Central Purchase

In January of each year, the Central Tender Purchase Committee (CTPC) comprised of staff from the Pupil Transportation Unit, Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth and representatives from the Manitoba Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) assemble a tender package for the central purchase of school buses. Included in this package are school bus specifications developed in consultation with school bus body and chassis suppliers. These specifications are the platform on which suppliers base their bids. CTPC reviews the bids at tender closing and a successful supplier is chosen.

Prior to the selection of the successful supplier, school divisions in Manitoba must decide for themselves whether they wish to opt in or opt out of this central tender purchase process. School divisions must weigh the following factors in making their decisions:

Purchasing School Buses Through Manitoba's Central Tender Purchase Process -

School divisions opting to purchase school buses centrally benefit from a number of services provided by the Department:

• per unit price savings based on bulk purchasing (15-20%)
• pilot review audits at the point of manufacture
• collection of prescribed pre-delivery inspection forms completed by suppliers
• new school bus acceptance inspections
• follow-up with manufacturers on warranty items
• cataloguing of defects for review with manufacturers

Purchasing School Buses Independently

School divisions opting to purchase school buses on their own will:

• call for their own tenders as per The Public Schools Act
• have the opportunity to liaise directly with their manufacturer of choice
• make local arrangements with respect to matters such as pilot audits, pre-delivery inspections, and warranty follow-ups

NOTE: School buses purchased independently must meet Canadian Standards Association - D250 and Manitoba Regulation 465/88R , at a minimum.