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County agencies warn removing grant exemption could delay time‑sensitive grant work
Summary
DPWT, Police and Health Department officials told the committee that making grant‑funded procurements subject to full competitive processes could require more procurement staff and delay projects tied to grant performance windows.
Multiple county agencies told the committee that CB‑60‑2024 could slow the timely use of grant funds and require additional procurement capacity. Ms. Skinner said the administration opposes the bill based on operational and fiscal impacts and emphasized risks to constituents who rely on timely grant‑funded services.
The Department of Public Works & Transportation told the committee it has about 25 grants potentially affected totaling roughly $93,000,000 and warned that stricter procurement procedures could delay technical procurements that have narrow timeframes. Major Klein of the Police Department said his agency had 40 active grants in FY25 and that delays in vendor procurement could increase returned funds and reduce future grant awards. A health department official said the department manages about $50,000,000 across 59 grant programs and that additional procurement steps would likely delay service delivery for immunizations, disease prevention and family services.
Agency witnesses stressed the Office of Procurement is already taking steps to market opportunities to local vendors and to scrutinize exemptions, but they cautioned that removing the exemption without additional resources could reduce the county's ability to deliver grant‑funded services within required performance windows.
