Plunder Scenario 8
You manage a mailing services contract for your school district. Student Nutrition Services uses the contract to mail overdue balance notices to parents. You find the contract wasteful because most of the balances are not being collected and much of the mail returns. How does Procurement create value in this situation for the district?
AP Response:
This scenario occurred before the implementation of digital tools like PowerSchool and online school lunch account systems. At the time, processes were entirely manual. A major challenge was that many students frequently changed residences while remaining enrolled in the same schools, making it difficult for the District Office to maintain accurate contact information for parents.
Additionally, many families qualified for free meals but did not complete the necessary applications. Since then, the district has transitioned to providing free lunch to all students, regardless of income.
If the district chooses to continue mailing balance notices, Procurement can add value by leveraging the volume to negotiate lower labor costs. Furthermore, Procurement could conduct market research to identify software solutions that enable digital communication—such as text or email notifications—and support virtual completion of free lunch applications. It’s possible that stakeholders are simply unaware of the tools available to streamline and improve these processes.