City controller urges Pittsburgh Public Schools district to reform procurement practices

Pittsburgh City Controller Rachael Heisler is advocating for changes in the Pittsburgh Public School District’s procurement practices, which she says could save the district millions of dollars.Heisler emphasized the importance of issuing requests for proposals (RFPs) for every contract and selecting the lowest responsible bidder.”Procurement is an easy way to save money,” Heisler said. Her office released a report on the district’s bidding process in October, followed by a case study this week.”It was a snapshot of something that the district could have gone out for bid and asked for requests for proposals from multiple vendors, and gone with the lowest responsible bidder. And they opted not to do that in 2016, 2017, and it cost the district millions of dollars,” Heisler said.She said they could have bid the contract out again later when it was up for renewal, but the district reportedly opted not to.School Board President Gene Walker, who was not on the board when the specific contract was first made, noted that proactive conversations have been happening since the October report.”I know that our policy committee is in the process of putting together a board policy that will help direct the district in some of that,” Walker said. He also pointed out that the lowest price does not always meet the district’s needs, as some needs are only met by a few vendors.”In lots of cases, there may be only one or two vendors in the country that do, you know, do the thing that we’re looking for,” Walker said. He acknowledged Heisler’s belief that taking more time to look for vendors might save money.”Maybe that’s true. Maybe that’s not. I don’t know. It’s something that we’ll have to test,” Walker said.Heisler insisted that RFPs are essential. “If there’s only one respondent, that’s the number of respondents you get. But that’s an excuse. The district needs to have a procurement office. It needs to issue contracts based on the, you know, lowest responsible bidder,” she said. “Not having a procurement office is the reason they are not maximizing the value for every dollar.”Walker said the board has met with Heisler in the past and will continue to work with her on spending practices.“I think ultimately her job is to kind of report on the financial issues that both the city and the school district are facing. And then our job as a board is to do our best to make sure that we are using the money that we receive to educate kids in the most effective and efficient way possible,” Walker said.Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel

PITTSBURGH —

Pittsburgh City Controller Rachael Heisler is advocating for changes in the Pittsburgh Public School District’s procurement practices, which she says could save the district millions of dollars.

Heisler emphasized the importance of issuing requests for proposals (RFPs) for every contract and selecting the lowest responsible bidder.

“Procurement is an easy way to save money,” Heisler said.

Her office released a report on the district’s bidding process in October, followed by a case study this week.

“It was a snapshot of something that the district could have gone out for bid and asked for requests for proposals from multiple vendors, and gone with the lowest responsible bidder. And they opted not to do that in 2016, 2017, and it cost the district millions of dollars,” Heisler said.

She said they could have bid the contract out again later when it was up for renewal, but the district reportedly opted not to.

School Board President Gene Walker, who was not on the board when the specific contract was first made, noted that proactive conversations have been happening since the October report.

“I know that our policy committee is in the process of putting together a board policy that will help direct the district in some of that,” Walker said. He also pointed out that the lowest price does not always meet the district’s needs, as some needs are only met by a few vendors.

“In lots of cases, there may be only one or two vendors in the country that do, you know, do the thing that we’re looking for,” Walker said. He acknowledged Heisler’s belief that taking more time to look for vendors might save money.

“Maybe that’s true. Maybe that’s not. I don’t know. It’s something that we’ll have to test,” Walker said.

Heisler insisted that RFPs are essential.

“If there’s only one respondent, that’s the number of respondents you get. But that’s an excuse. The district needs to have a procurement office. It needs to issue contracts based on the, you know, lowest responsible bidder,” she said. “Not having a procurement office is the reason they are not maximizing the value for every dollar.”

Walker said the board has met with Heisler in the past and will continue to work with her on spending practices.

“I think ultimately her job is to kind of report on the financial issues that both the city and the school district are facing. And then our job as a board is to do our best to make sure that we are using the money that we receive to educate kids in the most effective and efficient way possible,” Walker said.

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