CC - Item 1A - Purchasing Policy Workshop to Review the Proposed Purchasing Policy Update RecommendationsROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BEN KIM, CITY MANAGER
DATE: DECEMBER 12, 2023
SUBJECT: PURCHASING POLICY WORKSHOP — REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED
PURCHASING POLICY UPDATE RECOMMENDATIONS
DISCUSSION
The City engaged NIGP Consulting ("Consultant") in January 2023 to conduct a procurement policy and
procedure assessment ("Assessment") and to provide revision recommendations. The purpose of the
engagement was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the City's purchasing policies and procedures.
The aim was to determine whether the city was adhering to industry best practices and to ascertain whether
greater delegated authority for procurement activities was necessary to streamline operations, increase
work efficiencies, and mitigate risk. The objective of this workshop is to communicate the Consultant's
findings and recommendations, as well as seek further guidance from the Council regarding the potential
execution of said recommendations. The findings and recommendations of the evaluation are detailed in
the attached report.
Several key recommendations include:
Update procurement dollar thresholds. The recommended dollar threshold updates are detailed in the
table below. Averaging the responses of all agencies to the NIGP 2019 Benchmark Survey Report
(Survey), the average starting threshold for small procurements was determined to be thirteen thousand
dollars. However, this increase from $1,000 to $13,000 maybe deemed excessive at this time. An analysis
of all agencies that participated in the NIGP 2019 Benchmarking Survey Report determined the average
threshold levels for formal competition for procurements to be $54,033 (for non -IT) and $57,611 (for IT).
Current delegation
of authority to
award contracts
dollar thresholds:
3.24.015 Purch wing mrOmAs.
Valu of Purchase
Purchase method
Method of Approval
$5,000.00 or les
Direct competitive purchasing
Approval bV director of
procedure, unks subject to an
department responsible for the
alternative purchasing procedure.
project, using a vendor or letter of
agreement.
$5,000.01 to $30,000.00
Informal competitive purchasing
Approval by City Manager.
procedure, unlessubjectto an
alternative purchasing procedure.
$30,000.01 or More
Formal competitive purchasing
Approval by the CitV Council.
procedure, unks subject to an
alternative urchasing procedure.
AGENDA ITEM LA
City Council Meeting — Purchasing Policy Workshop
December 12, 2023
Page 2 of 4
Current and Consultant proposed delegation of authority to award contracts dollar thresholds:
Th,.,h.ld
Up m $]AW
iue�ei
Up to $5,000
Procurement
Required
pCord or Direct Purchase; no
pCard Holder or
$5,000_01 to $30,000.00
Approval by the City Manager.
quotations required
Department Director
>$1,000.01-
>$50W01-
Written Quotes (minimum 2)
Department Director
$SAW
$15,000
unless subject to alternative
procedure
>$15AWA1
41SAW.01
Written Quotes (minimum 3)
City Manager
-$30,000
-$50,000
unless subject to alternative
procedure
>$30AWA1
450AWA1
Formal Competitive Process,
City Council
unless subject to alternative
procedure
Enable the City to make annual updates to the dollar thresholds for procurement based on the
Consumer Price Index. This would be based on the all -urban consumers published by the United
States Federal Secretary of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics) for the Los Angeles Area (CPI -U). The
most recent revision to the Purchasing Ordinance approval limits occurred on August 23, 2016, when
the threshold for City Council approval on purchases rose from $25,000 to $30,000. Subsequent to
that period, the Los Angeles metropolitan area experienced an inflation surge exceeding 30%.
Adopt California Uniform Public Contracting Cost Accounting Act ("CUPCCAA"). CUPCCAA
provides for the expedited award of Public Works contracts, faster project delivery, and reduced time,
effort, and expense associated with bidding projects based on higher thresholds than permitted under
the California Public Contract Code 20160 to 20175. Adoption of CUPCCAA would empower City
staff to procure lower dollar value construction services using a less onerous procurement method, or
even use in-house staff for small projects, if knowledgeable and available, up to a higher threshold
than currently exists. The threshold for formal bidding would be significantly higher than that
currently used by the City. Current delegation of authority to award contracts dollar thresholds:
3 2LM Delegation of authority to award contraatg.
Public works contracts five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or less maybe approved and executed at the
director level without formal bidding. Public works contracts between fine thousand dollars and one cents
($5,000.01) and thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00) may be approved and executed by the City Manager. A table
summarizing the methods of approvaland bidding requirement is provided below.
Value of Public Project
Method of Approval
Bidding Requirement
Up to $5,000.00
Approval by director of department
responsible for the project, using a
vendor or letter of agreement.
Bidding not required.
$5,000_01 to $30,000.00
Approval by the City Manager.
Bidding required.
$30,000.01 or more.
Approval by the City Council.
Bidding required.
(Ord. No. 988, 5 4(Exh. B), 6-25-19)
City Council Meeting — Purchasing Policy Workshop
December 12, 2023
Page 3 of 4
Current and Consultant proposed delegation of authority to award contracts dollar thresholds based on
CUPCCAA standards:
To clarify, public projects exceeding a value of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) must be awarded
through a formal competitive bidding process. Bidding is open to all qualified contractors, and the award
is made to the lowest responsible bidder.
Authorize the adoption of revised CUPCCAA thresholds automatically. This would be contingent
solely on the State's revision. Adoption of revised thresholds is thereby automated, eliminating the
need for Council intervention for each instance.
Establish a Purchasing Card Program (pCard). The use of pCards will replace blanket purchase
orders and petty cash, reducing the administrative workload and challenges associated with both
methods. In contrast to traditional credit cards, which have a single credit limit, significant control
mechanisms are available to manage cardholder transaction limits and restrictions for specific types
of purchases. Although not all administrative tasks are eliminated, the pCard application simplifies
monitoring, access adjustments, and financial system uploads to reduce data entry errors.
Implementing a pCard program is frequently perceived as empowering employees and improving
morale, in addition to immediately paying suppliers. Many pCard programs also provide a "rebate"
based on the total spend on the entity's cards.
Create separate manuals for policy and for procedures. The detailed procedures for procurement
activities would best be consolidated into a separate Procurement Procedures Manual with flowcharts
and training for employees that procure on behalf of the City. These procurement procedures should
be relocated from the Policy, resulting in a policy -only manual, although these two manuals are
companion documents and must align. This will provide a clear delineation between policy and
procedures.
Consider consolidating procurement functions to one professional procurement position. The
Consultant was mindful of the City's structure/organization and staff limitations. While the City
manages some relatively large expenditures, the staff with delegated authority are responsible for
multiple functions of which procurement is outside of their "core functions." Consolidating the
procurement functions within one professional procurement position would alleviate Department staff
City Council Meeting — Purchasing Policy Workshop
December 12, 2023
Page 4 of 4
of these non-core functions, provide trained procurement advisory services, enhance transparency, and
provide one primary point of contact to enhance consistency and efficiencies throughout the
procurement processes and contracting functions.
Per the request of Council Member Low, the City Council shall be furnished with a report detailing
all purchase orders surpassing $10,000. Staff recommends that the report be furnished to the City
Council no later than 45 days subsequent to the end of each fiscal quarter.
The Consultant concluded that although the current policies are firmly established and in accordance with
State legislation, however they could be improved to support the City's uninterrupted operations more
efficiently and effectively. To view the full Procurement Policy and Procedure Assessment Report, please
see attachment A.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1. Receive and file "Procurement Policy and Procedure Assessment" report.
2. Discuss the report recommendations, including the updates to procurement dollar thresholds, and
provide direction to staff.
3. Authorize the City Manager to submit for City Council consideration an amendment to the
Purchasing Ordinance that would increase dollar thresholds for procurement, including future CPI
adjustments, with respect to RMC Title 3, Chapter 3.24.015 Purchasing Methods.
4. Authorize the City Manager to submit for City Council consideration a resolution to become
subject to the California Uniform Public Contracting Cost Accounting Act and to file a copy of
the approved resolution with the State Controller's Office.
5. Authorize the City Manager to bring forward to the City Council for consideration an agreement
with NIGP Consulting to incorporate and implement the report recommendations, which includes
creating a separate procurement policy and procedure manual in line with industry best practice.
