281—43.15(285) Local board procedure. The board of education will proceed as follows in purchasing school buses:
	43.15(1) Request bids unless the bus is a used or demonstrator bus.
	43.15(2) Notify dealers of intent to purchase school transportation equipment and request bids.
	43.15(3) Reserve right to reject all bids.
	43.15(4) Require all bids to be on comparable equipment that meets all state and federal requirements.
	43.15(5) Hold an open meeting for dealers to present merits of their equipment.
	43.15(6) Review bids, tabulate all bids, and make a record of action taken.
	43.15(7) Sign contracts or orders for purchase of school transportation equipment. The purchase agreement must provide that the dealer will deliver equipment that will pass initial state inspection at no further cost to the school.
	43.15(8) Notify the department of education of delivery so that arrangements can be made for the initial school bus inspection. No school bus may be put into service until it has passed a pre-use inspection conducted, documented, and reported by the local board of education or its designee on a form prescribed by the department of education. The initial school bus inspection will be conducted at the earliest possible time convenient to the school and the department of education.
[ARC 7793C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]