Tomball ISD trustees hear detailed review of district procurement process

Chief Financial Officer Zach Bowles presented a review of Tomball Independent School District’s procurement process and the layers of regulation that govern how the district spends federal, state and local funds.

Bowles told the board that multiple federal requirements apply when federal funds are used, including the Uniform Guidance and Education Department (EDGAR) rules, and that districts must follow the most restrictive applicable rules. “All federal funds have to be supplemental in nature,” Bowles said, saying federal dollars may not replace local funding and that documentation, price analysis and quarterly/annual reporting are required to avoid disallowed costs.

The presentation summarized state and local rules as well. Bowles identified Texas Education Code 44.031 as the primary statute governing competitive procurement for the general fund and described the district’s local policy framework, including board policy CH legal and CH local. He said Texas law requires competitive procurement for aggregated commodity-category spending that exceeds $50,000…