POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
POLICY: Purchasing
Date Approved: July 6, 1999
Dates of Amendment: April 27, 2010; May 10, 2011; November 12, 2013; June 14, 2016
Cross Reference: Acquisition and Disposal of Technology Assets; Construction Tendering: New Schools, Major Additions and Alterations; Employee Benefits – General; Levels of Authorization Required for the Expenditure of Board Operating Funds; Program and NonProgram Related Equipment and/or Appliance Installations; Purchasing Cards; Sale of Food and Beverages; School Yard Improvement/Play Structure Project; SchoolGenerated Funds; Voluntary Student Accident Insurance; Travel, Meals, Hospitality, Meeting and Gifts of Appreciation Expenses
P O L I C Y : 1. The Board shall ensure its procurement activities are conducted in an ethical, professional and accountable manner. 2. All Board procurement activities shall be in accordance with procedures established by the Board and the Ontario Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive , as detailed in the Board’s “ Procurement Procedures Manual ”. 3. Cooperative purchasing with other school boards and governmental agencies shall be encouraged and supported by the Board. A D M I N I S T R A T I V E P R O C E D U R E S : 1. Purchasing Process/Requirements a. The purchase of goods and services will be in accordance with all applicable Federal and Provincial Acts and regulations pertaining to public procurement, including the Ontario Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive , as detailed in the Board’s “ Procurement Procedures Manual ” and prevailing procurement agreements such as the Agreement on Internal Trade and the OntarioQuebec Trade and Cooperation Agreement . Page 1 of 5
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POLICY: Purchasing
b. Goods and services will be purchased and authorized in accordance with the “Procurement Procedure Thresholds by Procurement Value” table as detailed in the Board’s “ Procurement Procedures Manual ” unless specifically exempted under Administrative Procedures 3 and 4 below. 2. Designated Suppliers a. All schools and departments will purchase identified goods and services, regardless of purchase value, only from designated suppliers with whom the Board has entered into contracts/agreements resulting from a tender process, with exemptions only as permitted under Administrative Procedure 4 below. 3. Cooperative Purchasing a. The Board will participate in tenders/contracts administered by cooperative purchasing agencies involving school boards and/or governmental agencies whenever it is in the best interests of the Board to do so. b. Procurement will be administered by the Purchasing Department; however, the responsibility for requests for tenders, quotations, etc., will be transferred to any cooperative purchasing agency with which the Board is a participant. c. Procurement of goods and services through cooperative purchasing agencies will be subject to those procedures and/or authorizations as established with, or by, such cooperative purchasing agency , providing they are compliant with the Ontario Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive. 4. Exemptions a. Notwithstanding Administrative Procedure 1, competitive bidding requirements will be waived for the following purchases: i.
goods and services under $2,000 (including taxes, shipping, etc.), provided that no Board contract for same exists;
ii.
goods which are in short supply due to market conditions;
iii.
the extension of an existing contract where it would be more costeffective or Page 2 of 5
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POLICY: Purchasing
beneficial under the circumstances; iv.
pilot, special projects.
b. Under the direction of the Director of Education, and subject to Board approval, the Associate Director or appropriate Superintendent will be responsible for the acquisition and ongoing review of the following services in accordance with the Board’s “ Procurement Procedures Manual ”: i.
Employee Benefits;
ii.
Banking Services;
iii.
iv.
Professional/Consulting Services;
v.
Advertising;
vi.
Transportation Services;
vii.
Cafeteria Services;
viii.
Real Estate Transactions;
Insurance;
ix.
Capital Construction Projects;
x.
Continuing Education Instructional Services.
5. Low Value Purchase Program a. A low value purchase program will be available to schools to facilitate and expedite the purchase of miscellaneous low dollar value operating supplies. The features of the low value purchase program are as follows: i. ii.
Low value purchases will be limited to Canadian dollar purchases less than $2,000 (including taxes, shipping, etc.) in amount. The acquisition of low value goods and services will be from designated Page 3 of 5
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POLICY: Purchasing
suppliers in accordance with Administrative Procedure 2. iii.
Low value goods and services, less than $500 (including taxes, shipping, etc.) in amount, will be purchased directly by schools using either cash, school cheques drawn upon petty cash funds maintained in a bank account in the name of the school, or Boardapproved Purchasing Card(s).
iv.
Low value goods and services, from $501 to $2,000 (including taxes, shipping, etc.) in amount, will be purchased by either Board approved Purchasing Card(s) or by regular Board Requisition/Purchase Order.
v.
Purchases made by the Planning and Facilities Department and the Health and Safety Department as a result of time sensitive maintenance repairs to a limit of $5,000 (including taxes, shipping, etc.) with the approval of the Coordinator, Manager, or Health and Safety Officer.
vi.
Schools, when purchasing goods and services under this program directly from suppliers, will be responsible for the prompt payment of all purchases, in accordance with supplier terms and conditions, so as to maintain the Board’s overall credit quality with its suppliers.
6. Learning Technologies Purchases a. All purchases of computer hardware, interactive whiteboards , multimedia projectors and software, regardless of purchase value and/or source of financing, will be processed using only the Board’s electronic purchase requisitioning system so as to obtain and ensure Learning Technologies Department approval and technical support. 7. Purchases from Suppliers Outside of Canada a. All purchases from suppliers outside of Canada, regardless of purchase value, will be processed using only the Board’s electronic purchase requisitioning system. 8. Unauthorized Purchases a. All purchases made in the name of the Board without proper authorization as per Board policy, will be considered an obligation of the person making the purchase and Page 4 of 5
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POLICY: Purchasing
not an obligation of the Board. 9. Personal Purchases a. Personal purchases will not be made in the name of the Board, for either employees or Trustees. 10. Items not Requiring a Purchase Order a. The following items do not require a purchase order: i.
Staff training and development, such as, conferences, seminars, courses, conventions, workshops and associated fees;
ii.
Professional membership fees;
iii.
Subscriptions for magazines and periodicals;
iv.
Utility charges, such as, hydro, natural gas, water and sewer, cable, telephone and postage;
v.
Charges to and from other Broader Public Sector (BPS) organizations
vi.
NonPurchase transactions, such as, donations to a registered charity (i.e. Roger’s House, etc.).
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