SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS ORDERING PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Identifying Equipment and Supply Needs
Ordering Process
Bidding Process/Catalog
Purchasing Priorities & Classroom Orders
School Point Person, Stipend, Classroom Setup
Detailed Steps in Procurement Process
Contracts:
Catalog and Bidding
Order Forms/ Reqs/ PO’s
Trouble Shooting/Issues
Installment of Cubbies and Large Furniture
Feedback/Assessment
Additional Documents
Catalog of Items
Order Form
Time Frame
Summer
Summer
Fall
Winter/Spring
Winter/spring
Winter/Spring/Summer
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Location
IDENTIFYING EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY NEEDS
Identification of Items to Be Ordered
 Mentors and teachers use the NAEYC TOUR form to identify the items needed in each
classroom.
 Mentors and teachers meet together after competing the TOUR and engage in reflective
discussions about the criteria, ways of meeting the criteria and ways to create rich,
interactive centers. This is the time to discuss the purpose of each center and ideal ways
to use and supply each center. For example, in some situations, mentors may need to
discuss with teachers ways to use and rotate materials to insure that the centers continue
to be interesting to children.
 Through this process, mentors and teachers identify the items needed to meet the
accreditation criteria. The catalogue may be shown to teachers at a meeting with the
mentor so they may choose the particular item they would prefer from the options that
meet their specific need based on the TOUR. However, teachers are not left with a
copy of the catalogue or the order form.
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This is not a wish list. All items requested will be based on the requirements of NAEYC
accreditation as specified in the TOUR form. Bolded items in the “Accreditation
Catalogue” (in appendix) are items that are required for accreditation. If classrooms do
not have these items, they should be included in the order.
Wish lists can also be created and if there is money available, items from wish lists may
be ordered later in the year.
ORDERING PROCESS
Theresa handles the entire process and is a consistent point person for the Department of Early
Childhood Education.
Theresa distributes order forms and catalogs to mentors
Deadline for mentor orders to Karen = Wed. before Thanksgiving and then she passes
them on to Theresa by December 15th. This ensures orders arrive before the start of school in
January. Note: If staff decide that January deadline isn’t as important, these deadlines can be
pushed back.
Orders for large schools will be divided into furniture orders and supply orders.
Furniture orders will be submitted first. Supply orders will be submitted three weeks
later.
If mentors prefer to create a two or three year ordering plan and only order some of the
materials that will be needed in the first year, this is an option. This is strongly
recommended for very large schools of more than 10 classrooms. Please
communicate with Karen if you plan to do this and have the order to be ordered the
second year ready in June of the 1st year so it can be ordered in early fall of the 2nd year.
It is also possible to split the order up into two orders in one year – one in the fall/winter
and one in the winter/spring. Fall/winter orders will need to be received by Thanksgiving.
Winter/spring orders will need to be received by March 3. Whether mentors order all at
one time or split the order up over the course of one, two or three years, please keep in
mind that totals of these orders will not exceed $5000.00 per classroom.
Theresa posts all Excel spreadsheets, PO’s in a clearly labeled folder on the I: Drive for all BPS
staff to access
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Theresa posts same documents on GoogleDocs (Directions included in Appendix) for all Lead
Mentors to access and Point People to access. Backup plan = Theresa emails them to all
relevant people.
Bidding Process and Catalog
 All bids specify Inside Delivery, Furniture Assembly, Teacher name on label, Multiple
Locations. In addition, once bids are received, verify in email that the bids still include these
criteria.
 Bidding occurs every summer to ensure the best prices
 Catalog updates include bolding mandatory items for NAEYC accreditation.
Purchasing Priorities & Classroom Orders
 Purchasing furniture is highest priority.
 All requisitions/ PO’s must be submitted with classroom teacher name on the Req/PO.
(No boxes of the 12 of one item to be distributed to 12 teachers)
 As boxes are unpacked, and items placed in rooms, mentors make notes on items that are
not of sufficient high-quality so that they are not ordered the following year. Karen
gathers this information.
School Point Person, Stipend, Classroom Setup
 Lead Mentor works with Principal to establish a Point Person at each school. This is a stipendposition. It should be a teacher in the NAEYC process. To be a stipend position, the position
description must be posted at the school or distributed to NAEYC teachers and is included in
the appendix. (In addition to the tasks related to supplies and materials, the point person will
have other responsibilities related to the accreditation process.)
 Point person meets with teachers and mentors to determine the best time frame for delivery and
set-up of materials.
 As boxes are unpacked, and items placed in rooms, mentors/teachers/point people make
notes on items that are not of sufficient high-quality so that they are not ordered the
following year. Karen gathers this information.
CONTRACTS
Materials and Supplies (Dolores)
For 2010-2011, the business office (Materials) has contracts and discounts for “Instructional
School Supplies” through:
Relevant:
Less Relevant:
School Specialty (Childcraft)
Cascade
Kaplan
Office Depot
Lakeshore
S & S Worldwide
School Specialty
Constuctive Playthings ?
