Purchasing
Berryessa Union School District is a public entity. It is a major purchaser of numerous goods and services, operating seven elementary schools and three middle schools. The district is situated in the sloping northeastern foothills of Silicon Valley in San Jose, California. The district serves a community of approximately 45,000 homes and has approximately 5,700 students enrolled in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade. Challenging educational programs and a strong commitment to excellence produce high pupil achievement. As such, we are constantly striving to fill district needs in the most cost-effective manner to obtain the best combination of product, quality, price, and service.
Berryessa Union School District maintains a centralized purchasing program. A Purchase Order (PO) properly numbered, signed, and authorized by the Purchasing Department is the only document by which the district obligates itself to a vendor. Please be aware that the Purchasing Department is the only department authorized to sign and issue purchase orders.
California Education Code requires that the Berryessa Board of Trustees approve all District purchases before the receipt of goods and services.
Vendors are strongly advised not to provide materials or services to the district without first obtaining an authorized purchase order from the Purchasing Department. Purchases made in the name of the district without an authorized PO may be considered a donation to the district or the personal obligation of the person making the purchase, and not an obligation of the district.
The district urges vendors to deal directly with the Purchasing Department on all purchasing-related matters, including sales calls, sales presentations, promotions, catalog distribution, returns, exchanges, and substitutions. Vendors are discouraged from making sales calls directly at school sites and with district personnel. The district maintains a competitive environment in its approach to purchasing and suggests that vendors first contact the Purchasing Manager for direction and advice before making any sales presentations. This will save time and minimize confusion as to proper roles and authority in the district's procurement process.
The needs of Berryessa USD schools are very diverse. They range from basic instructional materials for reading, writing, math, science, art, athletic supplies, furniture, audio/visual equipment, office equipment, maintenance services, custodial supplies, transportation equipment, computers, software, etc. The Student Nutrition Services (SNS) Department purchases food supplies, services, and food service equipment. The district also seeks services for equipment maintenance contracts, public works contracts in school construction, remodeling, and site improvements.
To be placed on the district's vendor or bidder lists, a new vendor needs only to send a letter to the Purchasing Manager at 981 Ridder Park Dr., San Jose, CA 95131, and request to be placed on a list. The letter should contain at least the following information: business name, address, telephone number, tax ID number, email address, products and/or services offered, contact person, a line card, and business ownership certification (i.e., minority, women, disabled veteran owned, etc).
Formal bidding procedures are required for the purchase of materials and/or services exceeding amounts specified by law (which is currently specified at $114,800.00 for materials and $15,000.00 for public works services). This bidding process requires a bidder to attend a bid conference and submit bids to the Purchasing Department in sealed envelopes at a specified time and date. Formal bids are primarily advertised in the legal section of the San Jose Mercury News or the Post Record. Minority, women, and disabled veteran-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to participate in this process. The district awards bids to the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder and reserves the right to reject any and all bids offered.
Informal quotes, bids, or proposals for materials and/or services may be requested and received in writing, by mail, email, and/or verbally, such as by telephone. Informal bids apply to purchases below the formal bidding limits.
All materials and supplies orders shall be shipped to the District Warehouse located at 945 Piedmont Road, San Jose, CA 95132 unless otherwise indicated on the purchase order. Receiving hours are 12:00 pm to 3:30 pm. The PO number must appear on all packages and packing slips. Vendors should strive to meet all specified delivery schedules contained on purchase orders. If, for any reason, shipments cannot be accomplished as promised or as required, the Purchasing Department should be notified of the situation as soon as possible. Items remaining undelivered after 60 days of the PO date may be automatically cancelled.
Invoices should be mailed promptly after delivery to Berryessa Union School District, Attn: Accounts Payable, 981 Ridder Park Dr., San Jose, CA 95131. Invoices should be submitted in duplicate, referencing the appropriate purchase order number; otherwise, payment will be delayed. All District purchases are subject to state sales tax. Vendors can normally expect payment within 30 days of billing, provided that proper purchasing procedures have been followed.
Vendors are required to provide Material Safety Data Sheets (M.S.D.S.) from the manufacturer for all hazardous products, as defined by California Code, Title 8, General Industry Safety Orders, Section 5194.
