When 49 interactive whiteboards at the Orange County Department of Education were flagged for replacement, the expected price tag – $3,000 to $4,000 per unit – raised alarms. But instead of rushing to purchase new equipment, Chief Technology Officer Carl Fong asked a simple question: Could they just replace the small computer units on the back? The answer was yes. For less than $300 each, the boards were upgraded and remained in service. Total savings? Easily six figures.

That kind of strategic thinking – questioning assumptions, evaluating total cost of ownership and involving the right people at the right time – is at the heart of procurement best practices. As districts across California face tighter budgets, changing regulations and in-creased scrutiny, the need for smarter, more collaborative purchasing has never been greater.

Why Procurement Matters Now More Than Ever

Pandemic-era funding streams have evaporated. Enrollment is down in many districts, but buildings still require maintenance and updating. The needs are great – and the challenges, perhaps even greater. International conflicts, shifting federal and state policies, and evolving tariffs complicate school procurement and have the potential to magnify the impact of mistakes.

Another complication: A shrinking vendor pool, according to Nick Brizeno, director of purchasing for San Marcos Unified School District.

In recent years, many vendors that serve K-12 districts have either gone out of business or consolidated. As a result, districts have fewer vendors to choose from – and fewer vendors also means less competition and potentially higher prices. In this environment, it’s critical to align purchasing decisions with districts’ educational aims.

Statewide, approximately 85% of a district’s budget is devoted to employee salaries, so school leaders must be intentional about how they spend that other 15%.

Unfortunately, procurement is not well understood in many school districts. Only about half of school leaders are knowledgeable about their district’s purchasing process, according to a 2024 survey by the EdWeek Research Center.

That lack of knowledge may reflect the fact that procurement has typically been an afterthought in public education. “In the private sector, purchasing is viewed as a critical business component, as a value to the organization. In public purchasing, you’re viewed as a necessary evil,” says Stephanie O’Brien, an independent consultant with SchoolBuys, a program that’s part of the Enterprise and Procurement Services department of the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and a CASBO Premier Partner.

Brizeno agrees. “The procurement department has often been pigeonholed as the Department of No – No, we can’t do that,” he says. “But we exist to help solve problems. We’re not there to say no; we’re here to figure out a way to get to yes.”

Recognizing procurement’s role in advancing the district’s mission is a critical first step toward smarter purchasing decisions.

Procurement in Practice: Avoid the Price Trap

Faced with a tight deadline or urgent need, it’s easy to click “buy now” on online. But selecting products and services solely on price (or speed) is rarely the best use of school funds. The cheapest goods aren’t necessarily the best deal.

You know that, of course. And you know that rules and regulations make it difficult for schools and districts to consider value over time. “We’ve been trained to focus on price. But as stewards of taxpayer funds and public dollars, we should focus on cost,” Brizeno says.

A bargain desk that falls apart in two years can end up costing a district more over time than a desk that costs double up front but lasts three times as long as the less-expensive desk. Total costs of ownership include maintenance, support and life-cycle costs.

However, current educational codes and regulations make it difficult for districts to factor in costs of ownership and replacement. “The laws are focused on price,” Brizeno says. “You can’t base purchases on value unless it’s a service or technology-based item.”

One legal workaround: Establish minimum requirements that are high enough to exclude low-quality options. Consider more than basic product specifications; factor in things like installation and warranties.

“When we’re running an RFP, we talk about implementation services, design services, professional development,” Brizeno says, even for things like classroom furniture. “Price is a component, but 65% of the RFP is services, while only 30% is focused on price; another 5% focuses on location of the warehouse.”

Such an approach will only be successful if you have administrative support, Brizeno cautions.

“You have to have backing from a team of people in your district who are looking to push the status quo,” he says. “It’s easier said than done. You have to shift years of standard practice.”

SchoolBuys is another resource K-12 districts can use to prioritize value.

“From the beginning, our focus has been, how can we focus on protecting taxpayers’ resources long term?” says O’Brien, a program consultant. “Total cost of ownership was a huge driver of our program. We write things into our RFPs that no one else does, like a 15-year part and labor warranty that’s not prorated.”

Districts that use SchoolBuys have access to pre-negotiated contracts and discounts on educational products and services, so they don’t have to write or negotiate individual contracts. The program has helped hundreds of schools save more than $250 million on purchases as of early 2025.

AB 361, supported by CASBO, creates a pilot program to simplify and establish objective criteria for the selection of high-quality school construction contractors at a competitive price. The bill extends a previous program and authorizes the governing board of any school district to use the best value procurement method for bid evaluation and selection for public projects that exceed $1 million. The bill would delete the reporting requirement and repeal date, thereby extending these provisions indefinitely, and make related conforming changes.

New Tools and Old Problems: Tech-Enabled Procurement

Increasingly, school districts are exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline the procurement process. Although it’s unclear how many districts are currently using AI for procurement – or in what capacities – the potential of technology to speed up contract review and support document creation is already proving useful in some districts.

Fong and Brizeno both use AI to assist with contract review.

“I can upload two contracts, ask AI to give me a summary, and save a lot of time,” Fong says.

Brizeno also uses AI to quickly assess vendor contracts, particularly those that don’t align with the district’s templates. He will upload the contract and ask AI to look for key elements, such as payment terms, limitations of liability, warranties, and compliance with local laws and policies. Then, he can quickly review the resulting summary (comparing it, of course with the original document) and suggest changes, if necessary.

