Pittsburgh Public Schools officials are considering policy changes that would require a competitive bidding process when the district contracts for professional services, materials and supplies.
The review comes as Pittsburgh Controller Rachael Heisler, who oversees both the city government and PPS, has raised concerns about the district’s current purchasing policies.
Heisler in October issued a report that claimed PPS loses out on millions of dollars in savings by approving contracts without a competitive bidding process.
State law does not require school districts to publicly bid for professional services.
Elizabeth Sattler, an attorney with Weiss Burkardt Kramer, reviewed the proposal with school board members this week.
Sattler said the proposal requires a competitive bidding process for contracts at or above the minimum set by the state’s Department of Labor and Industry. That figure this year is $24,500.
Exemptions to the proposed policy would include emergency contracts, situations where the requested service can only be provided by one contractor, and contracts that must be continued for the district’s essential functions, Sattler said.
Heisler said the city government has a similar exemption that allows contracts to continue. In those cases, the exemption is used when switching providers would hinder public access to services.
The proposal is similar to the School District of Philadelphia’s policy, Heisler said.
PPS Chief Financial Officer Ronald Joseph also reviewed the proposal.
“We’re going to make sure that we are in compliance with the policy,” he said. “We reviewed the policy and we don’t feel there’s anything in there that would prohibit us from being able to comply with that.”
Heisler said the proposal is a “true and legitimate effort toward cost-containment measures.”
“This is an excellent and prudent place to start,” she said. “Maximizing the value of every dollar for every kid and family that this district serves needs to be a priority for Pittsburgh Public Schools.”