For schools & districts
Quote-threshold purchases in Texas
Most Texas school merch is bought without a formal bid — under the competitive-bid threshold, on the informal-quote process. Here's how that works, the documentation to keep, and how to issue the order on a purchase order.
Quick answer
A Texas district only has to run a formal competitive bid once its aggregate 12-month spend with a vendor crosses the state threshold. Under SB 1173 (effective September 1, 2025), Texas Education Code §44.031(a) sets that threshold at $100,000, raised from $50,000. Typical single spirit-wear runs fall well under it, so schools buy on the informal-quote process: collect a few itemized, delivered written quotes, compare them, document the choice, and issue the order — always confirming the current figure and your own district's policy with your purchasing office.
Threshold source: Texas Legislature, SB 1173 bill analysis (89R) — accessed 2026-07-18. General information, not legal or procurement advice; thresholds change and districts may set stricter limits.
The quote-collection process, step by step
- 1
Confirm whose funds are paying
District funds follow district purchasing policy and thresholds; PTA or booster funds follow that organization's own bylaws. Settle this first — it decides the whole process.
- 2
Check the spend against your threshold
Confirm with your purchasing office whether the category's aggregate 12-month spend with the vendor stays under your district's competitive-bid threshold. Most single spirit-wear runs do.
- 3
Collect written quotes
Gather itemized, delivered quotes from a few vendors. Ask each for per-unit delivered pricing by quantity, a W-9, an artwork proof, and a production-plus-shipping timeline.
- 4
Compare apples to apples
Line the quotes up on delivered per-unit price at the same quantity and decoration, plus timeline. A low unit price with shipping excluded may not be the lowest all-in cost.
- 5
Document and issue the order
Keep the quotes on file, approve the artwork, and issue a purchase order against the chosen quote. The paper trail is what makes the purchase clean if anyone reviews it later.
The documentation coordinators keep
The informal-quote path is simple, but it's worth keeping a clean file so the purchase is easy to justify later:
- The written quotes you collected, itemized and delivered
- The approved artwork proof / mockup
- The vendor's W-9
- The purchase order and the approved quote it was written against
- A note of the order-by date and the event it's for
For the fuller picture, see how the $100K no-formal-bid rule under SB 1173 fits, review the whole district purchasing process or how cooperative purchasing fits, and grab the school merch approval packet to get the order signed off.
Quote-threshold purchasing FAQ
No. A formal competitive process is only required once a district's aggregate spend with a vendor crosses the state threshold over a 12-month period. Typical single spirit-wear runs fall well under it, so schools use the informal-quote process instead. Always confirm the current threshold and your district's own policy with your purchasing office.
Under SB 1173 (effective September 1, 2025), Texas Education Code Section 44.031(a) sets the threshold at $100,000 in the aggregate for each 12-month period, raised from $50,000. Thresholds and policies change and districts can set stricter internal limits, so confirm the current figure with your district's purchasing office.
Keep the written quotes you compared, the approved artwork proof, the vendor's W-9, and the purchase order with the approved quote it was written against. That documentation is what makes an informal-quote purchase clean and easy to justify later.
PTA, PTO, and booster clubs spend their own funds under their own bylaws rather than district purchasing law, which usually makes the process simpler. An itemized delivered quote and a W-9 typically cover what those organizations need to move forward.
Need itemized quotes to compare?
We provide itemized delivered pricing, a W-9, a mockup, and a timeline with every quote — everything your file needs. Or call (737) 253-8727.
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