- General Requirements
Purchases of supplies, materials, equipment, and other items or services necessary and appropriate for the operation of the District, including supplies, materials, and equipment necessary to carry out an employee’s duties, are authorized to be made by the Superintendent of Schools or the Superintendent’s designee after the Board of Education has adopted a budget and appropriated funds. All purchases shall be made in accordance with Board Policy DJ, Purchasing/Purchasing Authority. All purchases of District supplies, materials, equipment, and the like shall be delivered to a District facility.
No person shall be authorized to commit the District to a purchase unless expressly authorized by the Board in advance of the purchase, including through Board Policy DJ, Purchasing/Purchasing Authority. If an employee makes a purchase without prior authorization as required by this policy, the employee who makes the purchase shall be responsible for payment for the purchase.
Procedures shall be established which ensure that purchases are appropriate, necessary approvals are obtained, and that funds are available before purchases are authorized. Except in case of an emergency, purchases shall be handled as follows:
- Purchases up to $5,000 shall be made by District purchase card. Personal employee and/or parent reimbursement for such purchases are generally not permitted absent unusual circumstances.
- Purchases above $5,000 require solicitation of competitive bids unless one of the following conditions are met and documented:
- Sole-source purchases approved by the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or the CFO’s designee.
- Competitive bids would result in a higher cost or otherwise adversely affect the District.
- The purchase is for professional or instructional services or materials.
- Purchases above $100,000 require a written solicitation issued in accordance with the District’s purchasing procedures.
Purchases, purchase orders, and contracts shall not be divided, split, or manipulated for the purpose of circumventing the purchasing process and approval thresholds required by this policy and Policy DJ, Purchasing/Purchasing Authority.
Other exceptions may be made by the Superintendent or the CFO as either determines to be in the District’s best interest. This authority shall not be delegated. If either the Superintendent or the CFO grants an exception whereby a purchase above $100,000 is made absent a written solicitation, the Board of Education shall be informed in writing within thirty (30) days of such exception having been granted. Such notice shall inform the Board of the rationale for the exception. Neither the Superintendent, nor the CFO shall grant an exception resulting in a purchase above $100,000 to the same vendor/service provider more than two (2) times within a 12-month period.
- Travel Expenses
Personnel and officials who incur appropriate and necessary travel costs in carrying out their authorized duties shall have those expenses paid by the District in accordance with published procedures allowing for use of a purchasing card. Alcohol may not be purchased with District funds.
For purposes of this policy, travel costs shall mean reasonably-priced expenses for transportation, lodging, meals, and related items incurred by District employees or Board members who are on District related travel. District related travel is defined as attendance at conferences, seminars, meetings, or other events related to District business and that promote or benefit the District. Meal expenses shall be reimbursed using the established per diem reimbursement process set forth in the OneCard handbook.
Reimbursement for official travel in a personally owned vehicle may be authorized at the standard mileage rate allowed for federal income tax business deduction purposes.
- Unauthorized Purchases
Purchases made outside of the District’s policies or procedures are unauthorized purchases that shall be voidable by the District. In addition, an employee who makes an unauthorized purchase may be subject to disciplinary action.
Originally Adopted: September 8, 2003
Last Revised: September 11, 2018
Current Revision: April 14, 2025
| LEGAL REF.: | C.R.S. § 22-32-109(1)(b) (board of education – specific duties related to purchases of goods and services) |
| C.R.S. § 22-32-122(2) (contract services, equipment and supplies) |
| CROSS REF.: | DJ - Purchasing/Purchasing Authority |