Overview

  • The School District of Springfield R-12 (District) located in Springfield Missouri, intends purchasing to be conducted in accordance with state laws and District policies so that the taxpayer receives full value for each dollar of public funds spent. The District is the largest fully accredited school district in the State of Missouri with a student population over 24,500.  As one of the largest employers in the City of Springfield, the District contributes significantly to the economic base of the area, employing over 3,500 full-time and 850 part-time employees.  District procedures also conform to open, ethical, and sound procurement policies. Qualified suppliers are invited to compete for the districts business, which consists of a variety of goods and services.

    The Purchasing Department carries out its responsibilities according to Missouri State Statutes, professional procurement practices and procedures, and rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Education. The Purchasing Department has the responsibility for administering procurement procedures on behalf of the school system and is the first point of contact for vendors wishing to present or demonstrate products.

    The Purchasing Manager has the authority to issue purchase orders for the procurement of goods and services.  Contracts for the District are awarded on the basis of best value to the District - price, quality, and other prescribed selection factors considered. This web site is intended to provide valuable information about the necessary steps in doing business with District - including the bidding processes. Please refer any questions you may have to the appropriate buyer handling the commodities or services you sell. Click here for a list of buyer and commodity and services they are responsible for. 

    PLEASE NOTE: Purchases $1000 and greater are required to be made by a written purchase order containing an authorized signature by the District Purchasing Manager. Please do not honor or accept any requests for goods or services costing $1000 and more without first receiving a signed purchase order. The District will not be responsible for any unauthorized orders or purchases that you accept which are in violation of the above mentioned policy. Please do not accept verbal or email orders from District staff. The only exception to this would be in an emergency situation where there is a threat to life, property, public health or safety. 

Vendor Visits

  • The Purchasing Department welcomes and encourages visits by vendors or their representatives. In order that the staff and vendors may schedule their time most productively, Buyers are generally available Monday through Friday from 8:30am-11:30am for vendor visits. Appointments may be scheduled with a Buyer at other times by mutual agreement.

Vendor Registration/E-Bidding

  • Our goal is to make doing business with the District as easy and convenient as possible.  The Purchasing Department uses an online e-bidding system with IonWave.  Prospective bidders must register to receive electronic notifications for online e-bidding opportunities by CLICKING HERE and completing the registration. Please note, if you have previously registered with the District’s Purchasing Department, you will be required to register again. Once registered, electronic invitations for solicitations will be sent based on commodity codes you select during your registration process. This service is at no cost to vendors.  All qualified bidders will be afforded an equal opportunity to quote/bid and will compete on equal terms.

    The District reserves the right to debar contractors for non-performance. Debarment shall be for a period of not less than one (1) year but no more than three (3) years. After the suspension period expires, such vendors may be reinstated to active status, but only after, they have sufficiently demonstrated their ability to perform responsibly. Vendors must initiate a request in writing (either written or emailed) to be reinstated. Vendors who fail to respond to three solicitations, whether a no-bid or no response, may be debarred; however, they may reapply and be reinstated at any time by written request and approval from the Purchasing Manager.  The District will not conduct business with vendors who have been debarred at local, state, or federal level.

Brand Names

  • Unless otherwise provided in the solicitation, the name of a certain brand, make, or manufacturer does not restrict bids or proposals to the specific brand, make or manufacturer named. It is not intended to exclude other products but to convey the general style, type, functional characteristics, and quality of the item desired. Any item which the School District of Springfield R-12, in its sole discretion, determines and approves to be the equal of that specified, considering quality, workmanship, economy of operation, and suitability for the purpose intended, will be considered. The award will be made to the lowest responsible bidder submitting the functional equivalent of similar quality to the brand name described in the solicitation. Thus "equal" products of other manufacturers may be considered if detailed explanation of claim of equivalency is contained in or accompanies the bid or proposal.

Samples

  • The submittal of bid samples may be a requirement of the solicitation and must be furnished at no cost to District. Each individual sample must be labeled with the bidder's name, manufacturer's brand name and number, solicitation number and item referenced. Samples submitted by the successful bidder may be held for comparison with merchandise furnished.

