Procurement and Contracting
The Beaverton School District encourages public contracting competition that supports openness and impartiality to the maximum extent possible. Subject to Oregon Revised Statutes Chapters 279A, 279B and 279C and the District's Public Contracting Rules, all public contracts shall be based upon competitive quotes, bids or request for proposal, except where specifically exempt.
The Purchasing Department, with a high level of customer service, honesty and integrity, serves and supports the overall interest of the District by providing a variety of services responsive to the needs and challenges of schools and departments in their mission to provide a quality education to students.
- Contact Us
- Doing Business with Beaverton School District
- District Purchasing Rules
- Procurement & Contracts Code of Ethical Conduct
Contact Us
Purchasing / Procurement and Contracting
Phone : (503) 356-4324
Email : purchasing@beaverton.k12.or.us
Email : ConTACT PURCHASING
For specific personnel, see below.
Peter Madaus
Purchasing Manager (503) 207-3901
Machelle Stephens
Contract Analyst (503) 356-4441
Elizabeth (Beth) Smith
Contract Specialist / Construction (503) 356-4586
Alesha Siebe
Procurement Specialist II
Nusrat Ahmed
Procurement Specialist (503) 356-4324
David Boe
Procurement Specialist (503) 356-4329
Marcos Campuzano Olve
Procurement Specialist I (503) 356-4616
Doing Business with Beaverton School District
-
New Suppliers to Beaverton School District
- Complete the Supplier Information Form (SIF) and submit the completed form to Purchasing.
- When required, you must provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming the District as an additional insured on file with the District Risk Management Department. See Insurance Requirements.
- Federally Funded Purchases
When contracts are marked as federally funded, suppliers are required to follow the additional terms and conditions 2 C.F.R Section 200.326 and 2 C.F.R Part 200.
All Beaverton School District formal solicitations are advertised on www.oregonbuys.gov.
District Purchasing Rules
District procurements are pursuant to ORS 279A, 279B, 279C, The Attorney General Model Rules (OAR Div 46-49) and Board Policy
- ORS 279
- OAR137-
Procurement & Contracts Code of Ethical Conduct
No Board member, officer, employee or agent of this district shall use or attempt to use their official position to obtain financial gain or for avoidance of financial detriment for himself/herself, a relative or for any business with which the Board member, officer, employee, agent or a relative is associated.
Acceptance of any gratuities, financial or otherwise, from any supplier of materials or services to the district by any Board member, officer or employee of the district is prohibited.
Spending Public Funds
Public confidence in the integrity of Beaverton School District purchasing activities is critical. Improprieties, or even the appearance of improprieties, can undermine this confidence with very negative consequences.
Employees of the District are "Public Officials".
All Public Officials dealing with purchases in any capacity are required to follow the guidelines in the State of Oregon Code of Ethics ORS 244.040 - 2011 edition.
As public officials, we spend taxpayer money; the public holds us to a higher standard of conduct and scrutiny than employees in the private sector.
District employees must conduct themselves with the highest ethical standards. Care must be exercised to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
General Ethics Guidelines
- Employee private business may not be conducted on public time.
- Employees may not sell personal property to the District.
- The District is not allowed to purchase personal property from employees.
- Public supplies, facilities, equipment, and personnel may not be used to carry out Employee private business.
- Employee's public position may not be used for personal gain.
- Employee may not use public contracts for personal use.
- Employees may not bid on District solicitations unless competing with all public bidders.
- Avoid the intent and appearance of unethical or uncompromising practice in relationships, actions, and communications.
- Refrain from any private business or professional activity that would create a conflict between personal interests and the interests of the District.
Conflicts of Interest
Ensure that any personal, business, or other activity does not conflict with the lawful interests of the District.
No person acting on behalf of the District is permitted use their positions to induce another person to provide inappropriate benefits to themselves or others. This includes family, business, personal or financial relationships. Even though a conflict may not technically exist, we all must avoid the appearance of such a conflict.
Recommended guidelines to avoid and manage conflicts of interest:
- Potential Conflicts: Discuss actual or potential conflict(s) of interest with the Purchasing Manager as soon as you become aware.
- Secondary Business/Employment: Do not harm the interests of the District through a secondary business or other employment.
- Personal Business: Do not engage in inappropriate personal business with the District, or the District’s suppliers. For example, lending money to, or borrowing money from, any supplier. Do not purchase an item and re-sell it to the District.
