Best Practices in Urban Public School Procurement: Guidelines, Standards, and Lessons Council of the Great City Schools October 2018 Best Practices in Urban Public School Procurement: Guidelines, Standards, and Lessons COUNCIL OF THE GREAT CITY SCHOOLS October 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ...............................................................................................................................................................................................3 Procurement Organization and Staffing ........................................................................................................................................................7 Policies and Procedures .................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Supplement: Sole Source Procurement ........................................................................................................................................ 16 Ethics ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Strategic Planning ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Social Responsibility ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Strategic Sourcing ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 Cooperative Procurement ................................................................................................................................................................................ 46 Formal Solicitations ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 51 Supplement: Guide for an Invitation to Bid (ITB) Template ................................................................................................. 79 Supplement: Sample RFP Evaluation and Scoring Manual ................................................................................................. 84 Supplement: Sample Conflict of Interest Declaration ........................................................................................................... 89 Supplement: Sample Reference Check Worksheet ................................................................................................................ 90 Supplement: Sample Mandatory Requirements Checklist ................................................................................................. 92 Protests .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 93 Contract Management ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 97 Supplement: Dispute Resolution ...................................................................................................................................................103 Supplier Relationship Management ...........................................................................................................................................................106 Internal Customer Service/Communications ..........................................................................................................................................110 Procurement Card (P-Card) Program ..........................................................................................................................................................118 E-Procurement ...................................................................................................................................................................................................122 Key Performance Indicators (KPI).................................................................................................................................................................128 Risk Management .............................................................................................................................................................................................133 Supplement: Internal Controls .......................................................................................................................................................138 Supplement: Cyber Insurance ........................................................................................................................................................147 List of Resources .................................................................................................................................................................................................150 Great City Schools Best Practices in Procurement Team .....................................................................................................................152 Best Practices in Urban Public School Procurement: Guidelines, Standards, and Lessons EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Just what is meant by a Best Practice? A best practice is a procedure, a process, or a system, adopted by best performing districts, which has a noticeable long-term positive impact on the strategic objectives of the Procurement organization. The concept of “best practices” is a fluid one. As technology, regulations and statutes, business requirements, and the marketplace of providers all change, so do the concept and nature of best practices. Procurement is a perfect example of this type of changing environment. The evolution of technology has brought new purchasing and sourcing tools and techniques to bear, federal regulations (and many state statutes) have undergone significant revision or expansion, and the digital age and the advancement of logistics and communications industries have expanded the available market of suppliers for most requirements, as well as the opportunity to participate in cooperative purchasing initiatives. Additionally, the functional mandates for Procurement have evolved from just ordering and delivering goods and services efficiently, to providing strategic contribution and guidance for cost management, supplier performance, and source identification and development. To match the expansion of responsibilities, new purchasing practices have evolved. Of course, no two districts operate identically or have the same operational and strategic needs, so the best practices utilized by one district may be slightly different, or tailored differently, from those used by another district. With that in mind, here is a partial list of Procurement best practices that are applicable today. Rapid identification and prioritization of savings opportunities and improvement initiatives Improved spend visibility Delivery of quick-win savings (when applicable) Organizational alignment and integration with the business Improved Procurement responsiveness and agility to realize growth strategies Ongoing value delivery Rapid procure-to-pay cycle time (typically 15 to 40 percent below national/peer averages) Implementation of e-Procurement applications Supplier and contract performance management, benefits tracking and risk control Trained and certified Procurement professionals Use of technology to drive bottom-line savings Reduced/mitigated contractual risk High level of purchase “capture” (reduced off-contract and rogue purchases). Although the expanded responsibilities and expectations may be vast, there is a consistent unifying theme in them: Procurement must be an “active” rather than a “reactive” department. Instead of simply ensuring that goods are purchased at the lowest price possible, Procurement must be involved in all aspects of acquisition, from planning to source identification and development to solicitation to post- Council of the Great City Schools October 2018 3 Best Practices in Urban Public School Procurement: Guidelines, Standards, and Lessons purchase performance. The strategies and practices of the district and Procurement must be aligned, and Procurement must understand the needs and intricacies of administrative, support, operational departments, and schools within the district. Procurement departments are now expected to have intimate knowledge of their suppliers’ business practices. Does a supplier’s business philosophy match that of the buying organization? Does the supplier engage in any less-than-desirable practices? Does the supplier’s product/service development roadmap align with the district’s projected needs? These are just a few of the myriad questions a Procurement professional must answer about those suppliers that the district intends to do business with. The whole concept behind identifying “best practices” is to help individual district Procurement Departments to