Bid Submission/Opening

    • Small Purchases: The Purchasing Department will receive and accept electronic (email/fax/online e-bid system) bids prior to the time and date designated for bid submission for unsealed bids only, Request for Quotations
    • Formal Sealed Bids: The Purchasing Department will not receive or accept electronic (email/fax) for formal sealed bids, IFB's.
    • Receipt of bids or proposals are to be submitted online via our e-bid system on or before the specified closing date and hour indicated in the solicitations.
    • Sealed bids are publicly opened and results are instantly available at the time and date specified. All IFB and RFP's will be opened electronically online via our e-bid system. Once the IFB and RFP opening is concluded, committee evaluations and competitors solicitation response will not be discussed with vendors until after the award is made. Individual vendors may be contacted for further information concerning their solicitation response.

Solicitation Results

  • The Purchasing Department, upon evaluation of solicitation results, and unless all responses are rejected will issue a purchase order if the amount is less than $50,000. If $50,000 or more, the site and/or department budget leader will recommend the award to the Board of Education for approval at a public Board of Education meeting. If approved, the Purchasing Department will subsequently issue the purchase order. Bid tabulations and award details can be found online via our e-bid site.  Any bidder may question the award or decision to award a contract by submitting concerns in writing to the Director of Purchasing no later than seven (7) calendar days after the award is made. The Director of Purchasing will review and reply, as well as initiate any appropriate action, within seven (7) calendar days of receipt.

Vendor Assistance

  • The School District of Springfield R-12 encourages vendors to supply line cards, catalogs, and price lists of the goods or services they provide in addition to providing the District assistance in the development and writing of specifications.

Procurement Methods

    • Small Purchases - Request for Quotation (RFQ): Where the total cost of goods or services is $50,000 or less, the Purchasing Department is authorized by the Board of Education to issue a purchase order based on written quotations obtained through an informal process.
    • Sealed Competitive Bidding - Invitation for Bid (IFB): Where the estimated total cost of goods or services is $50,000.00 or more, sealed competitive bids will be solicited from vendors who have registered online as instructed above. The District may invite prospective vendors through the online bidding system who are known to the District. In addition, the District may advertise for bids in newspapers. Generally, bid notices will be posted on the Districts online bid board at https://spsebids.ionwave.net. All purchases of $50,000 or more must be approved by the District’s Board of Education before a purchase order will be issued. Bids which do not conform to the bid terms will not be considered.
    • Competitive Negotiation - Request for Proposal (RFP): If it is determined that the competitive sealed bidding is either not practicable or fiscally advantageous, the Purchasing Department will use a formal competitive negotiation process.
    • Emergency Purchases: An emergency situation may arise involving a threat to personal safety, life or property; i.e. a sudden and unexpected occurrence of a serious, urgent and threatening nature that demands immediate action to avoid termination of essential services or dangerous conditions. In such cases, the Purchasing Department may issue a purchase order without formal competitive bidding or competitive negotiation.
    • Sole Source Procurement: The requisitioner must:
      • Define the purchase (item, service, description, brand, model or part number)
      • Obtain approval from expert/departments on requisition (Information Services, Engineering, Curriculum, etc.)
      • Research and obtain signed justification from a competent expert in the field in which the product will be used. The statement from the USER expert must indicate that in the professional opinion of the certifying individual.
      • This is the only product that can be used to accomplish the task necessary in an appropriate manner and must list the specific reasons why this is the case.
      • This product is available only from the source indicated – there are no distributors who sell the products.
      • A written quotation from vendor is recommended verifying the actual list price and appropriately allocated discount.
      • Upon determination in writing that only one (1) source exists for a specific good or service, a purchase order may be negotiated and awarded to that source without competitive sealed bidding, subject to prior approval by the Board of Education if the anticipated cost is $50,000 or more.

Delivery of Goods/Payment

    • Delivery of goods must be made to the location indicated on each Purchase Order. The District receives warehouse deliveries of goods Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM CST with the exception of District holidays. The vendor shall ship all orders FOB Destination, prepaying all shipping charges unless an exception is specifically agreed to in advance of shipment. The District will not accept COD orders. All shipments must be accompanied by appropriate packing slips containing the shipper's name, exact contents, and Purchase Order number.

    • Vendors must address all invoices to the Business Services Department address shown on each Purchase Order. Failure to do so may delay payment. Payment is not made until the Purchase Order is filled complete, inspected and accepted. Invoices that do not reference an authorized Purchase Order will be rejected.

    • The District is exempt from federal and state taxes. A Tax Exempt Letter will be provided by the Purchasing Department upon request by the vendor.