Brizeno uses AI to assist with contract creation, too. “It’s really helpful when you run across a situation that doesn’t really fit your normal contract,” he says.

Neither Brizeno nor Fong, though, have found AI useful for bid evaluation.

“AI doesn’t really have the ability to score bids accurately,” Brizeno says.  “The computer is very limited to the information you feed it, so you may get a very biased opinion or answer.”

The Human Side of Procurement: Expertise and Collaboration

Amid all the uncertainties in the market – and the currently limited abilities of AI – deep knowledge of the procurement process, regulations, and vendor and manufacturer pools is a tremendous advantage. But that kind of expertise takes time to accumulate, and many school procurement professionals have retired in recent years. As a result, many school districts in California (and elsewhere) currently lack deep expertise in procurement.

“Most people come into purchasing in K-12 accidentally,” O’Brien says, with little to no formal experience or training in procurement. They learn on the job, often via trial and (expensive) error. Few have had the opportunity to learn from experienced veterans, thanks to the spate of retirements.

“There’s a strong desire for more professional development,” says Kevin Wutke, senior director for CollegeBuys Business Innovation at the Foundation of California Community Colleges. “There’s also a desire for stronger networking opportunities across districts.”

In response, CASBO has developed a Purchasing and Procurement Micro-Certificate, a one-day, in-person event led by working purchasing directors. The first session, offered earlier this year, drew more than 100 attendees.

The North County Educational Purchasing Consortium (NCEPC), a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) started in 1985, also now offers educational and networking opportunities. The NCEPC currently serves 43 of the 46 school districts in San Diego County; membership is open to public and charter schools in San Diego County and beyond. NCEPC members have access to sample documents (bid award letters, bid boilerplates, public works contracts, etc.), as well as a listserv that allows them to easily ask questions and share information. The consortium also now hosts get-togethers and an annual conference. The 2025 conference included sessions about the “Nuts and Bolts of Bidding,” “Contract Lifecycle Management” and more.

Tapping into the expertise of your colleagues on the educational side of the district is another way to boost the effectiveness of your procurement program. Purchasing decisions should support and align with your district’s overall mission.

“Even if we’re purchasing furniture, we need to be intentional to ensure that whatever we buy meets the current standard of education today and where we want to go,” Brizeno says.

Of course, no one knows exactly what the future of education will bring. That’s why it’s necessary for procurement teams to talk with educators – and vice versa.

“We get out to classrooms to see how things are used, and we collaborate with teachers and create small focus groups to discuss and brainstorm. We’re not only thinking about the present day but five, 10, 15 years from now,” Brizeno says. “We’re being intentional with the things we purchase, choosing multifunctional products when we can.”

Involving educators is key because they are quick to spot opportunities and challenges that purchasing specialists may ignore. A modular desk system, for instance, may (or not) work in a particular classroom, depending on the age, development and needs of students.

“A really strong procurement team is the bridge between education and business,” Brizeno says. “We have a direct impact on students.”

Get Strategic: Practices to Adopt Now

> Ask questions.

Explore alternatives. Don’t simply do what your district has always done – or what other districts are doing. Clarify your district’s needs and goals and then explore alternatives. Remember: The Orange County Office of Education saved six figures because Carl Fong asked if it was possible to replace the computer units driving the county’s outdated interactive whiteboards.

> Create “cheat sheets.”

In too many districts, the procurement process is mysterious and complicated. Approximately half of vendors say that it’s unclear who they should approach or talk to about purchasing, according to the 2024 EdWeek Research Center survey – and many school leaders don’t understand the process either. Create simple, one-page (or less) primers that outline who oversees purchasing decisions and include basic information about your procurement process, including links to relevant requirements or forms. This process may reveal some unnecessary or outdated practices, which can then be eliminated. It’s also likely to increase vendor applications and competition.

> Cooperate.

Tap into the purchasing power and expertise of educational consortia and JPAs such as the North County Educational Purchasing Consortium and the Education Technology Joint Powers Association, which was founded by seven California districts and now serves more than 200 member agencies. Members of the NCEPC have access to all its current contracts, including ones for art supplies, custodial chemical supplies, paper and much more. (“We’re now pushing toward transportation and landscaping services,” Brizeno says.)

Through SchoolBuys, districts can “piggyback” on Foundation for California Community College contracts and access deeply discounted rates on educational technology, software, furniture and other school products. That’s the power of group purchasing.

But don’t assume that all educational consortia are the same – or a good deal. Some consortia are essentially “pay to play,” O’Brien says. Vendors may pay a fee for inclusion, and their offerings may or may not be a value. Some vendors’ contracts may not be California Public Contract Code compliant, either.

“The first question you should ask before getting involved with a consortium or joint purchasing group is, is it a nonprofit?” O’Brien says. Look for nonprofit, California-based, education-focused groups; steer clear of general options based out of state.

> Get creative.

“Challenge the status quo and think outside the box,” Brizeno says. Yes, you must abide by federal, state and local regulations. “But you have the ability to think creatively about the law,” he says. Consult an experienced legal counselor to explore what opportunities may be available within the law, and brainstorm with your colleagues in other districts. Smart procurement isn’t just about saving money – it’s about making every dollar count toward student success. With some creativity, effort and collaboration, schools can turn purchasing into a strategic advantage.

Jennifer Fink is a freelance writer based in Mayville, Wisconsin.