HISD changes practices, hires procurement manager

Despite finding rigorous conflict-of-interest policies, a third-party audit of the Houston Independent School District identified several potential areas to improve business practices.

The findings were presented to the district's board of education by Charles Yaple, a partner with Null-Lairson Certified Public Accountants, on Thursday, March 29. The auditing firm made the following suggestions: expand annual board training on conflicts of interest and procurement policies, simplify internal staff policies, involve the procurement department in all purchases and require board members to communicate benefits received from existing vendors to the superintendent.

The district began its procurement and purchasing improvement initiatives in fall of 2011, including improvements to record keeping and bid evaluation. The audit served to ensure the district has put its taxpayer dollars to the best use in the process of implementing these initiatives.

The board also announced Christopher Gross, former contract manager for the University of Texas System Supply Chain Alliance, as the new procurement manager beginning Monday, April 2.

For more information, visit houstonisd.org.