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Board approves Contract Policy Manual changes to bring procurement selections earlier in process
Summary
The Orange County Board of Supervisors adopted a revised Contract Policy Manual that will bring RFP/RFQ selections to the board earlier in the procurement process and authorize staff to negotiate awards, with new ASR guidance and template language to ensure consistent background and justification.
The Board of Supervisors on Feb. 24 adopted revisions to the county's Contract Policy Manual intended to change how large procurements are presented to the board.
Under the adopted change, county departments will bring RFP/RFQ rank orders to the board earlier—requesting authority for selection—then staff will negotiate contract terms and return as needed for final approval or when the board requests it. County procurement officer Maria Grama told supervisors the Contract Policy Manual (CPM) is silent on some ASR procedural steps, so the changes will be reflected in an ASR guidance document and procedures manual that include standardized language and background material for consistency.
Supervisors debated the new $3,000,000 policy threshold that will be a baseline for most contracts, while acknowledging certain Job Order Contracting (JOC) general contracting work may require higher per‑contract limits (examples discussed at $5,000,000) because of project size and the need to preserve low‑bid pricing. Kevin Onuma of OC Public Works said JOC general contracting awards for capital projects may need higher dollar limits to avoid using contractors with the highest prices.
Board members asked staff to include project attachments and clearer justifications in ASRs when larger dollar amounts are requested and to provide a consistent template so future ASRs contain comparable background analysis and recommendations. The manual and associated guidance were approved by the board.
Next steps: procurement staff will circulate the procedural language and ASR templates to board offices for concurrence and implement the revised CPM and guidance.
