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Springfield Public Schools Purchasing Department |
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Sole Source Procurement |
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What is a sole source purchase? |
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| District policy requires formal competition for any transaction expected to involve an expenditure of $1,000 or more. Competition is not required for:
It is imperative that the purchasing function in a public institution be open to all qualified suppliers and that the process not impair or discourage competition. Thus, competitive bidding is always the preferred method of making an award. The Purchasing Department Buyers are authorized to determine the most cost-effective method of source selection for purchases $1,000 and over and may decide that a purchase in this range should be competitively bid. The unnecessary use of sole source procurement is one of several anticompetitive practices that must be avoided. Before making a determination that there is only a single appropriate source from which to purchase, requisitioners should undertake reasonable research to determine if other suppliers exist. The burden of proof is on the requester to justify sole source purchases. Those requests must be accompanied by a completed sole source justification form that asks the requestor to:
CAUTION: Sole sourcing is not a method of selecting a preferred vendor...it is a statement that no other vendors exist who are capable of providing the needed commodity!!! All such statements become a part of the purchase contract file and must be defensible at times of audit. Definition Here are some of the criteria that contribute to the determination that a purchase is sole source: |
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One-of-a-kind |
The commodity or service has no competitive product and is available from only one supplier. |
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Compatibility |
The commodity or service must match existing brand of equipment for compatibility and is available from only one vendor. |
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Replacement Part |
The commodity is a replacement part for a specific brand of existing equipment and is available from only one supplier. |
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Delivery Date |
Only one supplier can meet necessary delivery requirements. |
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Research Continuity |
The commodity or service must comply with established District standards and is available from only one supplier. |
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Unique Design |
The commodity or service must meet physical design or quality requirements and is available from only one supplier. |
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Emergency |
URGENT NEED for the item or service does not permit soliciting competitive bids, as in cases of emergencies, disasters, etc. |
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IMPORTANT NOTE: A sole source purchase is a magnet for auditors. An unnecessary sole source purchase will likely result in negative findings and potential loss of funding. When must a sole source justification be completed? A sole source justification must be completed whenever competition is not sought for a purchase $1,000 and over. A sole source justification is not required for purchases of personal and professional services under $1,000. What forms should I use to develop a sole source justification? SPS Sole Source Justification Form. How often must a sole source purchase be justified? A sole source justification is valid for the specific purchase order only. Because market conditions can change rapidly, it is important to re-establish that the sole source situation still exists at a later date. |
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Springfield Public Schools Purchasing Department 1458 E. Chestnut Expressway Springfield, MO 65802
Phone: (417) 523-0071 Fax: (417) 523-0496 |
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