FISCAL IMPACT
None — This is informational only.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process.
Prepared by:
Bryan Chua
Finance Director
Attachment A: Procurement Policy and Procedure Assessment Report
Attachment A
Procurement Policy and
Procedures Assessment Report
NIGPConsulting
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PROCUREMENT POLICY AND
PROCEDURE ASSESSMENT
Submitted by:
Lynda Allair, NIGP-CPP, CPPD, Cor
Procurement Professionals Delivering Results
FINAL REPORT
for
NIGPConsulting
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PROCUREMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE ASSESSMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
INTRODUCTION..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
PROJECTSCOPE................................................................................................................... 10
I. Ordinances, Statutes, Municipal Codes, Procurement Policies to Ensure Consistency with
Current Practices and Industry Best Practices in the Public Procurement Profession .... 11
II. State Legislation and Regulatory Constraints that Impact the City ................................ 15
III. Existing City Policy and Procedure that may Impede Efficiency, Create or Increase Risk,
Weaken Controls, Limit Flexibility, Limit Transparency or Weaken Accountability in the
ProcurementFunction................................................................................................. 17
IV. Existing City Policy and Procedures and all Related Documents Addressing Procurement
Practicesand Procedures............................................................................................ 23
V. Analysis Against ABA Model Procurement Code and Industry Best Practices ................ 24
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................... 28
APPENDICES........................................................................................................................ 29
APPENDIX A: SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS........................................................... 30
APPENDIX B: RESOURCES REVIEWED............................................................................... 32
APPENDIX C: VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS................................................................................. 33
APPENDIX D: ABA MODEL PROCUREMENT CODE COMPARISON ....................................... 34
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IEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Executive Summary provides a brief overview of the engagement methodology and
recommendations.
In January 2023, the City of Rosemead, CA ("City") contracted with NIGP Consulting to perform
a Procurement Policy and Procedure Assessment ("Assessment"), and to provide
recommendations for revisions. The results of the Assessment are presented in this Final
Report ("Report")
The Project Scope included the following areas to be considered:
Ordinances, statutes, municipal codes, procurement policies to ensure consistency
with current practices and industry best practices in the public procurement
profession.
II. State legislation and regulatory constraints that impact the City.
III. Existing City policy and procedure that may impede efficiency, create, or increase
risk, weaken controls, limit flexibility, limit transparency or weaken accountability in
the procurement function.
IV. Existing City policy and procedures and all related documents addressing
procurement practices and procedures.
V. The American Bar Association Model for Procurement Code ("MPC") and industry
best practices.
The NIGP Consultant ("Consultant") gathered, studied, and reviewed numerous source and data
documents. The Consultant also conducted individual interviews with identified stakeholders
to assess the current state of the procurement environment, particularly in regard to the
application of procurement policy and procedure, i.e., alignment between current policy and
procedures versus actual practice, and to identify inefficiencies and areas of concern. The
Consultant additionally interviewed the City's Legal Counsel to identify potential legal concerns
and/or compliance issues.
The Consultant's recommendations are summarized and presented in Appendix A: Summary of
Recommendations.
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Overview
General operational themes that emerged during the Assessment include the following:
Policy -20-01 Purchasing Policies and Procedure Manual ("Policy"), 45 pages in length,
amalgamates both procurement policy and procedures and contributes to confusion
amongst staff.
• Threshold levels related to procurement categories and methodologies are
considered low relative to today's supply market.
• The procurement contracting process entails several steps from the time identification
of the need occurs through to the end of the contract. Numerous City staff including the
City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Director of Finance, City Clerk and various
accounts payable staff could potentially interact with the contracting process to varying
degrees depending on the type of requirement and cost thereof. The separation of
duties for authorizations and procure -to -pay functions are managed through the City's
Munis system, with system security protocols controlling read/write/approve access.
The City should be mindful of maintaining these protocols as organizational adjustments
are made.
• There is a lack of definitive evidence that procurement process training is provided to all
staff with procurement authority, although this could be due to the scope of this
engagement. It is suggested that training directly related to authority level in either a
totally decentralized or hybrid structure, procurement policy and procedures, as well as
documentation requirements related to both contract formation and contract
administration would be highly beneficial.
• The City is making good efforts to automate and reduce some of the manual work
associated with the procure -to -pay processes by implementing a variety of technological
solutions.
Overall, the City's policies and procedures are detailed and sound, and they will benefit from
the following high-level enhancements:
• Incorporate public procurement best practices to guide policy recommendations. In
the years since the City's current policies became effective (i.e., early 2008 with only
minor revisions in mid -2019), there have been many new Global Best Practices
developed and published by NIGP The Institute for Public Procurement("NIGP"). The
City is to be commended for performing a comprehensive assessment to ensure that
the City's Procurement policies and procedures are valid and current.
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Consider increasing the delegated authority for procurement activities to streamline
activities while mitigating risk. The City does have delegated authority within its
Municipal Code and policies; however, there are some inconsistencies and conflicts
within the current policy and procedures relative to authority areas versus
operational areas, perhaps generated by the 2019 revisions. The purpose of the
policy is to make appropriate and efficient delegations to the City Manager, Assistant
City Manager, Department Directors, Senior Department Managers and line staff, and
to facilitate prudent and expedient operations of the City.
The recommendations will preserve the City Council's Oversight Authority, and City
Manager's designation as the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), and with continued
delegation of authority as the CPO sees fit.
• Create separate manuals for policy and for procedures: The detailed procedures for
procurement activities would best be consolidated into a separate Procurement
Procedures Manual with flowcharts and training for employees that procure on
behalf of the City. These procurement procedures should be relocated from the
Policy, resulting in a policy -only manual, although these two manuals are companion
documents and must align. This will provide a clear delineation between policy and
procedures and should relieve some of the staff confusion associated with the
currently combined document.
• Consider consolidating procurement functions to one professional procurement
position: The Consultant was mindful of the City's structure/organization and staff
limitations. While the City manages some relatively large expenditures, the staff with
delegated authority are responsible for multiple functions of which procurement is
outside of their "core functions." Consolidating the procurement functions within one
professional procurement position would alleviate Department staff of these non-
core functions, provide trained procurement advisory services, enhance
transparency, and provide one primary point of contact to enhance consistency and
efficiencies throughout the procurement processes and contracting functions.
Conclusion
The Consultant determined that the existing policies, while well-established and aligned with
State legislation, would benefit from updates that will more efficiently and effectively support
uninterrupted operations for the City. The City has prudently acted to undertake this
Assessment to update its Procurement policies and procedures to meet its current
challenges and better prepare for the future.
NIGP Consulting sincerely appreciates the opportunity to perform this Assessment. The
City's leaders and staff were professional, knowledgeable, and insightful during our frequent
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meetings and discussions. The Consultant is encouraged the project sponsors and senior
management recognize the need to review, assess, and implement changes to further align City
procurement policies and procedures to best practices. This willingness to change is essential
for the City to transform the procurement operation to be flexible and agile to realize the City's
Vision and fulfill its Mission as identified in the 2030 Strategic Plan.
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IINTRODUCTION
The Assessment was conducted by one of our NIGP Consulting Senior Consultants
("Consultant') who brings the breadth and depth of procurement expertise necessary to
perform the Assessment and provide prudent recommendations.
Lynda Allair, NIGP-CPP, CPPO has over 40 years of experience as a public
procurement leader within the provincial, municipal and health care
sectors. She has extensive expertise in procurement legislation (both
nationally and internationally), policy development, cross -functional
planning, project implementation, procurement performance,
sustainability program development and implementation, and business
analysis. She is an active leader in local and international public
procurement associations.
Lynda develops educational content and instructs public procurement classes for NIGP; the
University of Guelph, Ontario; and others upon request. Lynda has been part of the NIGP
Consulting Program since 2010, assisting public entities to transform their procurement
operations to become high -performing and strategic in nature.
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IMETHODOLOGY AND APPROACH
The Assessment was conducted using NIGP Consulting's four -phased methodology. In use since
1995, this proven methodology provides consistency and thoroughness for each unique project.
