PURCHASES OF SUPPLIES, FURNITURE, FIXTURES AND MATERIAL OF EVERY KIND AND SERVICE CONTRACTS: All purchases of supplies, furniture, fixtures and material of every kind that are subject to the competitive bid requirements of T.C.A. § 49-2-203 shall be purchased through the Board's Executive Committee (Chairman and Superintendent); provided that all single contracts for any of the aforementioned purchases and service contracts including but not limited to Professional Services Contracts, exceeding Two-Hundred, Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) or extending beyond September 2013 must be approved by the Board. For all items subject to competitive bid, the requirements of the bid, the final award and, after the bid has been awarded, the amount of the bid award and name of bidder must be posted on the SCBE website.

For all items subject to competitive bid which exceed Two-Hundred, Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) or contracts for items extending beyond September 2013 the following information must additionally be provided on the SCBE website, if applicable and/or obtainable:

1. Total cost of purchase;

2. Funding source;

3. Sustainability of funding source;

4. Number of students served;

5. Cost per student served and cost per total students in the school district;

6. Cost for the previous three (3) years;

7. Other options for addressing the need for the purchase;

8. National annual cost trends for the past five (5) years;

9. Measurable outcomes expected;

10. Explanations for any assumptions (i.e., inflation rate) and any indices used (i.e., FCI);

11. If the purchase relates to a “program”, the number of years the program will be needed.
    

A comprehensive vendor list for the purpose of soliciting competitive bids may be used; provided, that the vendors on the list are given notice to bid; and provided further, that the Purchasing Department shall periodically advertise in a newspaper of general circulation in Shelby County for vendors and shall update the list of vendors following the advertisement. If a comprehensive vendor list is not used, bids shall be solicited by advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in Shelby County, except that the newspaper advertisement may be waived in the event of emergency.

All purchases of less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) may be made in the open market without newspaper notice, but shall, whenever possible, be based upon at least three (3) competitive bids.

CONSTRUCTION EXPENDITURES: Expenditures in excess of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) related to the construction of school buildings or additions to existing buildings must be approved by the Board, following open bids. Public notice shall be given at least ten (10) days in advance of accepting bids for the construction, and the Board shall award the contract to the lowest and best bidder. In the event no bid is within the budgetary limits set by the Board for the construction or addition, the Board may negotiate with the lowest and best bidder to bring the cost of the construction within the funds available, with the approval of the Commissioner of Education.

T.C.A. § 49-2-203