Committee reviews major procurement overhaul; staff to propose procurement official appointment and procurement code language

A comprehensive update to Stonecrest’s purchasing policy and procurement processes was presented by Procurement Manager Alicia Boynton at the Feb. 19 finance committee meeting. Staff described the update as a reorganization and expansion that moves many process details into a separate procurement manual while adding forms, templates and references to state/federal requirements.

Boynton told the committee the existing purchasing policy mixed policy and procedure; she proposed moving procedural details into a procurement manual (SOP) and leaving higher‑level policy in the purchasing policy. Planned additions include updated purchase requisition and solicitation request forms, sole‑source and emergency procurement request forms, DBE (disadvantaged business enterprise) good‑faith‑effort forms, and a solicitation request template that departments must complete before procurement begins.

Boynton said the updated policy would reference the State of Georgia/DOT procurement rules when federal or state funds are used so the city does not have to reissue policy changes every time an agency updates its rules. City Manager Gia Scruggs told the committee that the council previously supported adopting GDOT requirements for projects funded by GDOT; Boynton said she had added references to GDOT and federal funding templates in the appendix.

Procurement changes discussed in detail included: - Clearer definitions of roles (end user, requester, procurement official) and a plan to move daily form workflows into the Tyler eProcurement system once departments are trained; departments will create requisitions in Tyler and procurement will issue POs. - New solicitation controls: electronic submission via BidNet (or the city’s platform), earlier receipt cutoffs (staff preferring 3 p.m. on due date to begin processing), and publishing of the BidNet tabulation sheet with corrections posted if needed. - Expansion of small‑purchase, PO and contract thresholds already approved by the manager, and clearer documentation and approval flows for change orders, contract renewals and contract registration in Tyler. - Vendor registration and outreach: a planned vendor portal and requirement that vendors complete registration before payment processing.

On titles and appointments, Boynton said she plans to recommend that the procurement manager be designated as the city’s procurement official (sometimes called procurement officer or procurement official) and asked the committee to allow staff to present an appointment to the next council meeting; she said staff expects to present the ordinance/appointment and the policy code reference around March 24. Boynton told the committee she would prepare an ordinance line in the code that simply refers to the purchasing policy rather than embedding the entire policy in code.

Committee members pressed for more detail on evaluator selection, the process for professional services pools (RFQ lists), and the approval threshold for awarding contracts; staff clarified that recommendations over the manager’s threshold would be brought to council. On cooperative purchasing and “piggyback” contracts, staff listed Sourcewell, NASPO and state contract vehicles as options and told the committee public notice and a short protest period would still be provided to preserve transparency.

Quote: Procurement Manager Alicia Boynton said, “It’s a day and night difference than having somebody in the position to know what they’re doing.” City Manager Gia Scruggs added that incorporating GDOT and federal references “automatically makes us refer to their policy,” avoiding repeated local edits when external agencies update their rules.

Ending: Boynton said staff will finalize the policy and the procurement manual and bring a first reading and accompanying code reference to council; the committee directed staff to return with a refined package in March for formal consideration and to present the procurement official appointment to council.