Community Playthings ?
If an item is an “Instructional School Supply” it should be ordered from one of the 7 companies
listed above.
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CATALOG & BIDDING
Background: During numerous discussions, the mentors all emphasized that they would enjoy having
a NAEYC item catalog that lists items they can order for classrooms, pictures of the items, and items
designated as “mandatory” for NAEYC accreditation. They also specified that items should be listed
only once in the catalog (rather than multiple listings in different sections) and are clearly categorized.
Catalog Usage: Mentors will keep the catalogs in their possession but can use it in conjunction
with teachers. However, only mentors (not teachers) should fill out the order form.
Catalog Location: Once reviewed, Karen will place it on the I:Drive. We are also working on
creating a google account, however, the catalogue that is there now is the old catalogue:
Go to mail.google.com
Login: BPSCatalog
Password: KarenSilver
Current Catalog
1) This year’s catalog was created by critically examining the NAEYC standards and Classroom
Tour form as well as taking into consideration all feedback collected from mentors about the
quality of the items in last year’s catalogue. Items chosen for the catalog fulfill standard
requirements.
2) Catalog is separated into sections:
- Dramatic Play
- Books and Literacy
- Sensory Items
- Gross Motor Development
- Posters
- Math and Manipulative
- Block Play
- Science
- Tech
- Art
- Music
- Supplies
- Furniture
3) Catalog includes: Item Name/Description, Vendor, Item Code, Price and Picture
4) Catalog also specifies items mandatory for NAEYC accreditation through bolded text and
textual descriptions. Clearly specifies when mentors have options and freedom to make
ordering decisions
5) Catalog avoids listing multiple options for similar items (ie 1 – 2 sand tables vs. 3 - 4 different
options)
6) Catalog also includes “Full Set” as well as “Individual” items.
Process for Updating the Catalog
1)
Determine items that are low-quality or inappropriate
Before updating the catalog, it is necessary to use the feedback gathered on the items ordered the
previous year. This feedback should have been gathered as boxes are unpacked, as materials are
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placed in classroom, and throughout the school year. Mentors/Point People are in charge of
gathering feedback and relaying information to Karen.
2)
Include clear descriptions to guarantee high-quality items
Karen and Theresa work together to decide if items should be different or ordered through a specific
vendor. If so, the descriptions for the items may need to be re-written to specifically target desired
items.
3)
Review NAEYC mandated items/desired quantities
Karen and Theresa work together to review current bolded items and descriptions mandating items
for NAYEC accreditation or that specify mentor choice/freedom. They make changes as appropriate
4)
Sending out the bids
Theresa then sends an excel spreadsheet of desired items and descriptions to 3 – 4 companies. It is
helpful in future steps if the first column in the spreadsheet contains a item ID number that bidders
must also use when they return the bids to Theresa. Example: Item #33 for all bids is an International
Food Collection. This simple column can save hours of time in later steps.
Contacts at each of these companies are listed below:
Kaplan – 1-800-334-2014
Brenda Roberts
Manager, Bids & Contracts
broberts@kaplanco.com
David Kulick
Sales
dkulick@kaplanco.com
cell: 860-460-2350
Lakeshore
Diana Lopez
Bid Manager
dlopez@lakeshorelearning.com
1-800-421-5354 x 2653
Mark DeFranco
Sales
mdefranco@lakeshorelearning.com
1-800-421-5354 ext 7531
School Specialty/Childcraft
Sue Bevins
Sue.bevins@schoolspecialty.com
717-653-7553
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John McGrann
Account Manager
Cell: 617-281-7767
jmcgrann@schoolspecialty.com
RHLord
Janis Stewart
860-645-9100
janisstewart@rhlco.com
Request for bids should include the following:
1)
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3)
4)
5)
6)
Inside Delivery
Item Assembly
Estimated Quantity (or request prices for different quantities)
Delivery may require different locations
Teacher Name clearly labeled on each box
Item substitutes need to be approved by Theresa
5) Item Comparison
When bids are returned (often takes 1 – 1.5 weeks despite vendor promise of 2-3 day turnaround),
Theresa double-checks to make sure items match the description of desired items. Quantities within
sets frequently differ by vendor. Specify included quantities on spreadsheet so that accurate price
comparison can be made. Some items may need to be re-emailed to vendors if they do not match the
desired description.
6) Vendor Selection
Cheapest bidder should be chosen for each item. If specific vendor is desired for specific item,
because of the existence of state contracts, it is acceptable to use that vendor for the item even if it is
not the least expensive. Also, if we know the lowest bid on an item is not high quality, we can choose
the next higher bid.
7) Future online option: The catalog can easily be turned into a google doc or saved as a webpage.
