Where school districts can purchase
thermometers, masks and Plexiglass

By Pauline Liu, Special Correspondent
and Eric D. Randall, Editor-in-Chief

Looking for infrared thermometers? The Willsboro Central School District, located near Plattsburgh, recently found its regular vendors were out of supply, according to Superintendent Justin Gardner.

Many districts have had similar frustrations amid a rush to purchase COVID-19 related products for a possible fall reopening, according to the state Office of General Services (OGS).

The agency says it is eager to help. It has contracts with vendors that have been vetted by the Office of the State Comptroller.

"We are continuing to encourage school districts to consider using OGS centralized contracts during this challenging time," said OGS Commissioner RoAnn Destito. "The centralized contracts managed by the OGS Procurement Services department are designed to save money by taking advantage of the state’s significant buying power and save school districts time by eliminating the challenging process of conducting their own procurements."

Asked about specific items, OGS provided the following links:

• Thermometers and masks: a state contract for Medical and Laboratory Supplies and Equipment.
• Plexiglass and barriers: a state contract for Walk-in Building Supplies.
• Cleaning products: the New York State Green Cleaning Program.
• Hard-to-find products: three vendors who are OGS’s Preferred Sources.

For more general purchasing information, go to OGS’s webpage for school procurement or the agency’s training resource library. Also, districts may be able to make purchases through BOCES or OMNIA Partners, a purchasing cooperative that many NYSSBA member districts use for school supplies and is a school services partner of NYSSBA.

Look for a story about how school superintendents are being inundated by solicitations from unfamiliar companies selling COVID-19 related products in the June 29 issue of On Board.