Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Budget committee recommends contracts: $300,000 procurement consultant and $139,656 security contract
Loading...
Summary
The Budget and Fiscal Advisory Committee recommended the full commission approve a $300,000 consulting contract with procurement consultant Tim Teote and a $139,656 contract with Veterans High Risk Security Solutions Inc. for on-site security. Both recommendations passed the committee by voice vote.
The Budget and Fiscal Advisory Committee on April 16 recommended the full Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission approve two expenditure authorizations: up to $300,000 for procurement consulting services with Tim Teote and $139,656 for on-site security services at the commission’s Sacramento office.
Lauren Quintero, acting deputy director of administrative and performance management, said the consulting contract (07/01/2026–06/30/2027) would support large competitive procurements totaling more than $43 million across upcoming funding opportunities. "This consulting support helps ensure each procurement process is competitive, timely, and aligned with best practices," Quintero said. She noted the contractor’s hourly rate remains $150 and the requested $300,000 represents less than 1% of the funds expected to be awarded through those procurements.
Public comment raised procurement fairness concerns. Larissa urged the commission to include less-successful incumbents and to disclose repeat funding rates for incumbents; she also recommended stronger consideration of California small businesses and disadvantaged-business inclusion. Quintero responded that the consultant is a certified small/micro business and described prior competitive practices.
On the security contract, Quintero said the vendor was selected through a disabled-veteran business enterprise (DVBE) streamlined option after a six-month pilot and offered a lower daily rate than the prior incumbent. The contract would provide unarmed security coverage from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to protect staff, commissioners and visitors.
The committee moved and approved both recommendations. The motion to recommend the Tim Teote contract passed by voice vote; commissioners recorded ayes from Commissioner Designee Pomano, Commissioner Wilkes, Commissioner Contreras and Chair Al Roulette, with Commissioners Bunch, Carnivale and Gordon marked absent. A second motion recommending the Veterans High Risk Security Solutions Inc. contract also passed by similar voice vote.
Next steps: both recommendations will be forwarded to the full commission for final action. Meeting materials include contract identifiers and prior approval records for staff reference.
