AASBO Bi-Monthly Meeting May 9, 2012 LVOP’s: The Right Thing to Do Bill Munch, Mesa Public Schools

What is an LVOP? Local Vendor Outreach Program An initiative by a public entity in partnership with their local Chamber of Commerce which encourages: 1) Training of local vendors in the process of doing business with schools. 2) To seek out local vendors and offer the opportunity to quote on products or services for schools under the $50,000 annual fiscal threshold. 3) To provide instruction to local vendors as to how to register and respond to bids and RFP’s over the $50,000 procurement threshold.

What is Local? A “Local” Vendor “Relating to or occurring in a particular area, state, county, city, town, or District” Local vendors are sourced through a partnership with the Mesa Chamber of Commerce and Mesa Public Schools. The Chamber serves the local Mesa community and while the focus of the program is City of Mesa, MPS considers the entire State local and intends to continue to reach out to vendors across the State as well.

Program Purpose Does:  Pro-actively seek out local vendors to offer increased opportunity to quote on purchases under $50,000 threshold.  Does offer training and information to local vendors through Mesa Public Schools purchasing department.  Does fully comply with the requirements of the Arizona School District Procurement Code Doesn’t do:  Does not give preferences to local vendors, but merely seeks out vendors to provide them opportunity to compete for business.  Does not exclude other local vendors.  Does not make promises of business, but trains, educates and informs.

LVOP Philosophy It is our responsibility as public purchasing professionals to reach out in our local economy and attract those businesses to strengthen our community as a whole. We want our local vendors to have the best chance to compete for our business in an open market competition which is the essence of our free enterprise system.