April 12 AEPA Meeting

Dialog on online professional development. Kentucky would be a great resource for School Improvement Services to network with.

We volunteered to work with Iowa and Michigan to bring resolve to BSN Sports issue with adding contract number to school district purchase orders.

Member Roundtable on Marketing (what works):

• CA: hosted a "Best Purchasing Practices" workshop for USDs
• CO: newsletter to members
• CT: web page for each vendor and vendor showcase
• IA: "Profile of Savings" to each USD
• KY: bi-monthly meeting of cohort groups
• MI: web-blasts, alliances with state educational affiliate groups
• MO: meetings with local sales reps
• MT: cost comparisons to USDs
• ND hired retired superintendent as sales manager
• OH: brochure of all AEPA vendors
• PA: marketing meetings with all vendors and road shows with all vendors
• TX: vendor rollouts
• VA: place all contracts on website

Selection of New Products:

Vendors were invited to discuss why new categories should be considered by AEPA:

• Investments:
• AIG Retirement (formerly VALIC)- CES currently has a contract with AIG. First company to enroll K-12 403(b) plan. New IRS regulations regarding 403(b) in school districts? IRS Compliance Services and/or Investment Services would be the categories bid. Advantages to schools: 1) schools don't have to bid; 2) discounts on services.
• Medicaid Third Party Billing
• Maximus- web-based system with which USD personnel complete documentation.
• Mailing Systems- Value to schools is discounts on products and savings on mailings.
• REAP (Regional Education Applicant Program)- allows school districts to post job openings online.

AEPA plans to solicit bids for:

• Roofing
• Carpet
• Copiers
• Vehicles
• Mailing Machines (new)
  
• Alarm/Security Systems (new) New Bid Committee: Kansas-Brad, ?
  
• Medicaid Third Party Billing (new)
  

April 11 AEPA Meeting

Vendor report cards: Kansas ranks 8th in gross sales among the 22 member states of AEPA. Kansas rose three spots since November 2007.

After discussion of AESA partnership, we will be opening dialog with the following entities in Kansas in order to continue to create awareness of AEPA in school districts in Kansas:

• Unites School Administrators
• Kansas Assn. of School Administrators
• Kansas Assn. of School Boards
• Council of Superintendents
• Kansas Assns. of School Principals
• Kansas Assn. of School Business Officials
• Kansas Dept. of Education

Brian Talbott addressed the group in regard to the pending AEPA/AESA partnership. Brian seeks to communicate AEPA benefits to non-AEPA states and, possibly, bring in new members to AEPA. Brian seeks to introduce more vendors to AEPA through the AESA network. Brian said many ESAs have received requests from school districts to serve as general contractors/construction managers in order to coordinate construction projects for school districts.

Vendor roundtables: Notes from each vendor roundtable discussion are forthcoming.

April 10 AEPA Meeting

It was voted to convene a meeting of AEPA Unincorporated. Max Luft was elected Chairperson. Indiana motioned to move AEPA trademark to AEPA Incorporated. Motion by California to vote Max Luft person responsible for the trademark AEPA and transferring the address. AEPA Unincorporated adjourned, AEPA Incorporated reconvened.

Dialog with Brian Talbott on benefits of aligning with AESA included increased volume of sales toward the end goal of procuring better prices for the school districts we serve.

AEPA Spring Meeting

I'll be out of the office April 10 and 11 attending the spring meeting of the Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies.