Committee approves procurement recommendations; members demand clarity on Supplier IO and RAMP use
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Summary
The committee approved BCA/CAO recommendations to maximize LA28 procurement for local and small businesses but members demanded firm commitments that all addressable procurement will use the city's RAMP system and strict vetting for certification.
The committee voted to note and file a joint report from the City Administrative Officer and the Bureau of Contract Administration that outlines strategies to maximize procurement opportunities for local, small and micro businesses in LA 28 contracting. The report presents a three-part framework—participation, preparation and production—and recommends measuring the 75/25 local-to-small business target by contract dollar amount; prioritizing City of Los Angeles businesses; and setting minimum eligibility criteria and targeted training hubs.
The presentation from BCA emphasized tools such as bid preferences, contract unbundling and performance indicators, and recommended an easy-to-access public annual report to track utilization. Council members broadly supported the goal of maximizing local participation but pressed LA 28 and BCA on operational details.
A focal point of debate was LA 28's use of Supplier IO, a supplier-platform tool LA 28 described as an internal verification mechanism. Council member Nithya Rodriguez and others objected to any parallel or alternative process that could bypass the city's RAMP procurement portal (also referred to as Grama/RAMP), arguing that RAMP provides established certification, reciprocity and vetting. LA 28 and BCA repeatedly stated that all addressable procurement events would be posted on RAMP and that Supplier IO would be used only internally to help verify business profiles and accelerate outreach; LA 28 committed to working with BCA to ensure rigorous vetting and reciprocity.
Members also asked how spend by large partners (for example, AECOM) and sponsor-related contracting would be treated for local targets and sought clarity on vetting subcontractors counted as "local." LA 28 said major procurement events (general contractors and large procurement actions) will be posted on RAMP and that the organization will delineate addressable spend from non-addressable relationships in its reporting.
The committee recorded direction that LA 28 and BCA further clarify Supplier IO's role, define vetting procedures, and report back with details on verification, worker protections, and proposed auditing (including an inquiry into recommended independent audits to prevent trafficking). The item was approved on a 5-0 roll call (Harris Dawson, Sotomayor Martinez, Padilla, Rodriguez, Blumenfield voting yes).
