DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Kathy Bruck, CEO
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Classroom Supplies Purchases
SUMMARY:
This item requests Board consideration to approve purchases of classroom supplies for the four Education Centers for the 2015-2016 school year from Lakeshore Equipment Company doing business as Lakeshore Learning Materials and Kaplan Early Learning Company in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 for each respective vendor.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Pre-K 4 SA program currently has 88 classrooms with 1,705 students enrolled. Classroom supplies are purchased through various vendors throughout the school year. Lakeshore Equipment Company doing business as Lakeshore Learning Materials and Kaplan Early Learning Company are heaviliy utilized by all four Pre-K 4 SA Education Centers to outfit new classrooms and replenish classroom supplies, educational toys and equipment throughout the school year. Both vendors are also under the BuyBoard Purchasing Cooperative. BuyBoard is a purchasing cooperative that is administered through the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and utilizes competitively bid contracts awarded through BuyBoard in accordance with federal, state and local procurement rules and has been extended for use by other governmental entities. Cooperative purchases are a less time consuming method of procurement, since pricing and discounts have already been negotiated through the contracting entity. Lakeshore Learning Materials and Kaplan Early Learning Company were awarded various contracts through BuyBoard. The current contracts utilized by the four Pre-K 4 SA Education Centers, 406-12 Instructional Materials - Equipment and 407-12 Classroom Supplies and Equipment, are scheduled to terminate September 30, 2015 and October 31, 2015, respectively. A new contract for classroom supplies and instructional materials will be awarded by BuyBoard on September 16, 2015. Pre-K 4 SA requests to utilize the existing cooperative contracts and, if awarded, continue all future purchases with Lakeshore Learning Materials and Kaplan Early Learning Company utilizing the new BuyBoard cooperative contract. This item has been forwarded to the Economic Development Department (EDD) and is pending Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) review.
ISSUE:
Pre-K 4 SA staff requests Board consideration to continue purchasing classroom supplies for the four Education Centers, utilizing the BuyBoard cooperative with Lakeshore Learning Materials and Kaplan Early Learning Company in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 for each respective vendor.
ALTERNATIVES:
If the Board does not approve for Pre-K 4 SA to continue purchasing classroom supplies through the BuyBoard cooperative, the Corporation could lose the pricing advantage afforded through a previous competitvely bid cooperative contract.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds are budgeted and available in the FY 2016 Pre-K 4 SA Operating Fund as approved by the Pre-K 4 SA Board of Directors. Future contract year funds are contingent upon approval of the annual operating budget by the Corporation’s Board of Directors.
RECOMMENDATION:
Pre-K 4 SA staff recommends the approval of purchases of classroom supplies for the four Education Centers for the 2015-2016 school year from Lakeshore Equipment Company doing business as Lakeshore Learning Materials and Kaplan Early Learning Company in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 for each respective vendor.