During a recent government meeting, officials discussed the ongoing procurement process for school buses and the management of purchase orders from the previous fiscal year. Bonnie Jacobs is currently handling the purchase orders for four new buses, which are being ordered through the county and require additional processing through Eva to finalize the purchase. The urgency of this process stems from delays experienced in previous years, where only one of the four buses ordered in December 2023 has been delivered so far, with the remaining expected by the end of September and October.

The discussion highlighted the challenges faced in the bus procurement process, particularly post-COVID, where manufacturers only produce buses upon receiving purchase orders. This has led to significant delays, with a typical turnaround time of ten to eleven months. To mitigate future delays, the school division is attempting to initiate orders four months earlier than last year.

Additionally, the meeting addressed the issue of rolling purchase orders from one fiscal year to the next. As of June 30, 2024, the Prince George County School division had two outstanding purchase orders: one for HVAC work at Harrison and another for the superintendent search. The HVAC project, managed by Train USA, has an outstanding amount of $890,631, while the superintendent search, facilitated by the SBA, has an outstanding amount of $22,982. The total outstanding expenses of $913,613.52 are expected to be covered by the year-end balance in the relevant fund.

These discussions underscore the importance of timely procurement and effective financial management within the school division, as officials strive to meet the needs of students and families in the community.