- Investments or Business Ownership: Report to the Purchasing Manager, for review and guidance, personal and immediate family ownership of stock or other equity in a District’s supplier, if you are involved in any way in the procurement decisions with that supplier.
- Inside Information: Do not use inside information for personal gain.
- Do Not lend money to or borrow money from any supplier
- Avoid any and all potential for nepotism.
- Avoid any overlap of duties in the procurement process
- Safeguard the procurement process from political or outside influence
Conduct with Suppliers
Business dealings with suppliers must be fair and transparent. We are all responsible for developing and maintaining effective business relationships with suppliers. Impartiality across all interactions and transactions enhances the reputation and good standing of the District, and staff. Long-term relationships with key suppliers should not prevent establishing appropriate working relationships with other suppliers.
Recommended guidelines for maintaining positive supplier and customer relationships:
- Encourage prompt and fair problem resolution.
- Avoid unreasonable demands.
- Communicate promptly, openly, and directly.
- Refrain from showing favoritism or being influenced by suppliers through the acceptance of gifts, gratuities, loans or favors
- Safeguard supplier confidentiality
- Refrain from requiring suppliers to pay to be included on an approved or preferred supplier list
- Refrain from requesting donations of goods or services to the public entity
- Select suppliers on the basis of meeting appropriate and fair criteria
- Discourage the arbitrary or unfair use of purchasing leverage or influence when dealing
- with suppliers
- Avoid the exertion of undue influence or abuses of power
- Treat all suppliers fair and equal
Corruption
Beaverton School District Procurement and Contracting professionals who become aware of any corrupt activity have a duty to the profession and to the District to alert their senior management. Beaverton School District Procurement and Contracting professionals shall not tolerate bribery or corruption in any form. Forms include, but are not limited to:
- Bribery is the offering, promising, giving, authorizing, or accepting of any undue financial or other advantage to, by or for any persons associated with the procurement process, or for anyone else in order to obtain or retain a business or other improper advantage. Bribery often includes (i) kicking back a portion of a contract payment to government or party officials or to employees of the other contracting party, their close relatives, friends, or business partners or (ii) using intermediaries such as agents, subcontractors, consultants or other third parties, to channel payments to government or party officials, or to employees of the contracting parties, their relatives, friends or business partners.
- Extortion or Solicitation is the demanding of a bribe, whether or not coupled with a threat, if the demand is refused. Beaverton School District Procurement and Contracting professionals will oppose any attempt of extortion or solicitation and are encouraged to report such attempts through available formal or informal reporting mechanisms.
- Trading in Influence is the offering or solicitation of an undue advantage in order to exert an improper, real, or supposed influence.
- Laundering the proceeds of the corrupt practices mentioned above is the concealing or disguising the illegitimate origin, source, location, disposition, movement or ownership of property and/or money, knowing that such is the proceeds of crime.
- Nepotism is the use of authority or influence to show favoritism to relatives or friends without merit.
The Public Test
The Oregon Accounting Manual includes a suggestion that several questions be asked during the review process of
expenditures, encumbrances, or other kinds of obligations of public funds:
(The following questions are intended as examples, are not all-inclusive, and are suggested for approving offices because of their potential liability)
Questions to ask yourself when reviewing whether to make a purchase:
- Is this a legal obligation for the District to incur? Does it comply with statute and policy?
- Is this obligation a responsible and appropriate use of public funds?
- Are there adequate budget resources available now to allow us to incur this obligation?
- Did the District receive the goods or services at full value as requested?
- Will this obligation or expenditure pass the "public perception" test? That is, would I be comfortable if I saw this transaction written up on the front page of the local newspaper?
- Am I willing to approve this obligation knowing that I am fully responsible?
Note: Unsure about the answer to any of the above questions? Call Purchasing for guidance BEFORE proceeding.
Notification
A District employee may not be deemed to have a conflict of interest if, at the earliest opportunity after having acquired knowledge of the conflict, he/she does the following:
- Discloses the conflict of interest in writing to the Purchasing Manager; and
- Disqualifies himself/herself from participating in any purchasing decision.
Penalties for Violation
Public employees may be liable under State Law for improper use of State funds. Public employees who order, authorize, or cause to be made any expenditure in violation of State Statutes, rules, policies, or procedure can be subject to fines and penalties and be held personally financially liable for inappropriate expenditures.
Erosion of trust by taxpayers could result in decreased community support and revenues. Lack of trust by the vendor community could result in contract award protests or an unwillingness to submit bids, thus decreasing competition and potentially increasing the cost of goods or services.