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Procurement Each department in the District initiated the procurement of its own goods and services as needed. As part of this process, the department sought out competition for goods and services, determined which vendor to use, and retained …[W]hen any records if competition was sought. The department’s requisitioner input procuring purchase requisitions in the financial system to be approved by the Business Administrator, as the purchasing agent, before the goods or services on the goods and requisition could be ordered. services How Should School District Officials Procure Goods and Services? through State School district (district) officials must comply with GML Section 103 that generally contracts, requires districts to solicit competitive bids for purchase contracts that exceed officials are $20,000 and contracts for public work that exceed $35,000. In determining whether the dollar threshold will be exceeded, officials must consider the responsible aggregate amount reasonably expected to be spent on “all purchases of the for ensuring same1 commodities, services or technology to be made within the twelve-month period commencing on the date of the purchase,” whether from a single vendor or that the multiple vendors. prices In lieu of seeking competitive bids, a district is authorized to “piggyback,” which paid are in allows the district to procure certain goods and services through the use of other governmental contracts. In some cases, group purchasing organizations (GPOs) accordance may advertise the use of such governmental contracts to other local governments. This “piggybacking” exception allows districts to benefit from the competitive with those process already undertaken by other local governments. However, when contracts. procuring goods and services in this manner, officials must review the contract to determine that: (1) the contract was awarded by another governmental entity; (2) the contract was made available for use by the other governmental entity; and (3) the contract was originally awarded to the lowest responsible bidder or on the basis of best value in a manner consistent with GML Section 103. Although not required under the District’s policy, officials should perform a cost-benefit analysis before using the exception. This will help ensure that the District is furthering the underlying purposes of the exception, and that the procurement is consistent with the purposes of competitive bidding. District officials may also choose to purchase goods and services off New York State contracts (State contracts) instead of competitively bidding. This exception to bid requirements allows a district to benefit from the competitive process already undertaken by the State without the cost-benefit analysis and steps required for “piggybacking.” However, when procuring goods and services through State contracts, officials are responsible for ensuring that the prices paid are in accordance with those contracts. 1 For this purpose, commodities, services or technology that are similar or essentially interchangeable should be considered “the same.” 2 Of f ic e of t he New York State Comptroller