Topeka City procurement officials pledge stewardship, plan vendor workshops and expo

Topeka City procurement officials emphasized that their office seeks to manage public dollars fairly and transparently while expanding outreach to prospective vendors.

"The biggest thing I wish the public understood is that we do truly care and are cognizant of the dollars that are being spent," said Luis Matos, procurement manager for Topeka City. Matos described the office's work as ranging "from your typical pens and paper all the way through software to construction and infrastructure projects."

A procurement staff member said the office treats city departments as customers and tries to help them navigate legal and procedural questions so contracting can proceed. "We do consider ourselves stewards of the taxpayer dollars and we work hard to maximize those dollars and make sure they're being put to good use in the best way possible," the staff member said.

Dawn Lacy, general services procurement coordinator, said the job varies day to day, from desk work to attending pre-bid meetings. The staff described an internal focus on customer service and teamwork as central to supporting city departments and external vendors.

Matos said the office runs multiple workshops throughout the year to educate the public on how the city spends and funds projects and to explain how contractors can get on board. He also said the office hopes to host an expo next year to provide additional resources and connect community partners and businesses with procurement staff.

There were no formal votes or policy actions announced. Officials framed the outreach as educational and procedural, intended to help small businesses and residents understand procurement steps and available resources. The procurement staff repeatedly emphasized stewardship of taxpayer dollars and support for departments as priorities moving forward.