Policy 3570 - Consultants

Consultants

The Board of Education authorizes the use of consultants to provide expert professional advice or specialized technical or training services which are not needed on a continuing basis and which cannot be provided by district staff because of limitations of time, experience or knowledge. Individuals, firms or organizations employed as consultants may assist management with decisions and/or project development related to financial, economic, accounting, engineering, legal, administrative, instructional or other matters.

As part of the contract process, the Superintendent or designee shall determine, in accordance with Internal Revenue Service guidelines, that the consultant is properly classified as an independent contractor. District employees who perform extraduty consultant services shall not be retained as independent contractors. They shall be considered employees for all purposes, even if the additional services are not related to their regular duties.

All consultant contracts shall be brought to the Board for approval.

The district shall not contract for consulting services that can be performed without charge by a public agency or official unless these services are unavailable from the public source for reasons beyond the district's control.

All qualified firms or resource persons shall be accorded equal opportunity for consultant contracts regardless of race, creed, color, gender, national or ethnic origin, age or disability.

Independent contractors applying for a consultant contract shall submit a written conflict of interest statement disclosing financial interests as determined necessary by the Superintendent or designee, depending on the range of duties to be performed by the consultant. The Superintendent or designee shall consider this statement when deciding whether to recommend the consultant's employment.

When employees of a public university, county office of education or other public agency serve as consultant or resource persons for the district, they shall certify as part of the consultant agreement that they will not receive salary or remuneration other than vacation pay from any other public agency for the specific days when they work for this district.