The following guidelines are established based on State of Texas statutes, and District policies CH (Legal) and CH (Local), and these requirements are to assist District personnel in making a purchase using District managed funds. Please note, if federal funds are to be utilized, the end user must follow the State and Federal Grants Manual guidelines.
Legal Points to Remember
It is important to remember that individual schools and departments are not separate legal entities. When determining what sort of competitive process will be required for the purchase of quantities of an item or a category of similar items the entire district’s purchases are considered.
Generally speaking, the aggregate purchases of a particular category of related items such as office supplies, athletic supplies, or instructional supplies must be submitted to competitive bidding when the aggregate purchase will total $10,000 or more over a twelve-month period. For example, if the total purchases of office supplies made by all departments and campuses in the district over a twelve-month period will amount to $10,000 or more, those office supplies must be submitted to competition as required by the Texas Education Code.
The Texas Education Code provides criminal penalties for persons who intentionally circumvent the purchasing contracts law by making split, separate, sequential, or component purchases. Regulation CHD-R states that: “A district employee who purchases or orders any item or service in the name of Round Rock ISD or who obligates the credit of Round Rock ISD without following the purchasing policies and procedures shall be personally responsible for payment to the vendor or return of the item”.
The Purchasing Office can provide purchasing guidance – both legally and procedurally for assistance in the preparation of Bids – Quotes – RFPs, help with specifications, assistance in the use of the Purchasing System, or as your liaison with our Vendor Community.
Chart to show the process flow for making a purchase
Chart to show the process flow for making a purchase using State or Federal Grant funds
To make a purchase, the end user should follow the steps below until the item or service can be procured.
Step 1: Is the item available through the District’s Distribution Warehouse?
This is the first consideration when securing the item. If the District has already purchased the item and it is stocked in the warehouse, the item should be ordered through a warehouse requisition.
Step 2: Is the item or service available through a Round Rock ISD contract?
The Purchasing Office has established a large variety of annual bids covering many of the products and services required by campuses and departments (Round Rock ISD Active Contracts). All relevant statute and policy requirements have been met by Purchasing when establishing these bids/contracts. Purchases can be made utilizing a purchase requisition or a District Purchasing Card. Three contract types are primarily used:
- Discount from Catalog
- Line Item Pricing
- Service Contracts
Step 3: Is the item or service available through an interlocal contract?
The District has established several interlocal agreements with entities that, as allowed by law, can provide items and services for school districts. If the interlocal entity has competitively bid the item or service following the same requirements, the item or service may be available through this method.
NOTE: The end user must receive approval from the Round Rock ISD Purchasing Office prior to any purchases being made via this method regardless of the purchase amount. Please see the Purchasing Procedures for Co-operative Contracts for more information regarding the requirements for these types of purchases.
Step 4: Is the item or service only available through a sole source provider?
For a purchase to meet the requirements of sole source, it must meet the legal and policy requirements. See the FIRM’s Sole Source Procurements web page for further details.
Step 5: If the item or service is unavailable through Steps 1 through 4, what should be done to purchase the item?
The end user is to contact the Purchasing Office for options.
Any questions about these procedures can be directed to the Round Rock ISD Purchasing Office at ext. 6950 or by emailing purchasing@roundrockisd.org