GSA: $65.6M in formal procurements, waivers and local‑hire targets reported to supervisors

Kimberly Gasaway, director of the General Services Agency, told the Alameda County Board of Supervisors' Procurement & Contracting Committee on March 16 that GSA administered 46 formal procurements totaling $65.6 million for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2025 and processed a significant number of small‑local‑emerging business (SLED) waivers and amendments.

Gasaway said GSA approved 166 new SLED waivers and 48 amendments (214 total), with a combined value of nearly $45 million, and that 35% of those waivers went to local businesses in Alameda County. She gave a breakdown: certified local vendors received a substantial share of some procurements, 12 non‑certified local vendors accounted for $14.8 million (about 23%), and non‑local contracts totaled $23.2 million (35%).

The report covered sole‑source exceptions, exemptions and piggyback purchases: purchasing approved 59 sole‑source exceptions ($8.4 million), 85 additional sole‑source exemptions ($6.2 million) and 25 piggyback awards ($4.6 million). Gasaway described exemptions that can justify non‑competitive procurements including software renewals, utility services and state‑ or federally‑mandated products.

Gasaway highlighted two construction awards during the period: a progressive design‑build contract for the African American Wellness Hub at $22.6 million and a $3 million design‑bid‑build contract to remove an underground storage tank. She said both projects are subject to the county’s project stabilization and community benefits agreement (PSCBA), which requires that 40% of labor hours be performed by local Alameda County residents.

Asked by supervisors how the county is doing against apprenticeship and local‑hire goals, Gasaway said countywide project hours totaled 522,621 through Dec. 31, 2025, with an overall local participation rate of 47% and an apprentice utilization rate near 16% countywide. She said GSA and Public Works track these metrics and that joint advisory meetings with contractors are used to help meet goals.

Procurement administrator Dietra (Deidra) Dillon presented the 12‑month outlook, noting that the report flags contract end dates and statuses—such as "awaiting department instructions" or "rebid in process"—that can create opportunities to consider unbundling or scope changes. Dillon said a complete procurement typically takes about six months from request to board approval absent protests; a notice of intent to award then opens a seven‑day protest window.

Supervisors pressed GSA on specific items in the 12‑month outlook, including the Aramark food services contract for detention facilities (identified in the report as a $56 million procurement), security services, a purchasing card program (about $28M), and a shuttle bus service (about $6M). Gasaway said GSA will provide additional requested breakdowns showing how much contracting dollars are reinvested in Alameda County and will follow up on client departments for particular solicitations.

The committee did not take formal action on any listed procurements at the meeting; staff said some pending solicitations will come back to the board when they meet thresholds that require board approval. The report and slides referenced in the presentation were made available to supervisors for follow‑up.