we have gone to bid on your behalf

 

Almost all CalSave contracts are bid and awarded by the Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE), whose Superintendent of Schools is elected by the citizens of Monterey County and has authority under the California Constitution to award contracts. MCOE follows procedures under the California Public Contract Code for bidding and also invokes authorities under the California Education Code and California Government Code. Some award categories — such as books, instructional materials, and professional advice — are exempt from bidding under law. In these cases, MCOE enters into competitive negotiations before awarding contracts. Bids are piggybackable by other school districts and other government agencies on the authority of PCC 20118 and Government Code 6500 and 6502.

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national leverage through cooperation

CalSave uses national leverage to seek best pricing on its purchasing contracts. As a participating member of the Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies (AEPA) , CalSave works with educational purchasing cooperatives in 26 other states. The states work together in drafting specifications and estimating buying volume. They issue a joint solicitation for competitive bids. Together they do an initial screening of responsive bids. Then each agency —including the Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE) — makes its own independent, state-level determination of lowest responsible, responsive bidders before making a local contract award. In California, awards are made by MCOE based on the application of California law.

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every contract posting includes documentation

Competitively bid contracts follow bidding procedures established by the California Public Contract Code, including a two-week newspaper advertisement and sealed bids. As a public agency, you want access to all the contract documentation. When clicking on any product line page, you will find a link in the tabbed section at the bottom of the page. Click the link to get a PDF that includes a proof of advertisement, signed contract signature pages, any extensions, and original terms and conditions. <!–more–>

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