Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Procurement Transparency topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council questions electronic bid openings and transparency for refuse contract; two proposals to be reviewed by council
Summary
Council members pressed staff about transparency after the city used the PenBid (Bonfire) portal to collect refuse bids. City clerk and procurement staff said two proposals were submitted, a selection committee recommended one bidder, and the recommendation would go before council that afternoon.
Council members raised transparency concerns on Sept. 8 after staff said the city is using an electronic procurement portal (PenBid/Bonfire) to accept proposals and open bids.
City Clerk Candace Newsome explained that bid openings through PenBid are done by staff (the clerk, assistant clerk and procurement staff) who view submissions online at the scheduled opening time. She said the process shows which proposals were received and that documentation is available on the PenBid site; the clerk also said the city posts bid opportunities on the city website.
Controller Joy Taylor and other council members said they were accustomed to paper bid openings in public council meetings and asked how the public would know who submitted proposals and see bid details. Staff responded that the portal posts the submissions and that members of the public may file open-records requests after review, and that the selection committee reviewed two proposals for the refuse and recycling contract.
Staff said a selection committee that included departmental experts and the consultant MSW Consultants reviewed both proposals and made a recommendation. The city clerk said the recommendation and the solicitation will be before council at this afternoon's deliberative meeting for approval of the "lowest responsible bidder." Council members said they want clearer materials when asked to vote on contract awards and asked procurement staff to brief council on the electronic process at a future meeting.
No formal contract award was made during the Budget and Finance Committee meeting; staff said the recommendation would be presented to council during the scheduled deliberative session.
