Requirements for Procurement Personnel
Pursuant to Gov't Code §2155.0178, the Texas Procurement and Support Services administers a system of training, continuing education and certification for state agency purchasing personnel.
Each state agency shall ensure that the agency’s purchasing personnel complete the training and certification developed under this section. It is not the intent of this definition to include (1) an executive level manager authorized to bind the governmental entity or (2) an attorney performing traditional legal functions – such as legal review of a contract.
In addition to state agencies, employees of institution of higher education to which Section 51.9335, Education Code, applies or to an institution to which Section 73.115, Education Code, applies are encouraged to attend. Entities participating in TPASS’s cooperative purchasing program of all offered TPASS contracts are especially encouraged to attend. Examples include school districts, police and fire departments, city and county governments and community colleges.
The following SAO classifications may be used as a reference to help identify individuals who are required to receive TPASS's purchaser training:
| Class Number | Class Title | Salary Group | Occupational Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Inventory and Store Specialist I | A10 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1912 | Inventory and Store Specialist II | A12 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1913 | Inventory and Store Specialist III | A14 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1920 | Grant Coordinator I | B18 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1921 | Grant Coordinator II | B20 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1930 | Purchaser I | B12 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1931 | Purchaser II | B14 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1932 | Purchaser III | B16 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1933 | Purchaser IV | B18 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1934 | Purchaser V | B20 | Property Management and Purchasing |
| 1935 | Purchaser VI | B22 | Property Management and Purchasing |
In addition, the following tasks may help identify individuals who are required to take TPASS's purchaser training.
- Develops and/or interprets rules, policies, or procedures regarding public purchasing.
- Advises agency representatives on proper interpretation and application of purchasing policies and regulations.
- Reviews and/or oversees the review of requisitions for completeness and compliance with applicable requirements prior to processing solicitation documents.
- Prepares or assists with the preparation of specifications.
- Determines the appropriate procurement method.
- Prepares and advertises solicitation documents.
- Distributes bid invitations to vendors, notifies vendors of procurement outcome (award, rejection, denied etc.)
- Identifies and/or selects potential vendors.
- Assists with reviewing tabulations and analyzing bids to determine the lowest and best responses, codes bids, and prepares or oversees the preparation of purchase orders.
- Coordinates and schedules solicitation evaluation with team members.
- Evaluates offers and/or proposals submitted by vendors in response to solicitation documents.
- Purchases or oversees the purchasing of commodities, services, and/or equipment.
- Issues purchase orders to awarded vendors.
- Rejects items that do not meet specifications.
- Monitors legal and regulatory requirements pertaining to purchasing.
- Acts as a single point of contact for most purchases.
- Initiates and approves local and emergency purchases.
- May maintain or oversee a perpetual inventory control on warehouse items through the use of stock cards or a computer system.
- Establishes quotas, needs, and issuing schedules on commonly used items.
- Distributes solicitation addendums and updates as needed.
- Seeks ways to streamline purchasing and increase efficiencies.
TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Purchasers employed by a political subdivision or other public entity of the statemay, but are not required to, participate in TPASS's purchaser training classes and earn their state purchaser certification.
The program contains three (3) levels of training and two (2) levels of formal certification.
1. Purchases ranging from $0 - $25,000State purchasing personnel must complete TPASS's Basic Public Purchasing (BPP) class within their first six-months of employment with an agency. No certification is required.
2. Competitive Purchases ranging from $25,000.01 to $100,000Certified Texas Purchaser's (CTP) certification is required. To earn this certification the person must have at least one year of purchasing experience and complete the Texas Basic (BPP) and Advanced (APP) Public Purchasing classes (or have the current equivalent certification from a national purchasing association) and pass the CTP exam.
3. Competitive Purchases over $100,000 Certified Texas Procurement Manager's (CTPM) certification is required. To earn this certification the person must have at least three years of purchasing experience and complete the Texas Basic (BPP) and Advanced (APP) Public Purchasing classes and the Texas Cost and Price Analysis, Negotiations, and Contract Administration (CNC) course (or have the current equivalent certification from a national purchasing association) and pass the CTPM exam.
| PURCHASING AUTHORITY | TRAINING | EXPERIENCE | CERTIFICATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zero to $25,000 | BPP | None Required | None Required |
| $25,000.01 to $100,000 | BPP & APP | One Year | CTP |
| Over $100,000 |
BPP, APP, & CNC | Three Years | CTPM |
A state agency employee who is required to receive the training may not participate in purchases by the employing agency unless the employee has received the required training from TPASS, or received equivalent training from a national association recognized by TPASS.
MAINTAINING CERTIFICATION
Certifications are renewed every five (5) years. Certified individuals must obtain 120 hours of continuing education (CE) over a five (5) year period with no more than 45 hours in any calendar year to maintain their certification. To meet the CE requirement, TPASS encourages certified individuals to obtain 24 hours of continuing education per calendar year.