The Howard County Public School System Purchasing Office

Office of Purchasing

The Purchasing Office of the Howard County Public School System provides central procurement of instructional materials, furniture and equipment, construction services, maintenance materials and equipment, and other services for use in the public schools. These purchases are made using a competitive bid or quotation process.

The Objectives of the Purchasing Office are to:

provide purchasing support to school system programs
publish catalogues listing descriptions, prices, and vendors so schools and offices may make requisition requests effectively and efficiently
ensure construction contracts comply with school facilities policy
publish an annual bid schedule
ensure an open, equitable and competitive bidding process which involves the active solicitation of minority businesses.

Policy and Regulations

The Howard County Public School System operates in compliance with the Public School Laws of Maryland, COMAR § 5-112, and in accordance with regulations developed by the Superintendent, Policy 4050, to ensure that the funds provided to the Board of Education for materials, supplies, equipment, and services are expended and handled most effectively and prudently.

The Board requires competitive bidding except when it is not practical to obtain competitive bids or when the need for certain supplies, equipment, materials, or service is of an emergency nature, then those purchases may be made without competitive bidding with the approval of the Board as appropriate.

Criteria to Determine Method for Procurement

All prices are obtained on a competitive basis . This will be accomplished through one of the following procurement methods:

Best possible price up to, but not including, $5000
Telephone or verbal quotation for purchases of $5000 up to, but not including, $7500
Written quotation for purchases of $7500 up to, but not including, $25,000
Formal written sealed bid for purchases of $25,000 or above for any school building improvement supplies, equipment or services.

Notice of Pending Purchases

All formal bids, construction projects, and requests for contracted services are advertised at "Current Bids" (left margin) and at HCPSS Purchasing Office's Bid Board.