Each of the four project phases are critical to fully assessing an entity and preparing a final
report with appropriate recommendations specific to the entity.
In Phase 1— Preparation: As part of the preparation phase of the engagement, the Consultant
requested documentation in each of the designated areas of the Project Scope. The Consultant
was informed through State of California codes, statutes, and regulations. The Consultant
worked closely with City staff to compile the stakeholder list for the interviews and to review
the interview questions in advance.
Please see Appendix B: Resources Reviewed for the full list of resources that were analyzed.
In Phase 2— Data Collection: Virtual interviews were conducted with seven (7) stakeholders
beginning with the kick-off meeting on January 30, 2023, followed by individually scheduled
interviews on February 22 and March 2, 6, and 14, 2023. Those interviewed included:
• City Manager
• Assistant City Manager
• Finance Director
• Public Works Director
• Parks & Recreation Director
• City Clerk
• City Attorney (contracted)
Follow-up communication was conducted both via email with the Project Manager during the
interview period as well as after the interviews were completed to obtain clarifications.
Stakeholders were identified in collaboration with Michael Bruckner, Assistant City Manager,
and Bryan Chua, Finance Director, and were representative of the primary internal customers
who have procurement responsibilities within the City and/or who interact with the
procurement function. An interview was also conducted with the City Attorney. Interviews
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inform the Consultant of stakeholder needs, what is working well, and where there are
challenges which provide opportunities for improvement.
Please see Appendix C: Virtual Interviews for those who the Consultant interviewed.
In Phase 3—Analysis: The Consultant reviewed and analyzed all data, to include requesting
input and/or clarifications from City staff where needed. This Report provides
recommendations reflective of Global Best Practices of Public Procurement. These
recommendations support strategic objectives for managing an effective procurement
operation, focused on simplifying and streamlining processes and increasing the levels of open
competition and transparency.
In Phase 4— Deliverables: The deliverables included a draft Report of Findings and
Recommendations (provided to the City for review and input) followed by this final Report.
The purpose of the Report is to recognize where the City is performing well as well as to provide
opportunities for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the procurement function within
the City.
Project deliverables also provided the option for a live/virtual presentation and discussion with
the City about the final Report by the Consultant.
The Recommendations within this Report are based on Global Best Practices of Public
Procurement and industry course content. They also reflect the Values and Guiding Principles
of Public Procurement. They are summarized and presented in Appendix A: Summary of
Recommendations.
For insight on recommendations about delegation and increases of authority for procurement,
the Consultant cited the most current NIGP Public Procurement Benchmark 2019 Survey
Report. All references serve as industry benchmarks of high -performing procurement
departments. The Recommendations also reflect the Consultant's vast experience and
expertise in public procurement.
Supporting documentation is attached as follows:
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix C
• Appendix D
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Summary of Recommendations
Resources Reviewed
Virtual Interviews
ABA Model Procurement Code Comparison
IPROJECT SCOPE
The Project Scope included the review and consideration of the following:
I. Ordinances, statutes, municipal codes, procurement policies to ensure consistency
with current practices and industry best practices in the public procurement
profession.
II. State legislation and regulatory constraints that impact the City.
III. Existing City policy and procedure that may impede efficiency, create, or increase
risk, weaken controls, limit flexibility, limit transparency or weaken accountability in
the procurement function.
IV. Existing City policy and procedures and all related documents addressing
procurement practices and procedures.
V. The American Bar Association Model for Procurement Code (MPC) and industry best
practices.
For each above Project Scope area, the Consultant offers the following:
• Approach which identifies the benchmark for the analysis.
• Findings which identify the current state of the procurement function.
• Recommendations which will bring the entity in closer alignment with Global Best
Practices and industry standards.
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I. ORDINANCES, STATUTES, MUNICIPAL CODES, PROCUREMENT POLICIES TO
ENSURE CONSISTENCY WITH CURRENT PRACTICES AND INDUSTRY BEST
PRACTICES IN THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSION
A. APPROACH
The City is a "general law City" under Cal Gov Code § 34102, which requires the City to
operate under the general laws of the State of California. Keeping this in mind, the
Consultant reviewed the following documents:
• California Public Contracts Code, Division 2, General Provisions, Part 1, Sections
1100-9203; Part 3, Sections 20100-22178; Part 4, Sections 22200-22201; Part 5,
section 22300
• United States Code Title 41. Public Contracts, Subtitle 1, Division B, Chapter 19,
Section 1908, Pages 59-60 URL: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/41/1908
(inflation adjustment)
• California Uniform Public Contracting Cost Accounting Act ("CUPCCAA")
• California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting ("CUCCA") Manual — 2021 Edition
• CUCCA Conflict of Interest Code
• Uniform Commercial Code ("UCC')
• City Municipal Code, Chapter 3.24: Purchasing System for Non -Public Works
Contracts
• City Municipal Code, Chapter 3.28: Public Project Bidding Procedures
• Policy — 20-01 Purchasing Policies and Procedures Manual ("Policy')
The Consultant also compared the City's Municipal Code, Chapter 3.24: Purchasing System
for Non -Public Works Contracts; Chapter 3.28: Public Project Bidding Procedures; and Policy
to the American Bar Association 2000 Model Procurement Code (MPC) in order to determine
whether or not the Policy encompassed all prudent provisions of the MPC. While the MPC is
not a policy document, it does contain sample language that may be used in a policy
document. The MPC is a comprehensive and thorough outline of the necessary components
of the legal structure for public procurement, and it serves public agencies very well.
B. FINDINGS
The Consultant offers the following observations:
1. The City Council has the authority to establish or modify policies for the City based on
State Statutes and California Public Contracts Code. Limitations are attributable to the
City being classed a "general law City" under Cal Gov Code § 34102.
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2. The City Council has delegations of authority. Delegations of authority are provided in
both Chapter 3.24 Purchasing System for Non -Public Work Contracts and Chapter 3.28
Public Project Bidding Procedures.
3. There is alignment of City Municipal Code and Procurement Policies and Procedures
with California Legal Requirements: The City's Municipal Code and Policy align with
State statutes, although there is an opportunity to leverage the CUPCCAA which, to
date, has been considered but not implemented. It is commendable that the City has
considered this and has deferred a final decision until completion of this Review.
4. Price analysis procedures in Policy do not align with industry best practices: The City's
Policy and procedure for the determination of value (analyzing the out-of-pocket
expense for procurement) is inconsistent with global best practices in procurement.
The City clearly differentiates between the "raw" price of supplies and equipment, i.e.,
associated additional expenses such as taxes not included, versus the "total price", i.e.,
other expenses necessary to place the item in service or to perform under a contract.
City procedures indicate that the "raw" price will be used to determine the appropriate
procurement method based on specific dollar thresholds. This practice is inconsistent
with procurement best practices. This inconsistency generates the risk of the City
utilizing an inappropriate procurement method, particularly if the City adopts CUPCCAA,
as the CUCCA Policies and Procedures Manual, 2021 Edition, Page 59, specifically states:
Costing Materials and Supplies Direct Purchase: The total material and supplies
costs are the invoiced amount. This amount should be posted to the project
tracking system for direct purchases on a timely basis. This recorded amount
should include the cost of the materials and supplies, freight, sales tax, use tax
and any other appropriate costs.
S. There appears to be deficiencies in Post -Contract Execution Procedures, i.e., Contract
Administration: The City's Policy does not address contract administration functions,
resulting in lack of direction and confusion for Department staff. The Policy currently
does not provide guidance on how to monitor and correct supplier performance issues,
how to identify impacts and options related to delays, and how to determine contract
termination options (such as for breach, convenience or mutual agreement
terminations).
6. The City's Procurement function is decentralized. Decentralization does not provide a
consistent and easy way for Departments to access Procurement staff. Procurement is
generally not a core function of Executive leadership or Senior Management.
Centralization of authority and oversight of policy, as well as the centralization of
procurement advisory services and training, enhances the ability to ensure consistency
in procedures and accountability. While a totally centralized procurement function is
not realistic for the City, the implementation of a hybrid approach would be more in
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alignment with industry best practices. The Consultant was mindful of the City's
structure/organization and staff number limitations.
