Vendors

Evanston Township High School District 202 values collaborative and ethical partnerships with vendors that help us provide essential services, supplies, and equipment in support of student learning and school operations. We are committed to a transparent and efficient procurement process that aligns with district policies and state regulations.

This page provides key information and resources for current and prospective vendors, including how to become a vendor, submit required forms, and understand our payment process.

How to Become a Vendor

There are two ways to become a vendor with the district:

Bid Solicitation	Vendors may respond to formal requests for proposals (RFPs), quotes (RFQs), or bids. Contracts are awarded based on established procurement guidelines and competitive selection. Visit Bid Opportunities and follow the instructions to respond to the solicitation.
Department Sponsorship	An ETHS department may sponsor you as a new vendor. This process must be initiated by an ETHS staff member and approved by the Business Office, not the vendor. Sponsored vendors are typically used for smaller, specialized, or one-time services and must still meet district requirements.

Note: The Business Office does not accept unsolicited vendor applications. This means we do not onboard new vendors unless they have either been awarded a contract through a formal solicitation process or been sponsored by a district department for approved services.

Information for Vendors

Purchasing Guidelines

To ensure timely processing and compliance with Evanston Township High School District 202 procedures, please review and follow the guidelines below when fulfilling a purchase order:

Include the Purchase Order (PO) Number and Department on all packages, bills of lading, invoices, shipping papers, and correspondence.
Invoice separately for each PO and include two copies of the invoice.
Do not send C.O.D. shipments. All shipping charges must be prepaid.
Ship within 60 days of the order date unless otherwise instructed. The district may cancel orders not shipped within this timeframe.
Use the least expensive shipping method unless another method is specified on the order.
Tax Exempt: District 202 is exempt from federal, state, and local taxes. Tax Exempt ID: E-9997-7265-07.
EEO Compliance: This PO includes, by reference, the Equal Employment Opportunity Clause per Article VI of the Illinois Department of Human Rights regulations.
Toxic Substances: Vendors must provide a Material Safety Data Sheet with each shipment, as required by the Illinois Toxic Substances Disclosure to Employees Act (No. 83-240).
Safety Compliance: All merchandise must meet or exceed Illinois Life Safety Code and OSHA standards unless the Director of Operations is notified in writing.
Validity of Purchase Orders: Only signed ETHS Purchase Order forms with valid order numbers are recognized for purchasing. This PO represents the full agreement between the District and vendor. Any additional terms from the vendor are not binding unless accepted in writing by the Purchasing Office.
Criminal Code Compliance: Vendors certify that no officers, owners, or partners have been convicted of bid rigging (Section 33E-3) or bid rotating (Section 33E-4) within the past five years, and will comply with Section 33E-9 related to change orders.
Prevailing Wage Requirements: All work must comply with Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (Chapter 48, Sections 39s-1 to 39s-12). Contractors are responsible for recordkeeping and paying the difference if wages fall below the prevailing rate.

Vendor Registration

To initiate a business relationship with ETHS, approved vendors must submit a New Vendor Form and submit a completed W-9 form via email to accounts_payable@eths202.org. These documents are subject to review and approval by the district before vendors can receive purchase orders and timely payments. Approved vendors will receive an ETHS vendor number. A vendor number is required for ETHS to issue purchase orders or payments.

Note: ETHS does not accept unsolicited vendor applications. Vendors must either be selected through a solicitation process or have a district sponsor. Do not submit these forms unless you have been invited to do so by the district.

Invoicing Requirements

All invoices must first be submitted to your ETHS sponsoring department or staff contact. The invoice must be reviewed, signed, and approved by an authorized ETHS employee before it can be processed. Once approved, the staff member will submit the invoice to Accounts Payable for processing. Do not send invoices directly to Accounts Payable.

All invoices should be addressed to:

Evanston Township High School
Attn: [Name of Department or Staff Contact]
1600 Dodge Ave
Evanston, IL 60201

To ensure prompt and accurate payment, vendors must adhere to the following invoicing guidelines when submitting invoices to Evanston Township High School District 202:

Invoices must be submitted electronically in PDF format to your staff contact. 1 PDF = 1 invoice submission.
Invoices must include the invoice date.
Invoices must clearly describe the goods or services, quantities, unit prices, and total amount due.
Invoices must include a unique invoice number. Invoices with duplicate invoice numbers will not be processed.

Payment Methods

The Business Office runs a payment cycle every Friday for payments, however our general payment terms are 30 days from the invoice date.

Option 1: Direct Deposit

Our preferred method of payment is direct deposit. With direct deposit, your payment will go directly into your bank account. You will receive an automated email each time funds are transferred informing you of the invoice number(s) and the invoice amount(s) that are being paid.

The email notification is sent on CONFIRM DAY, and the deposit should be in your back account on Friday. This method follows net 30 terms, meaning payment is issued within 30 days of the invoice date.

To receive payments via direct deposit, select this option and provide your banking information in the New Vendor Form.

Option 2: Check

Payments issued by check are mailed to the vendor address on file. If payment is due to a supplier, a check will be issued on Friday of that week. There is no notification when a check is issued. This method follows net 30 terms, meaning payment is issued within 30 days of the invoice date. Please note that ETHS does not control delivery timelines once checks are mailed.

Option 3: Credit Card

Payment can be issued via district issued credit card (p-card), typically for small purchases or when a formal purchase order is not required. Vendors must be able to process credit card transactions. A receipt or invoice is required for documentation and reconciliation. This method allows for faster processing, but ETHS does not issue prepayments. Always confirm payment arrangements in advance with the sponsoring staff member.

Bid Opportunities

Evanston Township High School District 202 welcomes the opportunity to partner with vendors through a fair and competitive procurement process. In accordance with the Illinois School Code and district policy, purchases and contracts above certain thresholds require formal bidding or proposals to ensure transparency and the best value for our school community.

Depending on the type and cost of the goods or services needed, ETHS may issue:

Invitation to Bid (ITB): A formal request for pricing on clearly defined goods or services.
Request for Proposal (RFP): A request for detailed proposals when multiple factors (such as experience, approach, or quality) will be evaluated.
Request for Quote (RFQ): A less formal request for pricing, typically used for purchases below the formal bidding threshold.

When available, open bid opportunities will be posted to eths202.org/bids. We encourage interested vendors to check regularly and follow the instructions provided in each solicitation, and thank you for your participation in our solicitation process.

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