BUSINESS SECTION Regulation: 4.

23

PURCHASING

A. Responsibility for Purchasing

The Superintendent designates the following staff as being

authorized as specified.

1. The Director of Finance or his/her designee is responsible

for annual orders for school office, custodial, food service,
and technology supplies, professional services, and such
furniture and equipment as may be specified in the annual
budget. In addition, the Director of Finance is to purchase
such insurance and utilities as may be specified by the
School Board, monitor costs and usage of utilities, and be
generally responsible for all purchases made by others.

2. Principals and Program Managers may initiate purchase

orders for texts (basal and supplementary), audiovisual,
software, instructional materials, medical, office and
technology supplies, furniture, equipment, and professional
services as needed, not included in the annual supply order.
All purchases must be made within limitations of other
policies and regulations regarding selection of these
materials, and subject to limits specified in the annual
budget.

B. Procedures for Purchasing/Use of Purchase Orders

The Director of Finance or other designee of the Superintendent,

will from time to time establish appropriate procedures for making
purchases to insure adherence to School Board policies regarding
quality, timing, quantity, vendors and contractors.

All purchases of goods, services and equipment for which the

School Board will be responsible for payment, except purchases
made from approved Petty Cash Funds, must be made on official

Adopted: 3/26/76 Revised: 3/18/02

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Falls Church City Public Schools
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BUSINESS SECTION Regulation: 4.23

purchase orders properly approved and executed.

Official purchase orders are designed as either single or standing.

1. The single purchase order must be signed by the authorized

official and countersigned by the designee of the
Superintendent, except that any purchase order containing
a single item, or having a combined item total of over
$5,000.00 shall be personally approved by the
Superintendent.

2. A standing purchase order, personally approved by the

Superintendent, may be issued annually in two categories:

a. Ongoing expenses such as utilities, long-term

purchase contracts, leased equipment or annual
maintenance agreements.

b. Routine purchases from local vendors, e.g.,

maintenance supplies, building materials and office
supplies on an as needed basis. Such standing orders
shall limit individual items to not more than $75.00,
with a total purchase limit of $200.00 per invoice.
The monthly limit for all invoices per vendor shall not
exceed $500.00. Vendors selected shall be informed
as to the conditions of the order and the names of
personnel authorized to use the standing purchase
order requisition. Vendors shall be further notified
that the School Board shall have no liability or
responsibility for purchases made in excess of
established limits, or by unauthorized personnel.

3. Use of authorized credit cards: Credit cards are issued to

certain personnel for the benefit of the public schools, as a
convenience for small purchasing, and for use when
purchase orders may not be practicable. Because they are

Adopted: 3/26/76 Revised: 3/18/02

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Falls Church City Public Schools
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BUSINESS SECTION Regulation: 4.23

a convenience, credit cards do not replace the requirements

of the purchasing process. If a purchase can be made using
a single or standing purchase order, the purchase order
should be used.

C. Official Purchase Order Forms

Official purchase order shall consist of a four-part form, either NCR or

carbon interleaved, as follows: (1) vendor copy; (2) business office
purchase order; (3) receiving report; and (4) requisitioner copy. The
format and layout of each page shall be in accordance with information
necessary. The vendor copy shall contain the following instructions to
vendors:

1. For prompt payment of claims, this order must be covered

by a separate invoice, in duplicate, and made in the name
of Falls Church School Board, 803 West Broad Street, Suite
300, Falls Church, Virginia 22046-3108. No payment can be
made from statements.

2. Merchandise is to be shipped prepaid by the most

economical method unless instructed otherwise.

3. The right is reserved to cancel this order if delivery is not

made within a specified or reasonable time. Materials will
be returned if not supplied as specified.

4. The conditions of this order are not to be modified by any

verbal understanding.

5. Charges will NOT be allowed for boxing and crating unless

previously agreed upon.

6. If the price is stated in the order, materials must not be

billed at a higher price. Modification of stated price may be
requested by vendor if prices have risen. Approval must be

Adopted: 3/26/76 Revised: 3/18/02

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BUSINESS SECTION Regulation: 4.23

given by the Business Office of the Falls Church City Public

Schools to such a request prior to shipping and invoicing.
The quotation, if any, will be attached.

7. Acceptance of this order includes acceptance of all terms,

prices, delivery instructions, specifications and conditions
stated.

D. Processing of Purchase Orders

The business office shall then assign a number and mail or send by
facsimile the vendor copy. Appropriate procedures will then be taken to
encumber funds and otherwise plan accounting procedures so as to
ensure an orderly process. The receiving report copy will be sent to the
location from which the order originated. When the ordered item
arrives, the receiving report will be returned to the business office
where it will be matched with the invoice, and payment made in
accordance with usual procedures.

No item may be ordered and covered with a confirming purchase order

except in emergencies and then only with approval by the
superintendent's office or the business office.

E. Small Purchasing

In order to assure the efficient use of School Board funds, purchases of

goods and services should be made from state or other existing
contracts whenever it is possible and practical to do so. A set of current
state contracts for a variety of commodities is kept on file in the
Business Office.

Otherwise, price quotations and bids should be obtained in the following

instances:

1. Single item purchases up to $1,000.00 do not require

competitive bidding.

Adopted: 3/26/76 Revised: 3/18/02

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BUSINESS SECTION Regulation: 4.23

2. Single item or bulk purchases from $1,000.01 to $15,000.00

require at least three telephone or written price quotations.

3. Single item or bulk purchases from $15,000.01 to

$30,000.00 require at least three written price quotations.
Evidence of these quotes must be submitted along with the
purchase order.

4. Single item or bulk purchases from $30,000.01 to

$50,000.00 require at least four written price quotations.
Evidence of these quotes must be submitted along with the
purchase order.

If a single item purchase in excess of $1,000.00 is made with any

vendor other than the one quoting/bidding the lowest price, a written
explanation documenting the reason(s) for this decision (e.g. significant
difference in quality) must accompany the purchase order.

Adopted: 3/26/76 Revised: 3/18/02

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Falls Church City Public Schools
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