Finance director highlights clean audit, fewer purchasing bids after new in‑house quote tool

Laurie Lopez, Larimer County finance director, told commissioners at the Sept. 22 work session that the county again received a favorable (clean) audit opinion and that maintaining that result requires substantial staff work. She warned that a severely adverse audit could prompt the state to withhold property‑tax revenue.

Lopez said the county’s new in‑house “quote requester” tool reduced the number of bids and RFPs routed through the purchasing department in 2024, freeing purchasing staff and departments. “That also has really helped the purchasing department, with their workload,” Lopez said, adding that the tool was built by the county’s IT team.

On procurement and quality, Lopez described processes used to ensure proposals balance cost and quality: for clearly defined engineering procurements, bids emphasize a known work product; selection committees and subject‑matter experts evaluate quality and price, and for RFPs—such as audit services—experience and technical expertise, not just cost, guide selection.

Why it matters: Audit status affects county revenue risk and financial credibility. Changes in procurement processes affect competition, vendor selection and potential savings across county operations.

No formal motions were taken during the presentation; commissioners asked for follow‑up on whether lifecycle analysis is used in procurement and Lopez said she would consult the purchasing manager and report back.