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What is Choice Facility Partners?
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Choice Facility Partners is a purchasing cooperative created by Harris County Department of Education to streamline facility services and to save time and money for client members. Because of the many advantages of the process, HCDE opened the process to share it with other organizations and governmental entities. |
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Who is eligible to use CFP?
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Schools, education-related organizations, colleges, universities, municipalities, counties and other governmental entities and non-profits. |
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What benefits do we gain from using CFP?
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Choice Facility Partners provides quality, quick method of delivering facilities services which:
- Saves staff time in purchasing - Contracts are already legally and competitively bid
- Saves staff time in construction services
- Saves money in facility budgets
- Improves efficiency
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How can governmental entities legally make purchases through Choice Facility Partners?
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Legal, competitively-procured contracts may be used under Title 7 of the Governmental Code Chapter 791 and under Title 8 of the Local Government Code Chapter 271 . Governing boards of entities that have approved and signed an interlocal agreement with Choice Facility Partners/HCDE can use the awarded contracts.
Outside Texas, governmental entities are responsible to ensure they are meeting the law and following the applicable state purchasing policies, but generally the competitively bid process used by Choice Facility Partners will meet most state requirements. Check the statutes for all states here. |
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How does it work?
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Governing boards of organizations and governmental entities sign an interlocal agreement, which stipulates that Choice Facility Partners takes the responsibility for legally and competitively bidding the contract. Once the organization/entity has signed the agreement, it may contract with the contract partner for services. |
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Once the interlocal has been signed by both governing boards, how can an entity do business using a partner with an awarded contract?
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With Choice Facility Partners, procurement has three easy steps:
1. Become a member
2. Contact the CFP vendor partner
3. Issue the purchase order; send CFP a copy |
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What is the cost to use CFP?
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There is no charge to client members to use CFP contracts; partners pay a small percentage fee back to Choice Facility Partners. |
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What is a Job Order Contract?
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Job Order Contracts are relational, performance-based contracts where the facility services partner continually interacts and collaborates to provide construction services. JOC has been a legal, well-recognized delivery method for public schools since 1995. JOC is different from Design/Bid/Build, but is effectively and efficiently used to manage renovation, remodeling, rehabilitation, repair and other construction projects. |
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How can companies receive a contract award?
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Companies must first respond to a Request For Proposal issue by Choice Facility Partners. After the RFP is issued, it is advertised, then interested companies bid on the facility service. CFP records the submitted sealed responses, reviews and tabulates, evaluates proposals, then the governing body awards the contract to those partner vendors who provide best value. |
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What is Harris County Department of Education?
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Harris County Department of Education a governmental agency that has been providing services primarily to school districts for 120 years. It is located in Harris County, but is not affiliated with the governmental entity of Harris County. |
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Is there a fact sheet about Choice Facility Partners?
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Yes; you may download the fact sheet here. For the full brochure, click here. |
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