Controller's interns outline procurement rules, including local preference for Allentown vendors

Jackie Moore, internal audit manager and interim deputy controller, opened the Budget and Finance Committee presentation by saying the controller's office selects three city processes each year to document and test through student internships. She said those narrative reviews and flowcharts feed internal audits and help identify opportunities to strengthen controls and efficiency.

Intern Lance Monnig Meyer summarized the procurement process from the Project Information Form (PIF) through solicitation, bid evaluation, and award. "When evaluating bids, if the 2nd lowest bidder is located in Allentown and within 5% of the lowest bidding price, the bid may be awarded to the vendor located in Allentown," Lance said, describing a city preference intended to favor local vendors under specific conditions. He also noted the standard bid period is four weeks with two weeks for questions and answers; in emergencies the timeline can be reduced to three weeks.

Lance walked the committee through RFP scoring and voting-committee procedures: technical and cost proposals must be submitted separately, each proposal must be scored individually, and any committee member who leaves or has a conflict must have their scores disqualified. If the committee cannot agree on a top vendor, the top three scorers move to oral presentations and the evaluation repeats until a top-scoring vendor is identified.

On awarding and contract execution, Lance said procurement compiles documentation, confirms departmental agreement by email, prepares a council resolution for approval, conducts vendor background checks, and — if City Council approves — procurement issues the award. Contract drafting occurs in the Munis contract module, legal reviews bonds and certificates of insurance, and final signatures come from the mayor and finance director.

Jackie Moore told the committee these intern findings will generate audit recommendations and that audit reports will be sent to departments for administrative responses before being distributed to council. She emphasized many recommendations are policy or ordinance-level and may require review or revision before operational changes are made.