C. RECOMMENDATIONS
The Consultant recommends the following based on the review of the relevant jurisprudence:
1. Ensure Price Analysis Procedures are consistent and uniform. Expenses such as shipping,
insurance, storage, demurrage, etc., beyond the "raw" price of a good or service, can
contribute significant value to the total price paid by an entity. Failure to include such
expenses can arbitrarily skew a contract award, particularly if expenses over the long term
are not considered as may be the case when calculating total cost of ownership.
2. Develop comprehensive contract administration procedures. The absence of clearly
written contract administration procedures can result in the inability to adequately monitor,
report, and correct a supplier's poor performance, resulting in unrealized benefit to the City
and the inability to terminate a contract.
3. Consider creating a new supply chain position, perhaps titled "Contract Specialist."
Providing a single -point -of -contact for procurement functions is the most practical way for
the City to implement a hybrid procurement structure. This will provide a central support,
oversight and control mechanism to provide consistency, transparency and accountability in
procurement functions enterprise wide for the City. Based on the current Organization
Chart, some vacancies exist which might be repurposed to create a new supply chain
position, for example, Contract Specialist.
This new position could provide the day-to-day management of and support for the
following procurement functions:
• Assist Departments in assessing needs and developing budget estimates.
• Provide advisory services for the best procurement and contracting methods.
• Provide advice regarding procurement best practices and trends.
• Develop and maintain solicitation document templates.
• Manage complex procurement solicitations, evaluations, and award processes.
• Issue purchase orders within the Munis system.
• Oversee contract administration functions, i.e., ensure documentation is
maintained in contract files.
• Maintain centralized contract repository.
• Oversee City's Purchasing Card program.
• Research cooperative agreements, market trends, and supply chain issues.
• Operational management of assets disposal to maximize residual financial
recovery.
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• Assist in negotiation process planning and implementation.
• Provide procurement specific training to new staff (on -boarding process) as
well as current staff.
• Provide support in project management processes.
• Provide single -point -of contact to better manage supplier relationships.
Implementing such a position would relieve Senior Executive, Management and
Department staff of many day-to-day procurement functions that distract them from
their core functions, vest routine procurement operational duties with one individual,
provide consistency in processes and legal compliance, and enhance records
management. Additionally, if this position reports to the Assistant City Manager,
procurement functions now completed by Finance staff (issuing purchase orders) and
the City Clerk (posting solicitations on the eProcurement platform) creates a definitive
separation of duties, particularly between procurement and financial (payment)
functions. This is often an issue identified in audit findings.
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II. STATE LEGISLATION AND REGULATORY CONSTRAINTS THAT IMPACT THE
CITY
A. APPROACH
The Consultant conducted a review of relevant legislation and regulatory constraints that
impact the City and the City's options for adjustments.
The primary focus of Section II relates to the California Uniform Public Contracting Cost
Accounting Act (CUPCCAA) which has dollar thresholds higher than the City's current
thresholds. Thresholds for non-public works will be addressed in Section III.
B. FINDINGS
The Consultant offers the following observations related to CUPCCAA:
CUPCCAA is currently not adopted by the City. CUPCCAA provides for the expedited award
of Public Works contracts, faster project delivery, and reduced time, effort, and expense
associated with bidding projects based on higher thresholds than permitted under the
California Public Contract Code 20160 to 20175. Adoption of CUPCCAA would empower
City staff to procure lower dollar value construction services using a less onerous
procurement method, or even use in-house staff for small projects, if knowledgeable and
available, up to a higher threshold than currently exists. The threshold for formal bidding
would be significantly higher than that currently used by the City. CUPCCAA thresholds for
2023 are as follows:
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A potential drawback to CUPCCAA is that the City would be limited to the current
CUPCCAA thresholds. Under current processes, Council would need to approve any new
thresholds when the State revises them. However, the Council does have the authority
to update City policy in such a way that CUPCCAA threshold values could be
automatically adopted as they are revised. This streamlines the adoption process for
threshold revisions.
1. The City is limited to two construction methods. The City is only permitted to use the
traditional Design -Bid -Build and Design -Build methods for obtaining construction
services. The City mostly uses the traditional method and has very limited exposure to
utilizing Design -Build. (Job Order Contracting could potentially be beneficial to the City,
particularly for small renovation projects; however, this method is not permitted under
California statutes. Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), an enhanced method which
is somewhat of a combination of the traditional method and Design -Build, is also
prohibited by California statutes.)
C. RECOMMENDATIONS
The Consultant offers the following Recommendations:
4. Adopt the CUPCCAA. This provides City staff with a less onerous procurement process
for low dollar value construction services at a higher threshold and the formal bidding
process would be based on a significantly higher threshold than currently used by the
City.
5. Permit automatic adoption of revised CUPCCAA thresholds based solely on the State's
revision(s). This automates adoption of revised thresholds without Council intervention
for each occurrence.
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III. EXISTING CITY POLICY AND PROCEDURE THAT MAY IMPEDE EFFICIENCY,
CREATE OR INCREASE RISK, WEAKEN CONTROLS, LIMIT FLEXIBILITY, LIMIT
TRANSPARENCY OR WEAKEN ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE PROCUREMENT
FUNCTION
A. APPROACH
Best practices in public procurement advances guided the Consultant's policy review and
recommendations. There have been many new Global Best Practices developed and
published by NIGP since the update of the City's Policy. The Best Practices studied for
updating the City's policies included:
• Achieving an Optimal Procurement Card (PCard) Program
• Audits
• Contract Administration
• Contract Closeout
• Debriefs
• Developing A Procurement Manual
• Ethical Procurement
• Market Research Process: Research, Analysis, and Intelligence
• Place Of Procurement Within the Entity
• Risk Management
• Strategic Procurement Planning
• Transparency in Public Procurement
• Using Cooperative Contracts
All of these Global Best Practices are available at https://nigp.org/global-best-practices .
The Consultant reviewed the California Public Contract Code, Division 2, General Provisions,
Part 1, Sections 1100-9203; Part 3, Sections 20100-22178; Part 4, Sections 22200-22201;
Part 5, section 22300 and others pertaining to the City and procurement, as well as United
States Code Title 41. Public Contracts, Subtitle 1, Division B, Chapter 19, Section 1908, Pages
59-60, pertaining to indexing dollar threshold amounts.
The Consultant compared the City Procurement Policy dollar thresholds with the thresholds
reported in the most recent (2019) NIGP Public Procurement Benchmarking Survey Report.
The benchmarking report includes data from all types of public procurement entities.
The Consultant also considered the readability and user-friendliness of the current City
Policy and associated documents. Complex documents can contribute to confusion,
misunderstanding, and incorrect interpretations.
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To reduce regulatory constraints that may impede efficiency in the procurement function,
the Consultant considered a number of options. These options included the following:
• Additional delegation of authority.
Implementation of a Purchasing Card Program to replace the use of blanket
purchase orders, traditional corporate credit cards and petty cash, reducing
administrative workload.
Consolidation of procurement functions in a new position, i.e., Contract Specialist, to
free up Department staff time, provide consistency in processes, and provide
contract administration support.
Delegating authority is vital for thriving entities as it enables leaders to focus on
progressively higher priority level activities for the entity. Further, for those that accept
delegated authority, it encourages a greater sense of responsibility and an opportunity to
grow and implement prudent initiatives.
Based on staff interviews, the Consultant also looked at the Policy in relation to the working
relationships and workflow between and among staff who perform procurement functions,
implementing the Policy.
The NIGP Procurement Guide For Elected and Senior Officials was consulted by the
Consultant as it further defines the procurement information that the City Council,
Executive and Directors need to know.
B. FINDINGS
The Consultant offers the following observations:
1. The current Policy is difficult to read. The document is lengthy (45 pages) and
combines policies with procedures, resulting in readers being unsure as to what content
is policy versus procedure. This type of combined document is more difficult to
maintain because all changes have to be approved by the governing body, impeding the
ability to be agile and responsive to changing procedural requirements. Separate
documents provide clarity to readers. Many public entities have unbundled their policy
and procedure manuals for these very reasons.
