Procurement activities for DCPS are managed by the Contracts & Acquisitions (C&A) Division under the Chief Resource Office. All DCPS purchases, excluding those using student activity funds (SAF), are coordinated through this team.
Important Notice for Vendors – Unauthorized Purchases Prohibited
Per District and Federal law, DCPS must have a valid procurement vehicle in place prior to receiving goods or services. DCPS Contracting Officers are the only DCPS officials authorized to sign contracts or provide written authorization for a purchase regardless of the circumstances. Principals and other staff are not authorized to obligate DCPS to a purchase or to sign agreements on behalf of DCPS.
Goods or services provided without one are considered unauthorized purchases and may not be eligible for payment. The review process for unauthorized purchases is a minimum of 6 months and does not guarantee payment so when in doubt reach out by by e-mailing [email protected] or [email protected].
Read about the three ways DCPS authorizes purchases below:
- Traditional Procurement - Purchase Orders (POs) and Bilateral Contracts
- Purchase Card (P-Card)
- American Express Buy-Down Program (AMEX Buy-Down Program)