Presented by Sharon Swan,
Director of Purchasing
August 27, 2010
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186 Public Schools
172,701 projected students
5th largest District in Florida
11th largest District in Nation
“A” rating from Florida Department of
Education for 6 consecutive years
Built 85 new schools in the past 11 years
Tentative Budget $2.7 billion 2010-2011
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The Purchasing Department is dedicated to
providing professional and efficient
procurement services and supports the
activities of the School District, which
includes: education, financial responsibility
and community service, through contracting
for all commodities and services; by
maintaining procedures which foster fair and
open competition, inspiring public confidence
that all contracts are awarded equitably and
economically; and by acquiring the greatest
possible value and quality in the services and
products purchased, with timely delivery.
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In June 2010, for the third year in a row, the
School District of Palm Beach County,
Purchasing Department was the proud
recipient of the Annual “Achievement of
Excellence in Procurement” award. This award
recognizes organizational excellence in
public procurement and is earned only by
those organizations that demonstrate
excellence by obtaining a high score on a
rating of benchmark criteria. The program is
designed to measure innovation,
professionalism, e-procurement, productivity
and leadership.
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Director, Sharon Swan
◦ Purchasing Manager, Genell McMann
◦ Construction Purchasing Manager,
Mark Moon
◦ Distribution & Warehousing Manager,
Bill Hayes
◦ Website for Purchasing Agents & other
information
http://www.palmbeachschools.org/purchasing
Some examples:
 Classroom equipment & supplies
 Specialty items for Academies
 Professional Services
 Facilities & Maintenance
 Insurance
 Food for breakfast & lunch programs
 Transportation
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Director, Dr. Otelia DuBose (Retiring 8/31)
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Vincent Jones, Specialist
Patrick Chrysostome, SBE Certification
Heidi Galloway, MWBE Certification
On line at www.palmbeachschools.org/mwbe
Benefits to certification include some:
 Small Business set asides
 MWBE or Small Business points and price
preferences.
◦ Quotes for purchases - $10,000 +
◦ Formal Bids - $25,000 + for Goods &
Services
◦ Formal Bids - $200,000 + for Construction
(exception is Electrical - $50,000 +)
◦ Note: SBE set asides are used for some
purchases that fall below the Bid
Thresholds.
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Register on-line with BidSync our eprocurement service for the purpose of
receiving notification regarding Invitations to
Bid and Request for Proposals. Tell us your
commodities and how you want to be
notified, via email or fax. There is no charge
for registering or bidding through BidSync
with the School District.
Occasionally notifications will come directly
from the District but information will be
obtained from the BidSync lists.
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The School District of Palm Beach County invites qualified
Contractors with current licenses in the State of Florida to
register for the District's Vendor Pre-qualification
Program. This Program applies only to price-based
solicitations (Invitations to Bid) for alterations,
renovations, modifications, and minor new construction
projects with an estimated budget of $200,000 or
more. This process does not apply to Requests for
Proposals (RFPs) for Architectural/Engineering Services,
Design/Build Services or Construction Manager at Risk
Services.
The Pre-Qualification Program is an ongoing program of
the School District. Once a firm has been qualified and
certified by the District, it may participate and compete
with other qualified vendors in Invitations to Bid exceeding
$200,000 for a one year period commencing from date of
approval. Pre-qualification Certifications are valid for one
calendar year and may be renewed at each anniversary
date.
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In addition to budgeted funds, schools have
fund raisers and spend dollars through their
internal account funds.
Internal Fund purchases generally use the
same bid awarded vendors as when spending
budgeted funds.
Schools have wide discretion with graduation
supplies, pictures, and consultants such as
marching band choreographers, special
activities for after school activities etc.
 Read
the document
carefully.
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Look for pre-bid meetings and any deadlines
for when you can ask questions.
If you have questions about the bid
document, send them in writing through
BidSync or as directed in the bid document .
Your question will be responded to in writing
and all vendors will receive the information.
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Current and prior bids and proposal
information is public record. You may
contact the Purchasing Agent and make an
appointment to come in and see prior
responses.
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Results of all bid and proposal solicitations
are posted.
Responders through BidSync to Invitations
will receive information by email or fax that
results are available on-line.
If you win, wait for purchase order and then
perform! If it is a term contract, then market
your product or services.
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The School District has an on-line
marketplace where vendors who sell high
volume goods can place their catalog and get
great exposure of their products to all
schools and departments.
Talk to the Purchasing Agent after you have
been awarded a term contract if you are
interested in this method.
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The School District has a business VISA credit
card program with Bank of America.
All Schools participate and can purchase up
to $1000 of goods per vendor per day.
This is proving to be an efficient way to
purchase a large volume of small dollar
purchases.
All contracted individuals who are permitted
access on school grounds when students are
present, who will have direct contact with
children or any student of the School District
or who will have access or control of school
funds must be fingerprinted and background
checked.
 Badges are provided by School Police when
cleared.
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Meet staff.
Information Session next door.
Email questions to Sharon Swan, at
sharon.swan@palmbeachschools.org