2. The current Policy uses dated terminology which may be distracting or misleading for
readers. For example, the public procurement profession has moved to using "supplier"
rather than "vendor" and there are inconsistencies of use for other terms throughout
the document. Some of these deficiencies may be addressed by updating definitions to
align with the MPC and the NIGP Dictionary of Terms.
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3. The City dollar threshold limits are, in some cases, below the industry in general.
These thresholds are reviewed and adjusted periodically by most entities to reduce the
amount of work to obtain competitive responses to bids and proposal requests, while
managing risks associated with informal solicitations.
4. The City currently utilizes Blanket Purchase Orders to encumber funds in the financial
system, petty cash for micro -purchases, and corporate credit cards for select staff.
The use of blanket purchase orders and petty cash require manual processes that
impact workloads and create administrative challenges. These methods do not provide a
real-time window to expenditures, or automated controls. Corporate credit cards,
although providing a method to manage emergency procurements, do not provide
threshold oversight in real-time, nor do they provide restrictions on particular types of
purchases.
5. Contract administration and contract close-out processes are not addressed in
documents reviewed. The absence of comprehensive contract administration and
contract close-out procedures in City documents is a gap in process controls and
accountability. Inadequate contract administration and close-out create significant risk
to the City which could result in the City's inability to identify contractor deficiencies in a
timely manner, and the inability to exercise liquidated damages or terminate an under-
performing supplier for breach of contract.
6. Distribution of the City's procurement functions over several staff and multiple
departments can contribute to confusion regarding who does what specific functions.
Consolidating the procurement functions and advisory support services in one position
would minimize this confusion, free up Department staff time to focus on their core
functions, provide a resource for strategic procurement planning, promote consistency
in processes, provide contract administration support, and contribute to more robust
contract files to support defense when challenged. This new "Contract Specialist"
position has previously been addressed in this Report in Section I, C. Recommendations,
#3.
Higher level approval is required for non-compliant procurements. Non-compliant
procurements should require approvals two levels higher (2 up) from the individual who
was not compliant with Policy. This practice is one method to ensure that upper-level
managers are aware of non-compliance issues and take corrective action(s) before
situations deteriorate. Such a policy would be a pro -active action and provide a method
to respond if such a procurement were to occur.
8. There maybe potential delays in the procurement process due to the requirement for
City Council to approve procurements exceeding $30,000. Currently, City Council
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C.
approval is required for all procurements exceeding thirty thousand dollars ($30,000).
Although the approval process is managed by using the "Consent Agenda"
methodology, the risk does exist that the time delay from award recommendation
preparation to the next Council Meeting for approval could negatively impact timely
contract execution. It is highly likely that this risk would escalate under either of the
following potential conditions: 1) disruption in the supply chain when goods or services
may be in high demand and/or short supply, or 2) during disruptive events such as
severe weather or supply disruptions caused by strikes or transportation route closures.
Under either of these conditions, a rapid decision regarding the procurement award
could be critical in meeting City requirements.
One method to manage such risks is to increase threshold levels as outlined in
Recommendation #9 below to provide a less formal competitive process for lower value
procurements.
6. Create separate documents for policy and procedures. If separated, policies and policy
amendments could be approved by the City Council, and procedural changes would be
approved at the Executive Management level.
7. Procedures Manual should be a training tool. Detailed procedures for procurement
activities would best be consolidated into a procurement procedures manual with
flowcharts and training for employees that procure on behalf of the City. The
procurement procedures should be relocated from the City Procurement Policy
documentation.
8. Update Policy terminology to align with MPC and NIGP Dictionary of Terms. Using
current terminology consistently would provide clarity, particularly for newer staff.
9. Designate the City Manager as the Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), and with
continued delegation of authority as the CPO sees fit. The City Manager should be
provided with a broader delegation of authority for supply chain activities through
the procure -to -pay continuum.
30. Implement a Purchasing Card Program (pCard). The pCards will replace the use of
blanket purchase orders and petty cash reducing the administrative workload and
challenges associated with both of these methods. Unlike traditional credit cards which
have only one credit limit, significant control mechanisms are available to manage pCard
holder transaction limits and restrictions for specific types of purchases. Not all
administration workload disappears but the pCard application facilitates monitoring,
access adjustments and financial system uploads to reduce data entry errors.
Implementation of a pCard program is often perceived as empowering staff and
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improving morale, in addition to paying suppliers immediately. Many pCard programs
also offer a "rebate" based as a percentage of total spend on the entity's cards.
The NIGP 2019 Benchmark Survey ( htta://bitly.ws/GkoB ) also indicates that 81% of
public entities have a pCard program.
11. Update Procurement Dollar Thresholds. The dollar threshold recommended updates
are shown in the following table. The NIGP 2019 Benchmark Survey Report (Survey)
designated a $13,000 threshold as the average level for the starting threshold for small
procurements after an analysis of all agencies responding to the Survey. The NIGP 2019
Benchmark Survey Report identified $54,033 (non -IT) and $57,611 (for IT) thresholds as
the average threshold level for formal competition for procurements after an analysis of
all agencies responding to the Survey.
However, based on the much lower thresholds currently utilized by the City, the
following threshold increases are recommended at this time. The City should
periodically review and adjust threshold levels based on updated benchmark data and
market conditions.
Threshold
Level
Procurement
Required
Current
Proposed
Method
Approval
Up to $1,000
Up to $5,000
pCard or Direct Purchase; no
pCard Holder or
quotations required
Department Director
>$1,000.01-
>$5,000.01-
Written Quotes (minimum 2)
Department Director
$5,000
$15,000
unless subject to alternative
procedure
>$15,000.01
>$15,000.01
Written Quotes (minimum 3)
City Manager
-$30,000
- $50,000
unless subject to alternative
procedure
>$30,000.01
>$50,000.01
Formal Competitive Process,
City Council
unless subject to alternative
procedure
12. Enable the City to make annual updates to the dollar thresholds for procurement
based on the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers published by the United
States Federal Secretary of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics) for the Los Angeles Area
(CPI -U). Further information on the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for
the Los Angeles Area can be found at https:Hdata.bls.gov/cgi-bin/surveymost?cu.
13. Develop and implement comprehensive contract administration and contract close-
out procedures. Further information on this can be found in the Contract Management
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Standard available from the National Contract Management Association at
https://www.ncmahq.org/Web/Web/Standards --- Practices/Contract-Ma naaeme nt-
Standard-Publication.aspx?hkev=5f1fdc7a-f748-437d-a5a1-3e9af7cdb83c.
14. Develop and implement a non-compliant procurement policy and associated
procedures that require approvals two levels higher, or the City Manager, to enhance
the degree of accountability and enhance policy enforcement.
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IV. EXISTING CITY POLICY AND PROCEDURES AND ALL RELATED DOCUMENTS
ADDRESSING PROCUREMENT PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES
A. APPROACH
The Consultant conducted a comprehensive review of all documents and data provided by
the City or researched through the State website.
B. FINDING
The Consultant offers the following observations based on the review of existing City policy
and procedures and all related documents pertaining to Procurement:
1. Documents are currently aligned to the MPC with minor exceptions. Gaps identified
when City Procurement documents are compared to the ABA Model Procurement Code
are detailed in Section V.
C. RECOMMENDATIONS
15. Conduct a review of all existing procurement templates to ensure alignment with
changes. General and Special Contract Terms and Conditions, solicitation/report
templates, and all other forms currently employed in the procurement process should
be reviewed to ensure alignment with Policy updates.
16. Conduct a review of companion financial and Council reporting documents to ensure
alignment with updated Policy changes.
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V. ANALYSIS AGAINST ABA MODEL PROCUREMENT CODE AND INDUSTRY BEST
PRACTICES
A. APPROACH
The Consultant conducted a comprehensive review of the City's Policy and other relevant
legislation against the ABA Model Procurement Code (MPC), the results of which are
summarized in Appendix A: ABA Model Procurement Code Comparison.
