803.1 PURCHASING AND BIDDING

 

 The board supports economic development in Iowa, particularly in the District community. As permitted by law, purchasing preference will be given to Iowa goods and services from locally owned businesses located within the District or Iowa based companies if the cost and other considerations are relatively equal and meet the required specifications. However, when spending federal Child Nutrition Funds, geographical preference is allowed only for unprocessed agricultural food items as a part of response evaluation. Other statutory purchasing preferences will be applied as provided by law, including goals and reporting with regard to procurement from certified targeted small businesses, minority owned businesses, and female-owned businesses.

GOODS AND SERVICES

The Board shall enter into goods and services contract(s) as the Board deems to be in the best interest of the District. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to approve purchases, except those requiring Board approval as described below or as provided by in law. The Superintendent may coordinate and combine purchases with other governmental bodies to take advantage of volume price breaks. Joint purchases with other political subdivisions will be considered in the purchase of equipment, accessories, or attachments with an estimated cost of $50,000 or more.

Purchases for goods and services shall conform to the following: 

  • The Superintendent shall have the authority to authorize purchases without prior Board approval and without competitive request for proposals, quotations, or bids for goods and services up to $25,000.

  • For goods and services costing at least $25,000 and up to $55,000, the Superintendent shall receive proposals, quotations, or bids for the goods and services to be purchased prior to board approval. The quotation process may be informal and include written or unwritten quotations.

  • For goods and services exceeding, $55,000, the competitive request for proposal (RFP) or competitive bid process shall be used and received prior to board approval. RFPs and bids are formal, written submissions via sealed process. 

In the event that only one quotation or bid is submitted, the Board may proceed if the quotation or bid meets the contract award specifications.
 
The contract award may be based on several cost considerations including, but not limited to the following:

  • The cost of the goods and services being purchased; 

  • Availability of service and/or repair; 

  • The targeted small business procurement goal and other statutory purchasing preferences; and 

  • Other factors deemed relevant by the Board. 

The Board may elect to exempt certain professional services contracts from the thresholds and procedures outlined above.

The thresholds and procedures related to purchases of goods and services do not apply to public improvement projects.

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS

The Board shall enter into public improvement contract(s) as the Board deems to be in the best interest of the District. Public improvement means a building or construction work which is constructed under the control of a governmental entity and for which either of the following applies: (1) has been paid for in whole or in part with funds of the governmental entity; (2) a commitment has been made prior to construction by the governmental entity to pay for the building or construction work in whole or in part with funds of the governmental entity. This includes a building or improvement constructed or operated jointly with any public or private agency.

The District shall follow all requirements, timelines, and processes detailed in Iowa law related to public improvement projects. The thresholds regarding when competitive bidding or competitive quotations is required will be followed. Competitive bidding is required for public improvement contracts exceeding the minimum threshold stated in law. Competitive quotations are required for public improvement projects that exceed the minimum threshold amount stated in law, but do not exceed the minimum set for competitive bidding. The Board shall approve competitive bids and competitive quotes. If the total cost of the public improvement does not warrant either competitive bidding or competitive quotations, the District may nevertheless proceed with either of these processes, if it so chooses.

The award of all contracts for the public improvement shall be awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. In the event of an emergency requiring repairs to a District facility that exceed bidding and quotation thresholds the District will follow the legal requirements governing emergency repairs.

The District shall comply with all federal and state laws and regulations required for procurement, including the selection and evaluation of contractors.  The Superintendent or designee is responsible for developing an administrative process to implement this policy, including, but not limited to, procedures related to suspension and debarment for transactions subject to those requirements.

 

*Revised: 12/12/00

*Reviewed: 05/13/02

*Revised: 12/11/06

*Revised: 04/13/09

*Revised: 12/13/10

*Revised: 04/11/11

*Revised: 08/15/11

*Revised: 02/13/12

*Revised: 09/16/13

*Revised: 02/09/15

*Revised: 07/09/18

*Reviewed: 07/08/19

*Revised: 01/13/20

*Revised: 03/09/20

*Revised: 12/11/23

*First Read: 12/09/24

 

803.1E1 Checklist for Project Consideration

Project Description:

  • Description of the project objectives? (project concept)
  • Description of the present conditions? (pictures, maps, sketches, as appropriate)
  • Description of how project aligns with five year plan/other project under consideration?

 

Methods used to complete the project:

  • How will the project work be organized and scheduled? (Who does what and when?)

