Policy

Policy 4600 - Purchasing Goods & Services

1. PHILOSOPHY OF PURCHASING

1.1.

The Surrey Board of Education values the district purchasing function’s contribution to educational and operational programs through:

a)	Application of specialized professional knowledge.
b)	Development of district-wide experiential knowledge.
c)	Utilization of public purchasing standards.
d)	Efficiency of acquisition service.
e)	Realization of best value in acquiring goods and services.

1.2.

The board believes the school district should participate with other public authorities in a cooperative way when appropriate.

1.3.

The board provides direction for purchasing activities through its principles of purchasing described here and through Policy #4420 – Imprest Funds on purchases utilizing imprest funds.

1.4.

The board recognizes that professional judgment must be exercised in order to achieve an appropriate balance between the board’s Principles of Purchasing and assigns to the secretary-treasurer responsibility for those judgments. The board states that its over-riding purchasing objective is to satisfy the operational needs of the school district while realizing overall best value for the school district.

2. CONDUCT AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST

2.1.

The district’s procurement activities must be conducted with integrity and the highest standards of ethical conduct. All individuals involved in the district’s procurement activities must act in a manner that is consistent with the principles and objectives of this policy and in accordance with Policy #7213 – Conflict of Interest and Regulation #7213.1 – Conflict of Interest.

3. PRINCIPLES OF PURCHASING

3.1.	Obtain maximum value by considering the life cycle cost of purchases.
3.2.	Conduct purchasing in an efficient and cost effective manner. Administrative effort and cost are to be commensurate with the value of the purchase.
3.3.	Provide purchasing discretion and flexibility for the district, schools and departments within the granted authority and subject to optimizing best value for the school district as a whole.
3.4.	Establish and renew standardization of goods where appropriate to disseminate experiential base and realize best life cycle value.
3.5.	Procure goods and services without compromising a healthy, safe, relevant and aesthetically acceptable learning and working environment.
3.6.	Provide reasonable opportunities for qualified suppliers and contractors to seek the school district’s business.
3.7.	Document rationale for purchases made other than the lowest price bidder.
3.8.	Select vendors through processes which are open, competitive and ethical.
3.9.	Procure goods and services with due regard to our environment.
3.10.	Utilize accepted professional practices for public sector buying.
3.11.	Utilize purchasing resources for the benefit of the school district.

4. AUTHORITY

4.1.	The board authorizes the secretary-treasurer to commit the school district to purchase contracts within the scope of this policy and subject to having Authority For Expenditures described in Board Policy #4202 – Authority for Expenditures.

5. SCOPE OF POLICY

5.1.

The scope of purchasing addressed by this policy is to include all goods and services except for:

a)	Major construction contracts where the board has appointed an architect or consultant.
b)	Contracts which the board specifically approve travel expenditures pursuant to board Policy #4410 – Travel Expense Reimbursement.
c)	Imprest fund expenditures pursuant to Board Policy #4420.
d)	Site based expenditures authorized by Board Policy #4900 – Management of Site Based Funds.
e)	Corporate and community alliances approved pursuant to Board Policy #10800 – Education Business Community Partnerships.

Revised:	2016-06-03 2010-06-24 1999-07-08
Amended:	1995-05-25
Adopted:	1995-02-09
X-Ref:	Policy #4202 Policy #4410 Policy #4420 Policy #4900 Policy #7213