B. FINDINGS
1. The MPC comparison indicates adequate levels of policy control and procedural
accountability per each MPC Article as follows:
a. Article 1 General Provisions: Each component is either addressed or is not
applicable for this engagement.
b. Article 2 Procurement Organization: Each component is either addressed in the
City's Policy or is not applicable to this engagement.
c. Article 3 Source Selection and Contract Formation: Most components are met
although some are noted only on a limited basis. There are a few components that
are not addressed, and which are relatively simple to correct.
d. Article 4 Specifications: This is adequately covered although a couple of gaps are
noted.
e. Article 5 Procurement of Infrastructure Facilities and Services: Most components
are addressed by referencing California Statutes rather than providing detailed
information in the Manual. Incorporating by reference is one way to pull the details
into a document; however, it is time consuming for the reader to access the source
document, often resulting in frustration and lack of adequate information.
f. Article 6 Modification and Termination of Contracts for Supplies and Services:
Similar to the finding above, these are addressed by referencing California Statutes
and may benefit from providing detailed information in the Manual.
g. Article 7 Cost Principles: These, too, are addressed by referencing California
Statutes rather than providing detailed information in the Manual.
h. Article 8 Supply Management: This is addressed with minor gaps.
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i. Article 9 Legal and Contractual Remedies: Basically, this is not covered except as
may be provided under California law or any grantor's requirements, details of
which were not provided.
Article 10 Intergovernmental Relations: Procurement policy speaks minimally to
cooperative purchasing. Other components are not specified in the Policy although
they might be incorporated under another policy outside of procurement.
k. Article 11 Assistance to Small and Disadvantaged Businesses: Most of the specific
requirements and procedures are identified under Federal Requirements and
captured by reference.
I. Article 12 Ethics in Public Procurement: Some components are covered under the
California Administrative Code and referenced in the City Municipal Code while a
few are partially addressed in the City's Purchasing Policy and Procedures Manual.
Others are assumed to be provided for in California law although the Consultant is
unable to site a specific Section.
17. Consider adding these MPC provisions for inclusion in the Policy:
Severability. If any provision of this Policy or any application thereof to any person
or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or
application of this Policy which can be given effect without the invalid provision or
application, and to this end the provisions of this Policy are declared to be severable.
• Supplementary General Principles of Law Applicable. Unless displaced by the
particular provisions of this Policy, the principles of law and equity, including the
Uniform Commercial Code of this State, the law merchant, and law relative to
capacity to contract, agency, fraud, misrepresentation, duress, coercion, mistake, or
bankruptcy shall supplement the provisions of this Policy.
Requirement of Good Faith. This Policy requires all parties involved in the
negotiation, performance, or administration of contracts to act in good faith.
• Reporting on Anticompetitive Practices. When for any reason collusion or other
anti-competitive practices are suspected among any bidders, offerors, or City staff,
notice of the relevant facts shall be transmitted to the Attorney General.
18. Develop Suspension and Debarment procedures to enable the City to have a
reasonable time to investigate the issues that would lead to debarment of a firm.
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These two actions are excellent tools that encourage contract compliance and enable
meaningful actions, should a supplier behave inappropriately. The City should consider
leveraging Los Angeles County's Internal Services Division procedures and registers to
facilitate this.
19. Develop a formal debriefing policy and procedures for the City. A debrief meeting is
used to provide constructive feedback to a proposer on their proposal. Proposers may
consider this feedback when preparing subsequent proposals. Entities may benefit
equally from the information learned during a debrief, which they can utilize when
preparing subsequent solicitations. Debriefs may also serve to develop relationships and
build trust with proposers. Debriefings of unsuccessful suppliers are permitted, although
not required under the MPC, and many public entities require debrief meetings by
policy. U.S. FAR 15.506 requires the purchasing entity to provide a debrief to a proposer
for procurements conducted under FAR Part 15 if the proposer requests a debrief in
writing within three calendar days after the entity's award notice.
20. Provide Authority to the City Manager to appoint/approve members of the Evaluation
Team for large or complex Procurements. This ensures that individuals with subject
matter expertise, who do not have a conflict of interest, are appointed/approved as
evaluators.
21. Ensure the provision for pre-solicitation/pre-specification conferences that would
provide potential suppliers with a level playing field when specific sites are viewed
and/or specifications are reviewed, prior to posting. This is part of "Other Requirements
of the Procurement Process" and also includes meetings with suppliers such as pre-bid,
pre -proposal conferences, and site visits. The pre -specification meeting is becoming
more prevalent. This enables staff to achieve input on draft specifications in a
transparent manner.
22. Update bond requirements to manage risk more effectively. The form of security is
best updated to not permit cash and/or letter of credit. Handling cash is an avoidable
risk in this case. A letter of credit, even if marked "irrevocable," is not a best practice.
The other forms of security are easily accessible and present less risk in processing.
23. Reject Bids for non-compliance with bid security requirements. This is recommended
so that no authority is granted the ability to waive non-compliance as a minor
irregularity. Bid security requirements affect a respondent's price. This will be an
economic advantage and, therefore, renders a bid or proposal non-responsive. Authors
of specifications should use caution if considering a bid security requirement (bond) for
any good or service outside of the construction sector, in which providing a bond is a
normal practice.
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24. Develop a comprehensive stand-alone Code of Conduct or Ethics Policy. This policy
should encompass anti-trust situations, as well as the various types of conflict of
interest, gratuities, gifts, reporting requirements, etc.
General Comment:
Use the ABA Model Procurement Code Comparison chart to pinpoint and develop policies
and procedures appropriate to manage City risk going forward. Although the City is fairly well
aligned and compliant with the MPC Articles, some deficiencies do exist Updates to these
Articles should be relatively simple and straightforward although the City should consider
incorporating at least minimal direction for staff to restrict the need to routinely access source
documents, such as State statutes. MPC Article 9 is the biggest gap, but State law may provide
structure for components.
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ICONCLUSION
The Consultant conducted a comprehensive review of the City of Rosemead's Purchasing Policy
to determine alignment with State statutes, ordinances and Municipal Code to provide
recommendations for revisions.
The Consultant also conducted individual interviews with identified stakeholders to assess the
current state of the procurement environment, particularly in regard to the application of
procurement policy and procedure, i.e., alignment between current policy and procedures
versus actual practice, identify inefficiencies and areas of concern. The Consultant also
interviewed the City's Legal Counsel to identify potential legal concerns and/or compliance
issues.
Based on the interviews and document review, the decentralized nature of the City's
procurement function is deemed to be the root cause of issues identified. Gaps in Policy and
procedures do exacerbate this, however, moving to a hybrid procurement model will be
beneficial. The implementation of a Contract Specialist as the single -point -of -contact for
procurement advice and support will be instrumental in supporting a hybrid procurement
operation, i.e., delegated authority with centralized oversight.
Based on the City's proactive approach by initiating this Assessment, the interest and
cooperation provided by City staff, and the quality and comprehensive nature of the City's
existing Purchasing Policy and Procedures Manual, the Consultant is confident of the City's
success in continuing the transformation to a high -performing entity
Thank you for the opportunity to share industry best practices and professional
recommendations for your consideration. NIGP Consulting and the Consultant stand ready to
support the efforts of the City in any future improvements and transformation. We further are
available to assist the City as a continued resource for learning, to assist in any additional
support service needs, and certainly to continue to advocate for the City's procurement
function's continued growth and development.
For information regarding developing strategic tools and methods for procurement
operations, please contact Marcheta Gillespie, NIGP Consulting by email at:
meillespie(aDni¢o.com. NIGP Consulting stands ready to offer our continued support and
further engagement if and as needed.
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IAPPENDICES
Supporting documentation is attached as follows:
• Appendix A Summary of Recommendations
• Appendix B Resources Reviewed
• Appendix C Virtual Interviews
• Appendix D ABA Model Procurement Code Comparison
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APPENDIX A: SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS:
1
Ensure Price Analysis procedures are consistent and uniform.
2
Develop comprehensive Contract Administration procedures.
3
Consider creating a new supply chain position, perhaps titled "Contract Specialist."
4
Adopt the CUPCCAA.
Permit automatic adoption of revised CUPCCAA thresholds based solely on the State's
revision(s).
Create separate Policy and Procedure documents.
5
6
7
Procedure document should be a training tool (including flowcharts, forms, etc.).
8
Update Policy terminology to align with MPC and NIGP Dictionary of Terms.
