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Auction site is a handy way for schools to dispose of surplus goods
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Published: July 1, 2009
When it comes to disposing of old desks, unused light bulbs, copy machines and other materials, Iredell's school districts have turned to an online forum for selling their surplus items.
Both the Iredell-Statesville Schools and the Mooresville Graded School District have begun utilizing GovDeals, a government auction Web site, for ridding their storage closets and classrooms of furniture, equipment and miscellaneous goods that are no longer needed.
"Based on GovDeals experience with other governments in North Carolina, we are expecting our property to bring more money by selling it online than when we sold it at a local auction or through the sealed bid process," said Terry Haas, chief finance officer for the MGSD, noting that more than 300 cities, counties and school districts in the state utilize the online service.
Additionally, she said, more than 2,600 active bidders peruse the site within a 50-mile radius of Mooresville, which allows the MGSD to "reach a wider base of buyers, resulting in more revenue that can be given back to our community."
Dawn Creason, spokesperson for I-SS, said that district began using GovDeals four months ago for similar reasons.
"We've always had surplus sales here locally, but we felt like we could probably maximize our earning potential by putting it online where people could see it and actually bid on it," she said. She added that "more people would have the opportunity to look at it and find it and know about it."
Thus far, Creason said I-SS has only used the auction site for "attempting to sell surplus items." She noted that the district's school board "is still talking about the process for surplusing items" so plans for the future use of GovDeals remains uncertain.
Currently, I-SS has two pallets of florescent light bulbs up for auction on the Web site. Both items will be available for bids through July 6 and can be viewed by searching I-SS's QAL# – 2291 – at www.govdeals.com.
The MGSD – QAL# 2321 – has no items listed on GovDeals at the moment. However, Haas said "that is subject to change as the schools begin the summer cleaning" and could include objects such as overhead projectors, chairs and desks.
In June, the MGSD placed several copy machines on GovDeals for a 15-day bidding period, added Haas. The copiers fetched $950 in total, which she said was "more than we would have gotten at a public auction."
According to a press release from the auction site, "GovDeals is specifically designed to enable governmental entities and their agencies the ability to sell surplus and confiscated vehicles, assets and property over the Internet, as well as to support redistribution of excess assets within public institutions."
The Web site, notes the release, aims to help city, county and state governments – and their entities – sell their "surplus property and equipment" and currently assists nearly 2,400 governments nationwide.
Bidders can register free of charge at the GovDeals Web site, www.govdeals.com, or by calling 800-613-0156.
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