 

Materials required for the project:

  • Complete list of necessary materials? (detailed breakdown of materials; quantities and cost)
  • What is the total value of the materials? (even if donated or supplied by beneficiary)
  • Where will the materials be purchased? (retail outlets, organizations, benefiting group)
  • What funding source will pay for the project? (fundraiser, donations, PPEL, SILO, General Fund)

 

Resources required for the project:

  • District resources needed if any, please describe (tools, electricity, transportation, etc.)

 

Time schedule:

  • Projects over $135,000 require a special process refer to 803.1R1
  • Dates for starting and finishing the project.
  • What are the contingency plans in case the dates don’t work out? (plan “B”)

 

Safety and sanitary considerations:

  • Hazards involving the worksite, materials, tools, weather?

 

Actions of the District Review Team: (Check those that apply)

  • Project under $25,000 dollars. (Superintendent Approval)
  • Project over $25,000 dollars. (Board Approval)
  • Project  more than $25,000 and less than $55,000 requires two competitive quotes
  • Projects more than $55,000 but less than $135,000, including school buses require competitive proposals.
  • Projects more than $55,000 may require architect/engineer.
  • Projects $55,000 or more require good faith effort to partner with other political subdivisions
  • Projects costing $135,000 or more, including school buses, require Competitive sealed bids.
  • The purchase will be made from the lowest responsible and responsive bidder based upon total cost considerations including, but not limited to, the cost of the goods and services being purchased, availability of service and/or repair, delivery date, and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.

 

 

 

 

 

Signed__________________________________                Date:______________

 

*Reviewed:  12/13/10

*Revised:  04/11/11

*Revised:  02/13/12

*Revised:  09/16/13

*Revised: 02/09/15

*Reviewed: 07/08/19

*First Read: 12/09/24

803.1E2 Purchasing and Bidding Flowchart

*Reviewed: 07/08/19

*First Read: 12/09/24

Uploaded Files: 

803.1R1 FEDERAL FUNDS IN PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS

In addition to the District's standard procurement and purchasing procedures, the following procedures for vendors/contractors paid with federal funds are required. When federal, state, and local requirements conflict, the most stringent requirement will be followed.

2 CFR Part 200, Subpart D Subsection §200.318 (c)(1) 

No District employee, officer or agent may participate in the selection, award and administration of contracts supported by a federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract. District employees, and agents may neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors or anything of monetary value from contractors or parties to subcontractors. However, for situation where the financial interest in not substantial or the gift is an unsolicited item of nominal value, District employees must abide by all relevant board policies. Violation of this requirement may result in disciplinary action for the District employee, officer or agent. 

2 CFR Part 200, Subpart D Subsection §200.320 (e)(1-4)

Procurement for contracts paid with federal funds may be conducted by noncompetitive (single source) proposals when one or more of the following circumstances apply: (1) the item is only available from a single source; (2) public exigency or emergency will not permit the delay resulting from competitive bids; (3) the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity expressly authorizes noncompetitive proposals in response to a written request from the non-federal entity; or (4) after solicitation of a number of sources, competition is inadequate. 

2 CFR Part 200, Subpart D Subsection §200.321

The District will take all necessary affirmative steps to assure that minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms are used when possible. Affirmative steps must include: (1) placing such businesses on solicitation lists; (2) soliciting such businesses whenever they are potential sources; (3) when economically feasible, dividing contracts into smaller tasks or quantities to allow participation from such businesses; (4) establishing delivery schedules that encourage participation by such businesses; (5) when appropriate, utilizing the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce; and (6) requiring the primary contractor to follow steps (1) through (5) when subcontractors are used.

The District will include the following provisions in all procurement contracts or purchase orders include the following provisions when applicable:

2 CFR Part 200 Appendix II

(A) Contracts for more than the simplified acquisition threshold currently set at $150,000, which is the inflation adjusted amount determined by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) as authorized by 41 U.S.C.1908, must address administrative, contractual or legal remedies in instances where contractors violate or breach contract terms, provide for such sanctions and penalties as appropriate.

(B) All contracts in excess of $10,000 must address termination for cause and for convenience by the non-federal entity including the manner by which it will be effected and the basis for settlement. 

(C) Equal Employment Opportunity. Except as otherwise provided under 41 CFR Part 60, all contracts that meet the definition of federally assited construction contract in 41 CFR Part 60-1.3 must include the equal opportunity clause provided under 41 CFR 60-1.4(b), in accordance with Executive Order 11246, Equal Employment  Opportunity (30 FR 12319, 12935, 3 CFR Part, 1964-1965 Comp. p. 339), as amended by Executive Order 11375, Amending Executive Order 11246 Relating to Equal Employment Opportunity, and implementing regulations at 41 CFR part 60, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Equal Employment Opportunity, Department of Labor.

(D) Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by federal program legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-federal entiities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144 and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5, Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction). In accordance with statue, contractors must be required to pay wages to labors and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be required to pay wages not less than once a week. The non-federal entity must place a copy of the current prevailing wade determination issued by the Department of Labor in each solicitation. The decision to award a contract or subcontract must be conditioned upon the acceptance of the wage determination. The non-federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the federal awarding agency. The contract must also include a provision for compliance with the Copeland Anti-Kickback Act (40 U.S.C. 3145), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (28 CFR Part 3, Contractors and Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or Grants for the United States). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient must be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the contstruction, completion or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The non-federal entity must report all suspected or reported violation to the federal awarding agency.

(E) Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 3701-3708). Where applicable, all contracts awarded by the non-federal entity in excess of $100,000 that involve the employment of mechanics or laborers must include a provision for compliance with 40 U.S.C. 3702 and 3704, as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5). Under 40 U.S.C. 3702 of the Act, each contractor must be required to compute the wages of every mechanic and laborer on the basis of a standard work week of 40 hours. Work in excess of the standard work week is permissible provided that the worker is compensated at a rate of not less than one and a half times the basic rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in the work week. The requirements of 40 U.S.C. 3704 are applicable to construction work and provide that no laborer or mechanic must be required to work in surroundings or under working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous. These requirements do not apply to the purchases of supplies or materials or articles ordinarily available on the open market, or contracts for transportation or transmission of intelligence. 

(F) Rights to Inventions Made Under a Contract or Agreement. If the federal award meets the definition of funding agreement under 37 CFR §401.2 (a) and the recipient or subrecipient wishes to enter into a contract with a small business firm or nonprofit organization regarding the substitution of parties, assignment or performance of experimental, developmental, or research work under that funding agreement, the recipient or subrecipient must comply with the requirements of 37 CFR Part 1 401, Rights to Inventions Made by Nonprofit Organization and Small Business Firms Under Government Grants, Contracts and Cooperative Agreements and any implementing regulation issued by the awarding agency.

(G) Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387). as amended-Contracts and subgrants of amounts in excess of $150,000 must contain a provision that requires the non-federal award to agree to comply with applicable standards, orders or regulation issued pursuant to the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as amended (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387). Violation must be reported to the Federal awarding agency and the Regional Office of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA).

(H) Debarment and Suspension (Executive Orders 12549 and 12689)—A contract award (see 2 CFR 180.220) must not be made to parties listed on the government wide exclusions in the System for Awarded Managment (SAM), in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR part 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR part 1989 Comp., p. 235), Debarment and Suspension. SAM Exclusions contains the names of the parties debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded by agencies, as welll as parties declared ineligible under statutory or regulatory authority other than Executive Order 12549.

(I) Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352)—Contractors that apply or bid for an award exceeding $100,000 must file the required certification. Each tier certifies to the tier above that it will not and has not used federal appropriated funds to pay any person or organization for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with obtaining any federal contract, grant or any other award covered by 31 U.S.C. 1352. Each tier must also disclose any lobbying with non-federal funds that takes place in connection with obtaining any federal award. Such disclosures are forwarded from tier to tier up to the non-Federal award. 

(J) See §200.322 Procurement of recovered materials.

§200.216 Prohibition on certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or Equipment:

(a)    The District is prohibited from obligating or expending loan or grant funds to: 

1. Procure or obtain;

2. Extend or renew a contract to procure or obtain; or

3. Enter into a contract (or extend or renew a contract) to procure or obtain equipment, services, or systems that used covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technoloyg as parr of any system. As described in Public law 115-232, section 889, covered telecommunications equipment is telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation (or any subsidary or affilate of such entities).

           i.    For purpose of public safety, security of government facilities, physical security surveilance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposed, video surveillance and telecommunication equipment produce by Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities).

           ii.    Telecommunications or video surveillance services provided by such entities or using such equipment.

          iii.    Telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services produced or provided by an entity that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of the National Intelligence of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, reasonably believes to be an entity owned by or controlled by, or otherwise connected to, the government of a foreign country.

(b)    In implementing the prohibition under Public Law 115-232, section 889, subsection (f), paragraph (l), heads of executive agencies administering loan, grant or subsidy programs shall prioritized available funding and technical support to assist affected businesses, institutions and organizations as is reasonably necessary for those affected entitites to transition from covered communications equipment and services, to procure replacement equipment and services, and to ensure that communication service to user and customers is sustained.

(c)    See Public Law 115-232, section 889 for additional information.

(d)    See also §200.471. 

                   

 

*Adopted:    12/11/23

*First Read: 12/09/24