Designate the City Manager as the Chief Procurement Officer, and with continued delegation
of authority as she/he sees fit.
Implement a Purchasing Card Program.
9
10
11
Update Procurement Dollar Thresholds.
12
Update annually the Procurement Dollar Thresholds, based on the Consumer Price Index.
13
Develop and implement comprehensive Contract Administration and Contract Close -Out
procedures.
14
Develop and implement a Non -Compliant Procurement Policy and associated Procedures.
15
Conduct a review of all existing procurement templates to ensure alignment with changes.
16
Conduct a review of companion financial and Council reporting documents to ensure
alignment with changes.
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17
Consider adding these MPC provisions for inclusion in the City Procurement Policy:
• Severability
• Supplementary General Principles of Law Applicable
• Requirement of Good Faith
• Reporting on Anticompetitive Practices
Develop Suspension and Debarment procedures to enable the City to have a reasonable time
to investigate the issues that would lead to debarment of a firm.
18
19
Develop a formal debriefing policy and procedures for the City.
20
Provide authority to the City Manager to appoint/approve members of the Evaluation Team.
21
Ensure the provision for pre-solicitation/pre-specification conferences.
22
Update bond requirements to manage risk more effectively.
23
Reject Bids for Non-compliance with Bid Security Requirements.
24
Develop a comprehensive stand-alone Code of Conduct or Ethics Policy.
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APPENDIX B: RESOURCES REVIEWED
RESOURCES•
DOCUMENTS
California Public Contracts Code, Division 2, General Provisions, Part 1, Sections 1100-9203;
Part 3, Sections 20100-22178; Part 4, Sections 22200-22201; Part 5, section 22300
United States Code Title 41. Public Contracts, Subtitle 1, Division B, Chapter 19, Section 1908,
Pages 59-60 URL: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/41/1908 (inflation adjustment)
City Municipal Code, Chapter 3.24: Purchasing System for Non -Public Works Contracts
City Municipal Code, Chapter 3.28: Public Project Bidding Procedures
Policy -20-01 Purchasing Policies and Procedures Manual
Organizational Chart — City of Rosemead 09/01/2022
Sample Bid Package: Garvey Park Tennis Courts Resurfacing, 11-16-22
Sample RFP Package: RFP No. 2022-06 — Building Services 2022
Proposed CUPCCAA Ordinance to Replace Chapter 3.28 — In process but on hold
Proposed CUPCCAA Staff Report
California Uniform Public Contract Cost Accounting Act (CUPCCAA)
California CUCCAC Manual — 2021 Edition
California CUCCAC Conflict of Interest Code
Uniform Commercial Code
Purchase Order List FY 2022
2030 Strategic Plan
NIGP Procurement Guide for Elected And Senior Officials URL:
https://nigp.org/resou rce/resea rch-papers/NIG P%20Procurement%u20G u ide%20-% 20n igp-
procurement-guide-for-elected-and-senior-officials.pdf?dl=true
GLOBALORDER
Achieving and Optimal Procurement Card (PCard) Program
Audits
Contract Administration
Contract Closeout
Debriefs
Developing A Procurement Manual
Ethical Procurement
Market Research Process: Research, Analysis, and Intelligence
Place Of Procurement Within the Entity
Transparency in Public Procurement
Risk Management
Strategic Procurement Planning
Using Cooperative Contracts
APPENDIX C: VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS
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1
VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS
Ben Kim, City Manager
2
Michael Bruckner, Assistant City Manager
3
Bryan Chua, Finance Director
4
Michael Chung, Public Works Director
5
Tom Boecking, Parks & Recreation Director
6
Ericka Hernandez, City Clerk
7
Rachel Richman, City Attorney
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APPENDIX D: ABA MODEL PROCUREMENT CODE COMPARISON
Purpose, Rules of Construction
Yes
Supplementary General Principles of
*
See Note at the end of this Table
Law Applicable
Three specific provisions; See also Note at the
Requirements of Good Faith
Yes *
end of this Table
Application of this Code
N/A
Not Applicable for this engagement
Severability,
*
See Note at the end of this Table
Effective Date
Yes
Prominently displayed
Determinations
Yes
Specific authority for determinations
Some definitions are not MPC, they are pertinent
Definitions
Yes
to City only or flow through from the California
Public Contracts Code or other Regulations
Specific provisions and applications for
solicitation opportunities/documents, but not
Public Access to Procurement
Partial
definitive on Public Records Requests limitations
Information
or process, i.e., "after bid openings, bids will be
available for review at the City Clerk's office..."
Authorization for the Use of Electronic
Transmissions
N/A
Not Applicable for this engagement
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Organization
Article 2 Procurement
Creation of the Office of Chief
CPO Authority is vested in the City Manager for
Procurement Officer (CPO)
(1) the procurement of general supplies,
equipment, and routine services, (2)
administration of the purchasing policy, and (3)
Yes
management of surplus City property but is silent
on Construction (Public Works); various City staff
performs the administration functions based on
delegated authority
Appointment and Qualifications
No
These are not part of the Procurement Policy
Tenure, Removal and Compensation
No
These are not part of the Procurement Policy
Authority/Duties of the CPO
Yes
Delegation of Authority
Yes
Based on dollar thresholds
Centralization of Procurement
However, there are some exemptions and there
Authority
Yes
is delegation of authority provisions
Authority to Contract for Legal Services
Yes
Under "Professional Services" definition
Exemptions
Yes
The specific procurements are clearly stated
Procurement Regulations
Yes
Several cited in the Policy
Procurement Advisory Council and
Yes
City Council
Other Groups
Article 3 Source
Selection
and Contract Formation
Some definitions are not ABA Code, they are
Definitions
Yes
pertinent to City or State of California
Methods of Source Selection
Yes
Competitive Sealed Bidding
Yes
Conditions for Use
Yes
Public Notice
Yes
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Bid Opening
Yes
Bid Acceptance and Evaluation
Yes
Correction or Withdrawal of Bids;
Cancellation of Bids
Yes
Award
Yes
Multi -Step Sealed Bidding
No
Competitive Sealed Proposals
Yes
Conditions for Use
Yes
Basically "Professional Services"
Public Notice
Yes
Receipt of Proposals
Yes
Evaluation Factors
No
No Procedures outlined
Discussion with Responsible Offerors
No
Negotiation is mentioned but no procedures
outlined
Award
Yes
Award Notice is addressed but limited notice
procedures
Debriefings
No
Small Purchases
Yes
Sole Source Procurements
Yes
Emergency Procurements
Yes
Differentiates between "emergency" and
"urgent'
Cancellation of ITBs & RFPs
Yes
For Bids, but RFPs not addressed
Responsibility of Bidders and Offerors
Yes
Under "qualified vendor characteristics"
Prequalification of Suppliers
Limited
Related to Public Works
Types of Contracts
Limited
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Limited
Defined maximum contract term is 5 years
Multi -Year Contracts
including extensions
Right to Inspect Plant
No
Right to Audit Records
No
Finality of Determinations
No
Reporting of Anti -Competitive Practices
*
See Note at the end of this Table
Retentions of Procurement Records
No
Not unless addressed in a separate Records
Retention Policy
Reporting/documentation requirements are not
Record of Procurement Actions Taken
No
specified in the City Purchasing Policy
, Specifications
Article
Definitions of Terms
yes Some definitions are not MPC they are pertinent
to City or State
Regulations for Specification
Other than identifying requesting department as
Preparation
No
responsible
Duties of the CPO
Yes
Duties of the City Manager
Relationship with Using Agencies
No
Maximum Practicable Competition
Limited
Defines minimum number of quotations required
for informal procurements
Specifications Prepared by other than
Although permits suppliers to respond to
[City] Personnel
opportunities for which they prepared the
Yes
specifications which is an Organizational Conflict
oflnterest
Facilities and Services
Article 5 Procurement
of Infrastructure
Definitions
Some definitions are not MPC, they are pertinent
Yes
to City or State
Project Delivery Methods Authorized
Yes
Referenced California Statutes
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Source Selection Methods Assigned to
Yes
Referenced California Statutes
Project Delivery Methods
Scope
Yes
Referenced California Statutes
Design Bid Build
Yes
Referenced California Statutes
Operations and Maintenance
Yes
Referenced California Statutes
Design Build
Yes
Referenced California Statutes
Design Build Operate Maintain
No
Referenced California Statutes
Design Build Finance Operate
No
Referenced California Statutes
Maintain
Choice of Project Delivery Methods
Yes
Referenced California Statutes
A & E Services
Defined under "Professional Services; Referenced
Yes
California Statutes & Municipal Code
Bid Security
Yes
Referenced California Statutes & Municipal Code
Contract Performance and Payment
Yes
Referenced California Statutes & Municipal Code
Bonds
Bond Forms and Copies
Yes
Referenced California Statutes & Municipal Code
Errors and Omissions Insurance Yes Referenced California Statutes & Municipal Code
ModificationArticle 6 ..
