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County attorney proposes classifying software as a commodity to streamline procurement
Summary
County Attorney McNeil asked the commission to amend the procurement code to add software and software-related products to the county's commodity procurement classification so some software renewals can be handled via three-quote commodity procedures instead of more complex procurement tracks.
County Attorney McNeil proposed an amendment to the Macon-Bibb procurement code to add software and software-related products to the county's commodity-procurement classification, arguing that many software products are identical regardless of reseller and can reasonably be procured using a streamlined three-quote approach.
McNeil told commissioners the county already uses the commodity-procurement category for items that are essentially identical wherever purchased (such as dirt, vehicles and utilities) and that software like Windows or Adobe can fit that definition. He said the commodity process requires obtaining three quotes and aims to secure reasonable pricing without the full complexity of other procurement methods.
The item was presented as an amendment to the code of ordinances and was discussed in the context of recent software renewals that appeared on the agenda; commissioners heard that this code change would help procurement run more efficiently in suitable cases.
