• Welcome to the FSPS Purchasing Department

    Welcome to the FSPS Purchasing Department’s webpage, your gateway to exciting partnership opportunities with our school district.

    FSPS understands the value of collaboration with dedicated businesses and service providers. Whether you're a supplier, a contractor, or a service provider, we invite you to explore the myriad of contracting possibilities that support our mission of providing quality education. 

    Our Purchasing Department facilitates fair and transparent procurement processes, compliance with regulations, and a commitment to excellence. By doing business with our school district, you're not only joining a community dedicated to fostering knowledge but also establishing lasting relationships that benefit both our students and your organization. 

    We invite you to explore the diverse avenues for collaboration and embark on a journey of mutual growth and success. Join us in shaping the future of education and your business with the School District today.

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  • FORT SMITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPENGOV PORTAL

    Our District uses an eProcurement system called OpenGov for publishing solicitations and receiving vendor responses. The District's eProcurement Portal allows vendors to:

    • Register to bid and receive notifications of future opportunities by subscribing.
    • Follow updates to open solicitations, by finding the solicitation and clicking the Follow button.
    • Submit questions and receive answers for open solicitations.
    • Be guided through the electronic submittal process.

    Step 1: REGISTER IN OPENGOV 

    Click here to sign-up as a vendor at no charge with OpenGov. Upon sign-up, you will receive an email from OpenGov with instructions to activate your account. 

    Step 2: SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE SOLICITATION UPDATES 

    Once your account is activated, visit the Fort Smith Public Schools Procurement Portal and click the “Subscribe” button to stay up to date with solicitations. Upon successful vendor registration and after you have subscribed to receive notifications, solicitation documents will be available for download at no charge.

    Step 3: MANAGE NOTIFICATION PREFERENCES 

    After subscribing, manage your category code(s) and notification preferences by logging into your OpenGov Company Profile. Visit the OpenGov Help Page to learn more about setting up category codes.

    THERE IS NO COST FOR VENDORS TO REGISTER WITH OpenGov.

     

    Open General Solicitations

  • Sole Source Purchases 

    District policy requires formal competitive bidding for transactions/purchases that meet required thresholds.  Once specific exception to District purchasing procedures and bidding is the Sole Source purchase listed in the Exceptional Exceptions section of Fort Smith Public School policy 7.5.
     
    To maximize the goal of good stewardship and transparency, it is imperative that the purchasing function of the District is open to all qualified suppliers and that the process does not impair or discourage competition.  Thus, competitive bidding is always the preferred method of making a purchase.
     
    The Supervisor of Purchasing has the responsibility and the necessary authorization to determine the most cost-effective method of source selection and may determine that a purchase should be competitively bid.  As one of several anti-competitive practices, the District must work diligently to avoid the use of sole source procurement.  You should undertake reasonable research to determine if multiple suppliers exist before making a sole source purchase.
     

    The burden of proof is on the requester to justify sole source purchases. Those requests must be accompanied by a completed sole source justification form.

    Reminder: Sole sourcing is not a method of selecting a preferred vendor.  It is a statement that no other vendors exist who are capable of providing the needed commodity.  All such statements become a part of the purchase contract file and must be defensible at times of audit.

    The District has created the below form to better document the use of a sole source vendor. 
     

    Sole Source Justification Form

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All

  • What is a sole source purchase?

  • When must a sole source justification be completed?

  • What form should I use to develop a sole source justification?

  • How often must a sole source purchase be justified?

Purchasing Leadership

Phone:

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

Craig Tecmire

As the Supervisor of Purchasing, Craig Tecmire plays a crucial role in managing procurement activities and ensuring the efficient acquisition of resources to support the district's educational goals.  In this role, Mr. Tecmire works to streamline procurement processes for the benefit of the educational community.

Mr. Tecmire brings a wealth of experience from the military and the private sectors.  He transitioned into education from the private sector, where he worked for various Fortune 500 companies. Prior to his work in the private sector, he spent 23 years in the United States Navy, where he worked as a logistics officer.  As a teacher at Northside and Paris High Schools, he spent four years in the classroom teaching and mentoring students.  Craig’s commitment to the educational field is deeply rooted in his belief that working in education provides a unique opportunity to impact the next generation positively. His dedication to facilitating an environment conducive to learning and growth is evident in his strategic approach to purchasing and resource management.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Oklahoma Baptist University. His pursuit of excellence continued with the attainment of a Master of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School.  Also, Craig holds a Black Belt certification in Lean Six Sigma, a certification that further enhances his ability to optimize costs and resources.