However, if mentors would like to access the catalog online, someone would need to speak with tech
services about where the pages should be uploaded so that mentors can access it. Also interesting to
research would be how to combine the catalog with an online-form. This could also be a good, short
project for a tech-savy intern.
ORDER FORMS, REQUISITIONS, PURCHASE ORDERS
1. Each Mentor is given a Catalog for each of their classrooms describing supplies, materials and
furniture that can be ordered for that fiscal year. The catalog will be as described in the previous
section.
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2. Theresa creates Excel Order Form. Mentors should create a separate order for each teacher
and save document as: “Accreditation Order Form for XX School For XX Mentor” Also create
“Wish List Order Form for XX School for XX Mentor”.
3. Mentors place the quantity that the classroom needs next to each individual item.
a) Karen communicates budget ideals and priorities to mentors each year, however, total
orders for each classroom will never be more than $5000.00
b) Mentors choose items based on “Items needed/required and reflect these on the
“Completed Order Form for XX School For XX Mentor”
c) Items that are desired but not mandatory are saved to a separate spreadsheet “Wish
List
Order Form for XX School For XX Mentor”
d) All wish-lists are emailed to Theresa
e) Furniture items are ordering priorities, then bolded NAEYC materials
f) Karen makes sure that high-need schools are able to order all the needed materials –
potentially decreasing order budgets for low-need schools.
4. The Lead Mentor emails requests to Karen who makes sure items ordered fit the desired
budget and determines appropriate allocation of funds as described above in step f.
5. Important Deadline: Mentors email Karen by Thanksgiving. Karen then confirms orders
and hands them to Theresa by November 15th. Any additional orders must be received by
March 3.
6. Theresa then creates a worksheet organized by Vendor and by Teacher. (In Excel, Data,
Filter, Select Vendor, copy/paste to new sheet OR use Advanced Filter to automatically create
new sheet) Theresa sends this worksheet to lead mentor who shares with point person.
7. Theresa will turn the documents into Requisitions and will re-specify: Inside Delivery, Items PreAssembled, Teacher Name clearly labeled on box, School, Delivery time-frame, Phone number for
questions .
8. Theresa saves requisitions to I:drive in a “Requisitions” folder and “XX School” subfolder and
upload them to GoogleDocs.
9. If needed, Lead Mentors can open GoogleDocs to cross check requisitions w/ teacher requests.
Follow up on any discrepancies.
10. Requisitions completed in People Soft
10. Theresa checks to see if they are turned into Purchase Orders, follows up if haven’t been.
(Dolores = Educational Supplies, Louise Donner = Furniture) As soon as PO’s are created, Theresa
saves them to I: drive in a “PO” folder and “School” subfolder, and to GoogleDocs
12. Once turned into PO’s, Theresa checks with company for estimated delivery date and emails
Lead Mentor and Point Person to alert them of the item arrival. Point Person should be in
contact with school secretary so the point person and secretary are in communication about item
arrival.
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TROUBLESHOOTING/ISSUES THAT ARISE
1. Point Person communicates any issues that arise to the mentor – It is important to do this as
soon as the issue is identified. Mentors need to check in with point people and teachers as soon
as the order is unpacked to be sure all items are in good condition and are the items that were
ordered.
2. Mentor contacts vendor to resolve issue. For example, if a piece of furniture arrives damaged,
the lead mentor calls the vendor and makes arrangements for it to be returned and for a new one
to be delivered. Another example: If an item arrives and is not assembled, the mentor contacts
the vendor to have them send someone to assemble the item. IMPORTANT: Save boxes until it
is certain the item is in good condition and is the one that was ordered. In order to return items,
the vendor will want the item repacked into the original box.
3. If the mentor is unable to resolve the issue with the vendor, the mentor communicates with
Theresa who will follow up and communicate with the mentor and school secretary.
INSTALLMENT OF CUBBIES AND OTHER LARGE PIECES OF
FURNITURE
1. Mentors communicate with principals about the need for large pieces of furniture to be secured.
2. Principals submit a work order and follow-up with Facilities a week after the work order is
submitted.
3. Mentors also communicate with Karen through the Facilities Need form. Mentors will need the
work order number to fill out this form.
4. Karen will also follow-up with Facilities.
FEEDBACK AND ASSESSMENT
Feedback is crucial for this process to work for upcoming years.
Mentors are responsible for communicating with the Lead Mentor about quality of materials and the
process as a whole.
The Lead Mentors are responsible for providing feedback to Theresa and to Karen about the process.
Karen and Theresa are responsible for addressing concerns and establishing appropriate forum for
feedback. Process can be adjusted throughout the year, or over the summer and adjusted for the
following year.
In the fall of 2011, Jana and other mentors who are interested will look through some catalogues
to add items to the “accreditation catalogue.” These will include more materials that reflect
diverse cultures.
H:\BPS accreditation\supplies and materials\Order_Process_Final for mentors- 9-11.doc
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