Vendor s Guide to Doing Business with Manassas City Public Schools

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1 Vendor s Guide to Doing Business with Manassas City Public Schools PURCHASING AND CONTRACTING OFFICE *UPDATED APRIL 2018

2 Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) strives to do business with qualified vendors who understand, support and further our Mission, Visions and Values: MISSION MCPS, in collaboration with families, employees and community members, will provide a safe and innovative learning environment that inspires, engages and challenges all students MCPS Purchasing and Contracting endeavors to Maximize effectiveness, efficiency and economy of School funds when acquiring goods and services; Provide solutions and build successful business and customer relationships; and Minimizes risk by consistent adherence to established policies and procedures VISION MCPS Purchasing and Contracting strives to work collaboratively with departments and vendors to procure the highest quality of goods and services at the best possible cost and in a timely manner, while ensuring open and fair competition VALUES MCPS Purchasing and Contracting works consistently and diligently to perform all duties with the following core values: Ethics & Integrity Consistency & Timeliness Exceptional Customer Service Transparency Innovation

3 OVERVIEW: General Information: Manassas City Public Schools is located within the City of Manassas, Virginia The Purchasing Office is located at 8700 Centreville Rd., Suite 400, Manassas VA The School Division serves approximately 7,800 students The management of the Division consists of the School Board, Division Superintendent and the Executive Management Team Virginia Public Procurement Act: Vendor Certification regarding Criminal Convictions: for work where a vendor will have direct contact with students, schools and departments must ensure the Vendor complies with Virginia Code by having the Vendor certify that all persons who provide such services have not been convicted of a felony or any offense involving the sexual molestation or physical or sexual abuse or rape of a child. Ethics In Public Contracting: Virginia Code through Vendor Authority to Transact Business: Vendors certify they possess all the licenses, certifications and classifications required to perform work for MCPS and is authorized to transact business in the Commonwealth as a foreign or domestic business entity.

4 Strategic Plan MCPS develops a four year Strategic Plan through the engagement of families, students, business leaders, community members and staff to identify needs, goals and objectives that the division should achieve over the next four years GOAL 1: Optimize academic performance and student success GOAL 2: Cultivate a culture of excellence and service GOAL 3: Forge relationships to support and maximize success GOAL 4: Operate effectively and efficiently

5 Information About Current Contracts Vendors are encouraged to review the Master Agreements Page on the MCPS website for a list of current contracts Vendors needing information relating to their current contracts, renewals periods and/or expiration dates should contact the Purchasing Office:

6 Visits and Product Demonstrations: Visits: Unannounced visits to schools is prohibited within the division. Visits to schools to discuss products or services should only take place during nonteaching hours and must be scheduled ahead of time with the appropriate personnel. No visit should interfere with student learning time. Product Demonstrations: Vendors that have a product or service that may be of interest to departments within MCPS can make arrangements directly with schools or with the Purchasing Agent to perform a product demonstration. As with visits, product demonstrations should be scheduled ahead of time with the appropriate personnel. Reminder: Vendors should understand that meetings with schools, departments, employees and/or the Purchasing Agent does not imply that you will receive an order or contract. Depending on a number of factors, MCPS may require some form of competition before an order or contract is approved.

7 Registering as a Vendor for Quick Quotes, IFB s and RFP s Supplier Registration and the Use of the Statewide eva System Manassas City Public Schools joins approximately 245 agencies and 595 localities in subscribing to the State Online Bid System, eprocurement Portal eva, as the preferred online bid system for both formal and informal (quick quotes) solicitations eva offers various registration and transaction fee/free programs. Subscribing with eva is highly encouraged, but not required. MCPS does not offer alerts or notifications for bids posted to the MCPS website as offered through the eva System. It is the sole responsibility of the Vendor to ensure they have the updated information Vendors can register at or call MCPS Purchasing does not maintain any vendor lists or register vendors on eva

