FILE: DJEA
PURCHASING AUTHORIZATION
The Rapides Parish School Board has final authority for all purchases of goods and services within the school system. In all cases, the School Board and its subdivisions shall comply with the public bid law. Regulations and procedures for employees to follow when purchasing goods and services are enumerated in the School Board's Purchasing Guidelines Handbook. The procedures outlined shall provide for the following:
Goods and Services:
Purchases of goods and services are first approved by the department head, principal or other designee, as applicable. Then they are forwarded through the appropriate channels (e.g., Title 1 requests would go to the Title 1 Director, Special Ed to the Special Ed Director, etc.), as applicable, for approval and forwarded to the Central Office for final approval and issuance of the work order or purchase order. Transactions involving labor as a significant part of the contract should be submitted on a Request for Services form while transactions involving a purchase wherein labor is insignificant (example: on-site installation of a personal computer) should be submitted on a Purchase Requisition form.
Requests for various expenditures must have the following approvals, as applicable:
Purchase requisitions - Purchasing Agent and/or the Assistant Superintendent or in their absence, the Director of Finance, or such other person as the Superintendent may designate in writing.
Requests for services - Supervisor of Facilities or the Director of Technology, as applicable, and/or the Assistant Superintendent for Administration, or such other person as the Superintendent may designate in writing.
Payments of claims and settlements related to workers' compensation and School Board liability insurance - Coordinator of Risk Management and Insurance, the Assistant Superintendent for Administration, or such other person as the Superintendent may designate in writing.
Payments for principal and interest on bond issues, bank loans, service charges, interfund transfers and other such related transactions - Director of Finance, Assistant Superintendent for Administration, or such other person as the Superintendent may designate in writing.
Travel reimbursements - Assistant Superintendent for Administration or such other person as the Superintendent may designate in writing.
Purchases requiring advertising and letting of bids must be approved by the School Board prior to the advertisement.
Contracts:
Personal services contracts, leases, maintenance contracts and other such agreements (excluding employee contracts, work order type contracts and normal purchases) of $8,000 or less may be authorized by the Superintendent, evidence of said authorization to be the Superintendent's signature on the contract, agreement, requisition, or other such documentation.
Personal services contracts, leases, maintenance contracts and other such agreements (excluding employee contracts, work order type contracts and normal purchases) greater than $8,000 shall be approved by the School Board (through the Finance Committee) prior to entering into said contracts, with the exception that contracts may be approved by the Superintendent for a one-month period subject to subsequent School Board confirmation, if the monthly amount of the contract is $2,500 or less and there is an emergency need for the services as determined by the Superintendent. Contracts approved by the School Board shall be signed by the President or by the Superintendent, if so authorized by the School Board.
School Purchases:
Purchases from school funds shall be governed by School Board policy related to school activity funds policies and procedures, and policy DCCA, Resource Allocations.
Athletic Equipment:
The School Board directs that any coach or member of the coaching staff of a school who buys athletic equipment for a school shall be required to have a signed purchase order from the school principal before the purchase is made.
Musical Instruments:
Purchase of musical instruments, accessories and related supplies by the Rapides Parish School Board
The purchase of musical instruments, accessories and related supplies by the School Board shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the Louisiana Public Bid Law, La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §38:2211, et seq. It is the policy of the School Board to encourage all businesses who can comply with the advertisements, conditions and specifications of any bid or quotation solicitation by the School Board to submit bids or proposals so that the lowest responsible bidder meeting the bid or solicitation requirements may be selected by the School Board. Should the solicitation specify the name of a brand, make or manufacturer, the specifications shall state that they are used only to denote the quality standard of product desired and do not restrict bidders to the specific brand, make or manufacturer, but are used only to set forth and convey to prospective bidders the general style, type, character and quality desired, and that equivalent products with equal or superior construction, performance, durability and warranties will be acceptable in accordance with law.
Purchase of musical instruments, accessories and related supplies by students or their families for use in Rapides Parish school programs
Band directors, teachers or other School Board employees having supervision or control over students' participation in band or music programs under the sponsorship or auspices of the School Board or any school or school program operated by the School Board shall not:
either personally or through any business in which the employee has a substantial economic interest, sell or lease to any student or student's family any musical instrument or accessory to be utilized in a school course or program;
receive from any business, person, firm or corporation regularly engaged in the supply of band instruments or accessories to the School Board or to students any gift, rebate, gratuity, or other thing of economic value;
specify or require that any student or student's family purchase an instrument or accessory from any particular vendor, or prohibit or condemn the purchase from any particular vendor.
School Board employees are cautioned that the above and other similar activities may constitute violations of the Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics for Public Employees (La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§42:1101, et seq.). Prior to any employee transaction with any student or vendor, personnel are advised to obtain an advisory opinion from the staff of the Board of Ethics (telephone: (225) 922-1400; address: 8401 United Plaza Boulevard, Suite 200, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70809).
Employees who are asked by students or their parents for advice concerning the purchase in school programs should limit any discussion or recommendation to standards of quality, durability and warranty of the particular instrument and should not attempt to steer students or their parents to or away from any particular vendor.
When band parent or other arts parent programs are scheduled and the subject of purchase or acquisition of instruments or accessories by students is to be discussed, no business or business representative engaged in the sale of musical instruments or accessories shall be permitted to attend or make any presentation unless a notice of the meeting giving the time and place inviting all vendors shall have been published in the Alexandria Town Talk and the Alexandria News Weekly at least one time one week prior to the meeting.
Revised: September 1, 2015
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§33:4712.7, 38:2211, 38:2212, 38:2212.1, 38:2214, 38:2218, 38:2219, 38:2271, 39:1551, 39:1552, 39:1553, 39:1554, 39:1554.1, 39:1556, 39:1557, 39:1558, 39:1597, 39:1710
Board minutes, 5-7-79, 2-6-96, 10-6-98, 2-4-03, 9-1-15
Rapides Parish School Board