What is KCDA?
KCDA is the purchasing cooperative owned by Washington State Public School Districts. KCDA bids and awards supply and service contracts through open competition as prescribed by the laws of the State of Washington.
Why Should I join and use KCDA?
KCDA save members time and money by allowing them to pick the vendor or supplier of their choice while remaining fully compliant with all state procurement requirements.
What is KCDA’s Procurement Policy?
KCDA is governed by procurement laws governing school districts in Washington. The basic statute authorizing the formation of KCDA is RCW 28A.320.080. KCDA is also authorized under the Interlocal Cooperation Act, RCW 39.34. The basic procurement law for school districts is RCW 28A.335.190. As KCDA has grown, many other types of public entities have become members. As many of these organizations have differing procurement requirements, KCDA has adapted our procedures to satisfy the legal requirements, both in advertising and bidding, of all of our members. All items and services under contract with KCDA have been awarded through a competitive sealed bid process, with contract, bid and advertising documents posted on our website.
Who is eligible to join KCDA?
- Public School Districts
- Counties
- Municipalities
- Colleges, Universities
- Political subdivisions within the state or in other states
- State accredited private schools and colleges
What are some other advantages?
- All contracts are awarded on an annual basis. For the term of each contract, entities may purchase goods and services from KCDA awarded vendors without the need to prepare and evaluate bids on their own.
- Any disputes between a vendor and an entity are resolved by KCDA. KCDA is always an advocate for their members.
Do all products and services available through these contracts include freight charges?
- Freight is included on orders delivered to Washington, Oregon and Idaho members.
- Freight for members outside this area is calculated by delivery location and added to invoices.
What do I have to do to become a member?
The governing body of the agency, subdivision, or taxing entity signs an Interlocal Agreement with KCDA. The Interlocal Agreement is then forwarded to KCDA for Approval by the Board of Directors and the signature of the Executive Director. A copy will be returned to you for your records. The following KCDA Interlocal Agreement documents are available for download at kcda.org:
- Washington State Public Entities
- Interstate Membership Agreement
Is there any cost involved in becoming a member?
There is no cost to join the cooperative. All fees are paid by KCDA vendor-partners. There is never a fee for members to participate or to use a KCDA contract or service.
Are any tax dollars involved in funding this program?
No. KCDA is completely self-funded. KCDA bids on products used by its members. This price is passed directly on to the customers. KCDA covers its operating expenses solely on the service fee for each item. This service fee is calculated on the cost of bidding, ordering, receiving, warehousing, and preparing the product for shipment and freight. KCDA pricing includes this fee.
How do I get KCDA pricing?
- Visit KCDA’s website at www.kcda.org. KCDA offers an extensive list of ready to ship products from our Kent, Washington Distribution Facility and a variety of other product options shipped direct by our vendor-partners.
- Contact KCDA Customer Service for pricing information at # 800-422-5019, fax # 253-395-5402, or e-mail customerservice@kcda.org.
Does KCDA offer e-commerce?
Yes, kcda.org is a user-friendly site allowing users to create and check out orders, verify availability of inventory and print invoices.
I'm interested in purchasing a product through KCDA but can't find it in the catalog or on the website. What should I do?
KCDA is happy to source pricing on non-cataloged items. Please contact KCDA Customer Service Department to inquire about new product options.
How long does it take for KCDA to ship a product?
Orders received by 2pm for products from the KCDA warehouse are shipped out for next day delivery to most locations.
What do I do if a product does not meet my expectations?
Contact KCDA Customer Service at # 800-422-5019. This information will help us improve the bidding process to obtain only the best quality merchandise. Items shipped from the KCDA warehouse (i.e. except vendor direct and special order items) may be returned to KCDA within 20 days for full credit.
Does KCDA have personnel available to visit our sites?
KCDA has Field Representatives available to meet with individuals or groups who have questions regarding any of KCDA's products or services. Please review KCDA’s Contact Information for a complete listing of KCDA Field Representatives or contact KCDA Customer Service to reach the Representative nearest you.
How do vendors learn about KCDA Bid opportunities?
KCDA selects Awarded Vendors via a competitive bid process. KCDA regularly posts bid opportunities on the website
www.publicpurchase.com. Public Purchase provides free government bid notification for government agencies.
There may be a cost to register with Public Purchase depending on the level of service selected. Once registered, Public Purchase will email prospective vendors newly posted KCDA opportunities, by bid category, with instructions how to respond to them. KCDA awards all vendor contracts based on the lowest priced vendor submissions that meet our bid specifications and criteria.
What process does KCDA use to establish contracts?
All contracts are awarded based on the competitive, sealed bid process. Responses are opened publicly and evaluated by KCDA’s Purchasing Department. Proposals are evaluated by the following criteria:
- Lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications.
- Quality of product line.
- Quantity of line items available that are used by participating entities.
- Customer support.
- Suppliers demonstrated ability to perform under a cooperative purchasing contract.
Where do I send Purchase Orders?
PO’s should be made out to KCDA. For non-inventoried items, KCDA will issue a PO to the vendor and invoice our member when supplies and services have been delivered.
Will KCDA eliminate purchasing departments or purchasing personnel?
KCDA is an extension of our members purchasing departments. KCDA supports the fact that there will always be a need for a strong local purchasing effort and feels the cooperative should be used as a resource to avoid the costs associated with bidding and awarding service and product contracts. Use of KCDA contracts is voluntary with members utilizing contracts that best suit their needs.
How can I reach KCDA?
KCDA can be contacted toll free at # 800-422-5019, Fax 253-395-5402, or by email at customerservice@kcda.org.