Finding Text
CONDITION: The School District of the City of Monessen contracted with a third-party vendor (TRANE) for the performance of a construction project at the District. The contract with the third-party vendor, which was procured through a cooperative purchasing group, exceeded the threshold for competitive procurement. The District was unable to provide documentation to verify that the third-party procurement contract was competitively procured, such as a bid evaluation and public solicitation. This is a repeat finding from the 2021-2022 fiscal year – Finding 2022-001. In addition, the District did not conduct a cost or price analysis for this procurement, which was in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold of $250,000.
CRITERIA: 24 Pa. Statutes 751 of the Public School Code and Section 2 CFR 200.318(i) of the Uniform Guidance prescribes the bidding requirements for equipment, supplies, and work of any nature made by a school district whereby the cost exceeds certain dollar thresholds as adjusted annually for an inflation index. The construction project exceeded the simplified acquisition threshold of $250,000. As specified in 2 CFR 200. 318(i) of the Uniform Guidance, the District must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: rationale for the method of procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. In addition, Section 2 CFR 200.324(a) of the Uniform Guidance requires the performance of a cost or price analysis in connection with every procurement in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold.
CAUSE: School District personnel directly responsible for the oversight and execution of this contract interpreted that the requirements specified by 24 Pa. Statutes 751 of the Public School Code, and Sections 2 CFR 200.318(i) and 2 CFR 200.324(a) of the Uniform Guidance, would be met through the cooperative purchasing process based on an analysis of the documentation provided to them by the third-party vendor, however the District maintained no records internally to support this compliance.
EFFECT: The School District of the City of Monessen did not comply with the requirements of 24 Pa. Statutes 751 of the Public School Code, and Sections 2 CFR 200.318(i) and 2 CFR 200.324(a) of the Uniform Guidance with regard to maintaining sufficient records to detail the history of procurement for the construction project and conducting a cost or price analysis for a procurement in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold.
QUESTIONED COST: $206,784 RECOMMENDATION: I am recommending that the management of the School District review and update as necessary its procurement policies to ensure retention of the appropriate procurement documentation, in all instances, including such instances whereby the District is using a contract vehicle from a cooperative purchase network so as to comply with all applicable sections of the Uniform Guidance, in specifically, Section 2 CFR 200.318(i) of the Uniform Guidance. In addition, I recommend that the School District conduct a cost or price analysis for all procurement in excess of the Simplified Acquisition Threshold of $250,000 before receiving bids or proposals in accordance with Section 2 CFR 200.324(a) of the Uniform Guidance.
VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS: Management of the School District has reviewed the above noted finding and recommendation and have developed a corresponding ‘Corrective Action Plan’ to address this matter (See Corrective Action Plan).