Frequently Asked Questions
Who is my point of contact in Procurement Services?
The members of the Procurement Department manage a variety of different services
for the District. A complete list of Departments and the staff assignments can be
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How long does it take to process a purchase order once the requisition is approved?
Purchase orders are processed within 72 hours.
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How do I check the status of a requisition?
From Lawson, under the Requisition Self Service tab, select “status” and a new screen
will pop-up. From this screen, you can view the status. Click on the requisition number
and an additional screen will open with more detailed information.
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How can the restriction on my APS P-Card be lifted?
Please contact Joi Hargis, P-Card Administrator of School Based Services for
all your P-Card inquiries. Joi can be reached at (404) 802-2491 or via email at
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Who do I contact regarding items that need to be returned? Is there an
outlined procedure for this process?
Returns are handled at the School/Department level; however, if adjustments must
be made to the purchase order or the invoice, you should contact your assigned
procurement officer.
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When the assigned officer is out of the office for an extended time to whom
should I direct my procurement questions?
You can also send an email to one of the Procurement Assistants Korita Slaton
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How do I initiate a purchase?
Once the need for goods or services has been identified, and when necessary the
competitive bidding process has been completed, the procurement process begins
with the preparation of a requisition by an individual in a school or department via
Lawson. A requisition is essentially a request to purchase a good or service. The
Lawson system automatically verifies that the school or department has the funds to
purchase the good or service before the requisition is created. Once the requisition
is created the funds then become "Committed" and restricted for that purchase.
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When do I need to obtain competitive bids?
Purchases exceeding $25,000 requires a formal solicitation (ITB, RFP, RFQ) conducted
by Procurement Services. If purchases are over $2,000 and under $25,000 it requires
at least four (4) written quotes and you must maintain the documentation which should
be available upon requests. Eligible purchases under $2,000 (where quotes are not
required) should be purchased using the p-card.
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Who should I contact if I have a concern with a vendor?
Contact your Procurement Officer. Your officer can help you resolve any performance
issues with a vendor.
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Am I allowed to meet with vendors without informing the Procurement department?
No. Employees are encouraged to keep Procurement in the loop for assistance during any
discussions regarding potential service offerings.
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When do I need to have a contract signed?
All contracts must be signed by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
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Where can I find the Approved Vendor List or how do I get on the Approved Vendor list?
The Atlanta Public Schools DOES NOT have an approved vendor list.
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How do I become a registered vendor?
To become a registered vendor please go to our website and complete
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How will I know when my vendor registration is complete?
Registration is complete when you complete all required fields and send the Vendor
Registration Form, and the attached W9, to the identified contact listed on the form.
Upon receipt, the Procurement Services Department will send you a confirmation email
notifying you that you have been added as a Registered APS vendor. You will also
receive a Lawson ID number which will be your unique identifier within the District.
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How do I update my contact information?
To update your information, you must contact Korita Slaton of the Procurement
the information has been updated, you will receive a confirmation email verifying
the change has been made in the system.
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Why is it important to provide commodity codes on my vendor registration form?
Commodity codes allow you to tell us what types of events you want us to notify you
about. If you have supplied a current e-mail address and indicated you wish to receive
e-mail, then it is easier for our purchasing staff to notify you when we release an event
matching any of the commodity codes you have indicated. If you do not provide
commodity codes, you will not receive e-mail notifications.
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What is a bid?
A bid is a vendor's response to a solicitation by the District requesting offers to provide
a specific good or service.
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Does a vendor need to be pre-qualified to bid?
No. If you can provide the goods and/or services requested in the invitation to bid, you
may bid on the specification.
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Can bids be faxed?
No. Bids must be returned to the District in accordance with the instructions to
bidders contained within the bid document.
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Can vendors from outside the county or state make bids?
Yes, there are no restrictions regarding a vendor's location
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What disqualifies a bid?
You should read the specification document very carefully and follow all instructions.
Failure to follow the instructions outlined in the document will disqualify the bid.
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How do I get information on the previous price?
Information can be obtained through an Open Records Request. The State’s Open
Records law requires inspection and copying of public records to be provided within
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How can I see the results of a solicitation?
This information will be available after the evaluation process is completed. The results
will be available either via an Open Records Request or online. back to top
Which Procurement Officer is in charge of purchasing my commodity?
No one particular commodity is necessarily assigned to any one individual. The
Procurement Officers manage multiple commodities. Please contact either one
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How can I find solicitation to respond to?
Anyone viewing our portal can click and browse our website
receive e-mails that notify you immediately when an event is released.
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