Purchasing for public organizations like school systems has never been an easy process. In the government and public sphere, transparency is critical, and every taxpayer dollar counts.

The typical purchasing process for many products and solutions has been through an RFQ or RFP (Request for Quotation or Proposal) process. As most familiar with these processes know, these methods can be long and cumbersome in either government or private enterprise. When a solution is needed sooner rather than later, this type of process can hinder making the required investments for critical infrastructure for more secure school campuses in San Antonio and other Texas cities.

In Texas, purchasing co-ops have been developed to streamline the purchasing process. For example, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) has been serving local governments for 40 years with purchasing services. TIPS (The Interlocal Purchasing System) is another purchasing cooperative that started in 2002 out of Region 8 in Texas and has expanded throughout the state and nationally.

Co-ops have helped small and large school districts alike to pool purchasing power and streamline processes. They vet vendors, establish competitively priced blanket contracts for goods and services, and provide valuable and time-saving methods for making purchases.

ASAP Security is proud to have been selected as a key security technology vendor for both TIPS and H-GAC, allowing us to offer our solutions to school districts with minimized friction and the knowledge that that district is getting top value for its designated budget. Read on for examples of solutions you can purchase through the co-op process.

During the past decade, the threats facing schools throughout the country have changed. School security systems have to deal with a lot more than truancy these days. We now have to contend with school shootings, vandalism and increased bullying. Are your current security measures addressing this changing landscape? 

This is an unprecedented time in our country's history, with schools in Memorial, TX likely not returning until next fall. How can you use this time to improve your school infrastructure while also instituting security measures to protect your vacant property?

Each year the Department of Justice sets aside $25 million in grant funding to help secure the country’s schools with local municipalities offering even more funds. Here are some recommendations below on what upgrades you should be making.

While we all wish it were not the case, it’s an unpleasant truth that schools need to prepare for a mass shooting situation. One of the most effective tools at your disposal to protect your students, teachers and staff is a gunshot detection system. Working in combination with other school security systems, gunshot detection lets schools and emergency officials respond more quickly to potential dangers, and every second counts if someone brings a gun to your schools.

Another unpleasant truth is that many school districts have limited resources, which makes buying and installing gunshot detection technology seem out of reach. However, we’re here to tell you that’s not the case. Changes in technology have made gunshot detection systems much more affordable, which makes them more viable for schools in the Corpus Christi region of Texas. Here are some of the factors driving down the cost of this powerful security tool.

Since the tragedies of Columbine, Sandy Hook, and the shooting in Parkland, Florida, school districts across America are making strides to protect their students. As technology advances, we’re finding better ways to secure campus buildings. And with 2020 quickly approaching, we predict more schools will adopt the following security measures. Continue reading to see if your school security systems in The Woodlands, TX area could benefit from the services we provide.