Contract Clauses and their 7PartiallAlso referenced California Statutes
administration
Article 7 Cost ,-
Cost Principles Regulations Required Yes Referenced in California Statutes
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Article 8 Supply
Definitions of Terms Limited Based on City requirements for asset
management
Supply Management Regulations
Limited
Limited to asset disposal but does not address
Required
inventory holdings or management of same
Allocation of Proceeds from Sale or
Yes
Disposal of Surplus Supplies
Remedies
Article 9 Legal
and Contractual
Authority To Resolve Protested
No
Solicitations and Awards
Right to Protest
No
Authority to Resolve Protests
No
Authority to Debar or Suspend
No
Authority to Resolve Contract & Breach
No
of Contract Controversies
Except as may be provided under California law
Remedies
No
but not addressed in current policies and
procedures
Time Limitations on Actions
No
Protest of Solicitations or Awards
No
Suspension or Debarment Proceedings
No
Contract and Breach of Contract
No
Controversies
Appeal and Review of Procurement
No
Appeals Board Decisions
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Article 10 -Intergovernmental Relations
Cooperative Purchasing Authorized
Yes
By policy but limited details in Procedures
Joint Use of Facilities (e.g., sharing
For City this is not specified in the Procurement
office space and equipment with
No
Policy
another entity)
Supply of Personnel, Information and
Technical Services (e.g., sharing
For City this is not specified in the Procurement
personnel and various services with
No
Policy
another entity)
DisadvantagedArticle
11 Assistance
to Small and
Statement of Policy and Its
Limited
Majority of specific requirements and procedures
Implementation
are identified under current Federal
Requirements related to procurement of
Definitions
Yes
property or services stemming from Federal aid
and compliance with 23 CFR Part 172, 2 CFR Part
Chief Procurement Officer Duties
200, and other Federal regulations
Public Procurement
Article 12
Ethics in
General Standards of Ethical Conduct
California Administrative Code Section 18730
Yes
referenced in City Municipal Code
General Ethical Standards for
California Administrative Code Section 18730
Employees
Yes
referenced in City Municipal Code
General Ethical Standards for Non-
partial
Particularly to lobbying and "cone of silence"
Employees
provisions
Criminal Sanctions
No
Except as provided for in California law
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Employee Conflict of Interest
Description and examples are anti-competitive
practice related versus personal and/or
organizational conflict of interest (CA
Administrative Code Section 18730 referenced in
Partial
City Municipal Code).
Gifts and gratuities are mentioned under Federal
Requirements section, but "intrinsic value" is not
defined, and no reporting processes are detailed.
Employee Disclosure
California Administrative Code Section 18730
Yes
referenced in City Municipal Code
Gratuities and Kickbacks
California Administrative Code Section 18730
No
referenced in City Municipal Code
Prohibition Against Contingent Fees
California Administrative Code Section 18730
No
referenced in City Municipal Code
Restrictions on Employment of Present
No
Except as may be provided in California law
and Former Employees
Use of Confidential Information
Except as may be provided in California law In the
No
Procurement Policy
Civil and Administrative Remedies
Against Employees Who Breach Ethical
No
Except as may be provided in California law
Standards
Civil and Administrative Remedies
California Administrative Code Section 18730
Against Non -Employees Who Breach
No
referenced in City Municipal Code
Ethical Standards
*Note: The Consultant recommends that the City consider these MPC provisions for inclusion in
the Policy:
• Severability. If any provision of this Policy or any application thereof to any person or
circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or application of
this Policy which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this
end the provisions of this Policy are declared to be severable.
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• Supplementary General Principles of Law Applicable. Unless displaced by the particular
provisions of this Policy, the principles of law and equity, including the Uniform Commercial
Code of this State, the law merchant, and law relative to capacity to contract, agency, fraud,
misrepresentation, duress, coercion, mistake, or bankruptcy shall supplement the
provisions of this Policy.
• Requirement of Good Faith. This Policy requires all parties involved in the negotiation,
performance, or administration of City contracts to act in good faith.
• Reporting on Anticompetitive Practices. When for any reason collusion or other anti-
competitive practices are suspected among any bidders, offerors, or City staff, notice of the
relevant facts shall be transmitted to the Attorney General.
END OF REPORT AND APPENDICIES
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NI G P Consulting
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City of Rol
Procureme
Procedure
Lynda Allair, NIGP-C
NIGP Consulting
December 12, 2023
Procurement Professionals Deliv
Introduction
Brief Project Overview
■ Kick -Off Meeting with Project Sponsors
■ Collection of various documentation
■ Staff & Legal Council Interviews
Analysis
■ Documentation Provided versus Legislative Requirements
• Determine limitations
• Determine inconsistencies/gaps
• Identify Opportunities
➢ Efficiencies and improvements
➢ Collaborative opportunities
Findings and Recommendations
N IC PConsulting
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Framework
• Legal Requirements
• City's Organizational Structure
• City's Culture
• Resources versus Workload
N I C PConsulting
Findings
r
Description — provided with cor
Some items are interdependen
• Opportunity for synergy
N I C PConsulting
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Recommendations
Aligned with
• Local Jurisprudence
• ABA Model Procurement Code
• Global Best Practices
• NIGP Benchmark Survey(s)
Provide Guidance
• Manage Risk
• Identify efficiencies and
improvements
NIC PConsulting
,were.f by risc—
Recommendations
Non -PW Procurement Thresholds
• Purchasing power declined significantly
since current thresholds set Aug 2016
(especially since Mar 2020)
• Update levels as per Consultant
recommendations and Staff Report
• Based on NIGP Benchmark Survey 2019
Enable Annual Threshold Updates
• Based on all -urban consumers for LA area
(CPI -U — published by Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Maintain purchasing power
N IC PConsulting
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Recommendations
Adopt California Uniform Public
Construction Cost Accounting Act
(CU PCCAA)
• Provides for expedited award of Public
Works contracts based on higher
thresholds than permitted under California
Public Contract Code 20160 t0 20175
• Less onerous bidding requirements based
on higher thresholds than current City
Enable Automatic Adoption of Revised
CUPCCAA Thresholds
• Revised thresholds adopted as published
NI C P Consulting
Recommendations
Disentangle Policies and Procurement
Procedures
• Create separate Policy Manual and
Procurement Procedures Manual
• Improves clarity/understanding
• Facilitates training and compliance
• Include flowcharts and forms
(facilitates version control)
• Update terminology during revisions
N I C PConsulting
�nwa�ed by Ferismpa
Recommendations
Implement dedicated Procurement
Professional position
• Consolidates procurement functions
• Relieves Department staff of "non-core"
procurement functions
• Provides professional procurement advisory
services and training to staff and suppliers
• Manages procurement processes including
Contract Administration and Supplier
Relationship Management
• Enhances transparency and consistency
• Throughout procure -to -pay process
• Messaging to suppliers
• Coordination with other public sector
entities
N I C PConsulting
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Moving Forward
■ City Executive
• has implemented some initial
workflow improvements
■ City determines next steps
• Priority of Initiatives
• Availability of Resources
■ NIGP Consulting is available to
provide additional assistance
NIC PConsulting
Thank
choosing
NIGP Consulting!
Marcheta Gillespie, President of NIGP Code & Consulting
mgillespieO-nimcom
(520)940-7194
NIG PConsulting
N IC PConsulting
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