The Leander ISD Purchasing Department has been recognized by The Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) with a 2023 Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations. Members of the district’s purchasing team were honored at an awards reception on Feb. 15 in San Antonio, Texas, during the 2023 TASBO annual conference.
The Award of Merit was established in 2009 to recognize Texas school districts, open-enrollment charter schools and education services centers that are committed to following professional standards in the acquisition of goods and services.
LISD’s Senior Director of Business Process Improvement Jamie Spiegel said that the purchasing process is sometimes viewed as red tape, and can be frustrating to departments with various needs. Despite these challenges, the LISD Purchasing Department prides itself in meeting legal and policy requirements with excellent customer service.
“We attempt to practice using the phrase ‘Yes, but…’ when our end users are in need of a good or service but law or policy dictates another direction,” Spiegel said. “The role of the Purchasing Department to meet our customers needs while still staying compliant and to purchase what is needed to provide the classroom with the resources to meet instructional needs. “
Each year, volunteers with the TASBO Purchasing & Supply Management Research Committee evaluate the award criteria to ensure it represents the latest best practices. They then review new and recertification applications. For 2023, only 71 recipients met the stringent criteria to qualify for the award.
“As Texas school districts face ever-increasing pressure to use funds efficiently, we’re proud of the work our honorees do to streamline operations, comply with regulations, and set the standard for how to utilize taxpayer dollars,” said Tracy Ginsburg, TASBO Executive Director. “These organizations have not only demonstrated their professional purchasing operations by documenting their districts’ policies and procedures, but have also shared these best practices with colleagues throughout Texas.”
The first year the LISD Purchasing Department received this award was in 2019. Since then, they have received another full application award in 2020 and two recertification awards in 2021 and 2022.
