Pensacola council workshop considers raising purchasing thresholds to speed repairs, staff to draft ordinance

City officials at a special Pensacola City Council workshop discussed proposals to update the city's purchasing ordinance, which the city administrator said has not been materially revised since 2006. The discussion centered on raising thresholds for informal procurements and clarifying definitions for commodities, services and public works so routine repairs and purchases can be completed more quickly.

City Administrator Don Kinsella opened the discussion: "We are here today to talk to to workshop updating our city's pertinent, purchasing ordinance and policies." He told council members the current ordinance includes a $25,000 threshold set in 2006 and several internal policies that require three quotes for purchases above $2,500, rules he said are now creating delays for routine work.

Kinsella gave examples and timing data to explain the problem. He said, "$25,000 in 2006 is almost $40,000 in today's money," and described procurement timelines that under the city's current system can take months: "in a perfect world scenario, when we do an RFP, it takes us 132 days from, from post RFP all the way to awarding it" and that…