Albuquerque Public Schools
PD16 Purchase and Project Approval
For purposes of this administrative procedure, “district purchases and expenditures” includes, but is not limited to: instructional material, construction, property acquisition, technology, services, goods and contracts.
Albuquerque Public Schools administration shall obtain approval from the Board of Education for any district purchase or expenditures that equal or exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) or are projected to equal or exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) by the end of their completion.
Project Approval
Albuquerque Public Schools may plan and execute major projects that are in the best interest of the district. These projects will generally exceed the five hundred thousand dollar ($500,000) threshold for Board of Education approval. These projects include but are not limited to, the construction of buildings, renovation projects, technology infrastructure, technology purchases, textbook adoptions, and standardized testing materials.
If an Albuquerque Public Schools site administrator or control agent identifies a project that will equal or exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), the administrator, control agent, and/or department responsible for the project shall obtain approval of the entirety of the project plan by the Superintendent. The department responsible for the planning and execution of the project shall then obtain approval of the entirety of the project plan by the appropriate Board of Education committee. The department responsible for the planning and execution of the project shall work with the appropriate committee coordinator to create an agenda item as soon as possible. Upon approval from the committee, the project may be approved by the Board of Education.
The project plan shall include an estimate of the total cost of the district purchases and expenditures that are required for completion of the project and a timeline for completion of the project. All future district purchases and expenditures that are connected to or can be reasonably considered as part of the initial project plan shall be considered approved by the superintendent and Board of Education as part of the project plan and shall not need separate approval from the superintendent and Board of Education.
Purchases and Expenditures Approval
All site administrators, as defined by the organization chart, shall be responsible for tracking all purchases and expenditures that equal or exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000). Upon identification that a purchase or expenditure equals or exceeds five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), the site administrator shall notify the control agent, as defined by the financial system. The control agent shall be responsible for notifying the Executive Director of Procurement of the purchases and expenditures that will equal or exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).
If an Albuquerque Public Schools site administrator or control agent identifies a purchase or expenditure that will equal or exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), the administrator, control agent, and/or department responsible for the purchase or expenditure shall obtain approval of the entirety of the purchase or expenditure by the Superintendent. The department responsible for the planning and execution of the project shall then obtain approval of the entirety of the purchase or expenditure by the Finance Committee or other appropriate Board of Education committee. The site administrator responsible for the purchase or expenditure shall work with the Executive Director of Procurement and the appropriate committee coordinator to create an agenda item as soon as possible. Upon approval from the Finance committee, or other appropriate Board of Education committee, the project may be approved by the Board of Education.
Exceeding Estimated Costs
If a project exceeds its originally approved estimated cost by five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) or more or exceeds costs by ten percent (10%) of the total cost of the project, whichever is less, an adjusted project plan, supported by appropriate documentation, shall be presented to the superintendent for approval. Upon approval of the adjusted project plan, the department responsible for the project shall obtain approval from the Board of Education for the additional cost.
If a purchase or expenditure exceeds five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) at any point during the procurement process, the department responsible for the purchase and/or the Executive Director of Procurement shall immediately present the purchase or expenditure to the Superintendent for approval. Upon approval by the Superintendent, the department responsible for the purchase or expenditure shall present the purchase or expenditure to the Finance Committee for approval or denial as soon as possible. Upon approval of the Finance committee, the purchase may be approved by the Board of Education.
Bids, RFPs, and/or Contracts
Bids, RFPs and/or contracts shall be estimated as close as possible to the accurate amount that will be expended by the district. If the department responsible for a bid, RFP, and/or contract estimates the bid, RFP, and/or contract will equal or exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), the department responsible for the bid, RFP and/or the Executive Director of Procurement shall present the purchase to the Board of Education for approval. If a purchase is approved by the Board of Education for a specific amount of money, the district shall attempt to keep expenditures within the limitations of the Board of Education approval. If expenditures exceed the original approved amount by five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) or more, it shall require additional approval from the superintendent, Finance Committee, and Board of Education.
Exemptions
District purchases and expenditures in emergencies or within the purchasing limits of existing contracts established in accordance with applicable federal and state statutes and regulations are excluded from the prior approval requirements outlined in this administrative procedure.
Emergencies are defined using the procurement code and as approved by the superintendent or his/her designee so that expenditures can be made prior to Board of Education approval. The expenditure shall then be brought back to the Board of Education for review at the next appropriate Board of Education meeting.
Other exemptions include:
-
Minor capital renewal projects; including, but not limited to:
-
roof replacements;
-
parking lot, pick up and drop off area, or bus lane paving;
-
HVAC replacements;
-
portable relocations; and
-
modifications for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
-
Utilities, unless competitively bid.
Executive Director of Procurement
The Executive Director of Procurement, and/or his/her designee, shall monitor projects, purchases and expenditures which equal or exceed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) and only shall release a purchase order which equals or exceeds five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) after the Board of Education has granted approval for the project, purchase or expenditure.
Prior to formal Board of Education approval, the department or site administrator responsible for gaining approval for a project, purchase, or expenditure shall communicate with the Board of Education Services the need for an electronic copy of the final signed action memo reflecting the Board of Education’s approval. After formal approval by the Board of Education, the Board of Education Services Office specialist shall send an electronic copy of the action memo and any other supporting documentation to the Executive Director of Procurement and/or his/her designee. The Executive Director of Procurement and/or his/her designee shall use this documentation to confirm Board of Education approval for purposes of releasing any purchase order that equals or exceeds five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).
Administrative Position: Chief Financial Officer
Department Director: Executive Director of Procurement
References:
Legal Cross Reference: §13-1-1 et seq NMSA 1978
Board Policy Cross Ref.: DJ1 Purchase and Project Approval
Administrative Procedure Cross Ref.: Purchasing
NSBA/NEPN Classification: DJB
Introduced: June 11, 2010
Approved: July 23, 2010
Reviewed: September 14, 2016
Revised: September 21, 2016
Reviewed: June 17, 2024
Revised: June 17, 2024