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l Two purchases of fuel from a local gas station totaling $30,977. The department head told us they did not obtain quotes because these vendors were local and purchasing from them was convenient. l Two purchases totaling $24,193 for flooring installation. The department head told us they obtained written or verbal quotes but did not retain any documentation or support. l Two purchases totaling $18,700 for cleaning and resurfacing the gymnasium, cafeteria, and multi-purpose room floors at the three District schools. The department head told us they obtained written or verbal quotes but did not retain any documentation or support. l One purchase totaling $15,430 for striping and re-sealing the District’s parking lots. The department head told us they obtained written or verbal quotes but did not retain any documentation or support. Without a comprehensive procurement policy, department officials did not have uniform procedures to follow to ensure goods and services were always procured in a competitive manner. When officials do not seek competition to procure goods and services, there is an increased risk that goods and services may not have been obtained for the best value to ensure the most prudent and economical use of public money. Officials Did Not Always Procure Professional Services in a Competitive Manner We reviewed 47 professional service procurements from 28 vendors totaling $2.1 million to determine whether they were procured in a competitive manner. With the exception of four professional service contracts with architects and physicians that were procured using proposals, District officials did not request proposals for the remaining 43 professional services totaling approximately $1.8 million within the last five years. Some of these services that were procured in 2021-22 and/or 2022-23 included:3 l Student services, including different types of therapy and special education services, totaling approximately $1.4 million, l Attorney services totaling $289,438, l Substitute nursing services totaling $13,843, and l Two engineering firm services, one for a lead water sample test and one for a soil sample test totaling $24,538. 3 Totals represent the combined total of similar services procured during both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 fiscal years. Of f ic e of t he New York State Comptroller 5