8 Thresholds and Limits: Micro Purchases Micro purchases are any single order with a vendor when the sum of all purchases does not exceed $5,000 for a fiscal year *note: This cost lowers to $3,500 when using Federal grant funds Small Purchase Small purchases are any single items or term contract for goods, non-professional services, construction and insurance when the sum of all purchases ranges between $5,001 and $100,000 Schools and departments are required to obtain three (3) written quotes for goods or services between $5001 and $30,000 Purchases between $30,001 and $100,000 require a formal quote process with a minimum of 3 quotes. These are primarily posted on the Quick Quote section of eva Formal Solicitations MCPS is centralized in its formal procurement function Competitive Bid and Negotiation methods are used for all purchases or term contracts, in which the aggregate or sum, over a three year period exceed $100,000* *note: this cost lowers to $60,000 for Professional Services

9 Competitive Sealed Bidding (IFB) For the purchases of goods and non-professional services, construction and insurance when the total amount over a three (3) year period may exceed $100,000, the Purchasing and Contracting Office may issue an Invitation for Bid (IFB) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Non-Professional Services: for the purchase of non-professional services when the total amount over a three (3) year period may exceed $100,000, the Purchasing and Contracting Office may issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) Professional Services, as defined in the VPPA accounting, actuarial services, engineering, land surveying, landscape architecture, law, dentistry, medicine, optometry, and pharmacy, where the total amount over a three (3) year period may exceed $60,000, the Purchasing and Contracting Office may issue a Request for Proposal Competitive Negotiation (RFP) Contracts are negotiated and fees shall be considered fair and reasonable

10 MCPS participates in various cooperative purchasing groups and has the authority to ride contracts from other jurisdictions MCPS may administer or participate with other localities in a joint procurement for the purpose of combining requirements to increase efficiency and/or reduce administrative expenses Cooperative and Joint Procurement Virginia State Contracts VITA (Virginia Information Technology) Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments National IPA NJPA US Communities TCPN Local Agencies Contracts awarded by U.S. Government Agencies including the U.S. General Services Administration (as allowed by Federal Rules and Regulations) As well as others not mentioned above

11 Emergency and Sole Source Purchasing In limited cases, the School Board may approve the purchase of products and services on an emergency basis or deem items to be available only from a sole source vendor. If approved, the award notice is posted on the school division website An emergency is considered when the safety, health or welfare of MCPS students, employees, School Board or the public is at immediate and imminent risk Sole source purchases are approved in writing and must prove that there is only one source practicably available for that good and/or service. MCPS may negotiate a contract and award without competitive sealed bidding or competitive negotiation

12 Authorized Purchases Purchases by MCPS are authorized by a signed Purchase Order or use of a Departmental Procurement Card in advance of the transaction Vendors are encouraged to wait for the approved purchase order The Purchasing Agent shall award contracts under $100,000, the School Board shall publicly award all contracts and/or purchases over $100,000 Purchase Order Terms Vendors should review the Purchase Order Terms listed on the Purchasing Office s website Should the terms of a PO conflict with the terms of a vendor s order form and/or quote, the terms of the PO shall take precedence MCPS will not negotiate PO Terms and Conditions. If, however, the terms of the PO conflict with the Terms and Conditions of a contract the Vendor has with MCPS, the terms of the pre-existing contract will take precedence

13 Procurement Card and Payment Terms Part of the Strategic Plan is to increase the Procurement Card (P-Card) usage Departments are encouraged to use the department or school VISA card for all goods up to $5,000 Vendors are also encouraged to accept VISA/P-Card payments If not using a P-Card for payment, the Purchase Order Payment Terms are Net 45 Days. MCPS processes checks bi-weekly Directly to the Billing Address located on the Purchase Order OR Send invoices directly to: Accounts Payable PO Box 520 Manassas, VA 20108

14 Purchasing Organizations MCPS is a member of the NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement and the Virginia Association of Governmental Purchasing (VAGP) MCPS participates in purchasing-related activities with the Metropolitan- Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) and the State Purchasing Division Vendors are encouraged to visit these organizations websites and keep informed of their vendor outreach

15 Contact Guinevere Bruner, CPPB Purchasing Agent Phone: Shelly Dean, CPCP Financial Specialist/P-Card Administrator Phone: