Contracting & E-Rate Services

Director – Mary TalentinowSecretary – Patches Kolb

3222 Winona WayNorth Highlands, CA 95660Office: 916-566-1775Fax: 916-286-3876

Types of Agreements• Service Agreement $15K and

Less• Service Agreement Over $15K• Amendments for Each• MOU - Memorandum of

Understanding (coming soon)• HR Forms (Variable Services

Agreement? - Consult HR)• Agreements Issued by Outside

Entities• Purchase Orders w/Scope of

Work

When to Use What Agreement• Service Agreements – licensed

service providers for services or service/supply combos per $$

• Amendments – to renew, continue, or change terms (annual P.O. trigger)

• MOU – with other gov’t. agencies, non-profits, school districts/COEs

• VSA / HR Forms – for extra duty services or help with projects our staff could normally do

• Outside Agreements – when service provider won’t accept ours, or when not practical to use ours

• Purchase Orders – for agreements of minimal cost; submit PR w/SOW

Chain of Review / Approvals• All agreements should be signed by

other party first w/limited exceptions• Budget review/approval required• Initiator & Department Head

approvals• Board & Associate Sup’t. – Business

Support Services must approve over $15K

• Outside agreements & MOU’s require use of tracking form (earlier review by CES will be required; legal/insurance reviews may be required)

• Refer to service agreement instructions (pp. 3-4 of templates)

Formal Bids• Formal bids required per Public

Contract Code for goods/services over bid threshold

• Bid threshold currently $76.7K, adjusted by State SPI every January for inflation

• Formal bids require advertising, specific documentation, fair & equitable bid, selection, & award processes

• Formal bid awards must be approved by TRUSD Board before execution of agreement

• Climate of protests• Seek CES assistance with formal

bids!

Informal Bids• Dollar amounts under bid threshold

($76.7K now)• Still fair & equitable process• Minimum of three quotes sought• Provide same instructions and

deadline for submittal to each vendor

• Document vendor contact information, instructions, invitation & responses – keep on file for 5 years per CASBO Record Retention Manual

• Choose lowest responsible vendor• Announce results to all participants

Helpful Hints• Submit complete agreements

– All blanks filled in– Clear description of services– All Vendor information & signature– Budget codes supplied– Obtain appropriate TRUSD signatures– Obtain approvals BEFORE

work/services begin• Follow approval & review

instructions– Keep instructions and outside

agreement tracking sheets with agreements and use as a check-off sheet to avoid confusion

• Do NOT attach an outside contract to a TRUSD Service Agreement – use a Scope of Work, instead

Other Resources

• CES webpage (from Business Support Services or Purchasing Department pages of the TRUSD website)– Basic Contracting Guidelines– Service Agreement &

Amendment Templates– MOU (coming soon!)– Outside Agreement and MOU

Routing & Approvals Tracking Sheet

– Life of a Contract Flowchart

Other Resources, Cont’d.

• Back-to-School Binder• Contract Matrix –

maintained by CES Department– Renewal reminders– Reference for similar

services– Encumbered funds/budgets

• www.leginfo.ca.gov• Call CES for assistance

any time!