shall be required when the total cost of an individual item, an individual
project, or a commodity purchased throughout the year exceeds $15,000.00, or
when the Secretary-Treasurer deems it to be in the best interest of the Board.
3. Formal
tendering shall not be required where the Secretary-Treasurer determines that
the limited number of suppliers makes obtaining selected written quotations the
most practical method. (See Section B of
this policy.)
4. Department
heads and principals shall submit specifications to the Secretary-Treasurer so
that tendering information can be presented to the public in a fair manner.
5. Formal
tenders for commodities will be advertised according to the schedule provided
by the Secretary-Treasurer.
6. All
tender calls, awards, and notices to unsuccessful bidders shall be the
responsibility of the Secretary-Treasurer.
7. Formal
tenders shall be publicly advertised throughout the Division for a two-week
period. The ads shall specify a closing
date being not less than one week after the last advertisement, and shall
indicate the time and place of tender opening, and that the public may
attend. Tenders may be advertised
provincially where the Secretary-Treasurer deems necessary.
8. Tenders
for capital projects shall require a ten percent bid deposit. Other tenders may require a ten percent bid
deposit where the Secretary-Treasurer deems necessary.
9. Bidders who are using
subcontractors must indicate the names of the subcontracting bids.
10. Tender
opening shall be under the direct supervision of the Superintendent and
Secretary-Treasurer, and at a specified time when the public may attend.
11. The
Board shall award all tenders, reserves the right to accept or reject any or
all tenders, and is not obligated to accept the lowest or any tender.
12. The
supplier shall not be authorized to deliver under the tender until the purchase
order or contract is approved by the Secretary-Treasurer.
13. Any
tendering done by a Board-employed architect or engineer shall be in accordance
with the rules and regulations of the Bid Depository.
Date Of Adoption: August
25, 1995
Date Of Amendment: January 12, 2006
Review Date: January
2009
Legal Reference: Section
44, School Act