Policy 706.03
Bidding Procedures
BIDS AND QUOTATIONS
All purchases of supplies, materials, and equipment in the individual item amount of $10,000 or more shall be based, when possible, on at least two competitive proposals. Since this is a proposal system, not a bidding process, the school district in no way shall be obligated to arbitrarily award the purchase to the lowest proposal, but shall reserve the right to reject any and all proposals or to waive any informality in any proposal it deems advisable, and to award the purchase to the proposer which, in its opinion, is most desirable. All purchases with an individual item amount of less than $10,000 may be made in the open market, but shall, when possible, be based on at least two competitive quotations or prices. All purchases in the open market shall be made after careful pricing.
All contracts for work related to service agreements, building construction, remodeling or repair or site improvement in excess of $109,000, or sum as adjusted per law, will be bid in accordance with state statutes. All other contracts will be handled under current district policies and regulations.
All contracts and all open market orders shall be awarded to the lowest responsible supplier, taking into consideration the following:
All purchases, whether by competitive bid or otherwise, shall take into consideration the quality of the articles supplied, conformity with developed specifications, and location of vendors in the district when applicable.
When bidding procedures are used, bids shall be advertised appropriately.
All bids must be submitted in sealed envelopes, addressed to Elkhorn Public Schools, and plainly marked with the name of the bidder and the time of the bid opening.
Bids shall be opened at the time specified and all bidders and other persons shall be invited to be present.
The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids and accept that bid which appears to be in the best interest of the District. The Board reserves the right to waive any conditions, or reject, any or all bids or any part of any bid. Any bid may be withdrawn only prior to the scheduled time for the opening of bids. Any bid received after the time and date specified shall not be considered.
The bidder to whom an award is made may be required to enter into a written contract with the District.
STANDARDIZATION OF SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
To help achieve both quality control and the price advantages of quantity purchasing, the administration is encouraged to:
- Set specifications for goods as needed.
- Cite several existing, commercially available “standard brands” that meet those specifications acceptably as examples.
- Invite vendors to quote prices on those examples according to the specifications.
The administration may deviate from this policy, when in their judgment, the circumstances and conditions warrant (such as in the event of an emergency or to prevent the destruction of district property).
Legal Reference:
Neb Statutes 79-501, 52-118, 73-101 et seq. 73-106 and 81-3445
Adopted: June 12, 2006
Revised: September 14, 2015
Revised: August 20, 2018
Revised: September 12, 2022