E-rate Update - State Bidding Requirements
Message Posted January 16, 1998
As you know, there is a requirement of FCC Form 470, the Description of Services Requested and Certification Form, that the applicant submits a summary of the state's competitive bidding requirements. To assist public schools in completing this section, the PA Department of Education's Office of Chief Counsel has released the following summary. Please feel free to copy it directly onto your application. It also will be available on the PDE E-rate web site and you may simply supply the web site address on your application if you so choose. Please keep in mind that you still must list any additional pertinent information such as local regulations or policies and of course you are always encouraged to have your solicitor review this language. The summary
follows:
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Pennsylvania law requires school districts to publicly advertise for bids on all contracts for (a) work to be performed on school property which exceeds $10,000 (24 P.S. Section 7-751) or (b) purchase of equipment for more than $10,000 (24 P.S. Section 8-807.1). The advertising provision in Section 7-751 specifies only that "due public notice" be given asking for competitive bids. Section 8-807.1 requires that public notice be given by advertisement once a week for three (3) week in not less than two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
The above statutes provide lesser requirements to seek either written or telephonic quotes for (a) instances in which work is done on school property which exceeds $4,000 but is less than $10,000, and (b) instances in which equipment is purchased for more than $4,000 but less than $10,000. In this latter situation, the school district must, in lieu of public advertisement for bids, solicit written or telephonic price quotations from at least three qualified and responsible contractors or vendors in the market area within which it is practicable to obtain quotations. Such quotations must, at a minimum, contain the date of the quotation, name of the contractor or vendor and its representative, the work to be performed or the equipment to be purchased, and the price.
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-- Julie Tritt
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