Subject:
Title
Ordinance amending the Pinellas County Code, Chapter 2, Article V, Division 2, Purchasing, Sections 2-156 through 2-198.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Conduct a public hearing and approve the ordinance amending Pinellas County Code, Chapter 2, Article V, Division 2, Purchasing, Sections 2-156 through 2-198.
• These Code revisions provide efficiency and productivity improvement in purchasing procedures and policies providing for increased expediency of routine purchases.
• This ordinance amendment, by itself, has not fiscal impact on Pinellas County.
• Updates include the following:
a.) Increase the formal bid threshold from $100K to $150K, thus creating additional opportunities for small businesses while also expediting the contracting process.
b.) Increase Purchasing delegated authority from $100K to $150K to align with the bid threshold providing greater expediency in the contracting process.
c.) Increase the small purchase threshold from $5K to $25K to secure goods and services faster for routine operational purchases under $25K.
d.) Clerk of Court encumbrance policy, a best practice defining transactions that require encumbrances.
e.) Establishes a purchase order policy enabling the issuance of purchase orders in place of written agreements for basic operating commodities and services.
f.) Housekeeping - remove from the Code the construction prequalification process, which has not been utilized for several years. This process was deemed restrictive, requiring 1 1/2 positions to manage and 8 external volunteers meeting on a quarterly basis. Contractors now qualify through the Florida Department of Transportation (statute-driven) and/or a County 2-step bid process which provides ample due diligence and protection while reducing overall County resources and improved efficiency.
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Strategic Plan:
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
Summary
Revising the Purchasing Code will provide efficiencies to the County contracting process and is necessary to keep pace with current economic growth, inflationary impacts and peer governmental agencies.
Additionally, the encumbrance policy ensures that all spending aligns with budgetary constraints, all purchases are authorized before receipt, and vendors and invoices are compliant, thus streamlining operations and maintaining fiscal discipline.
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Background Information:
In 2024, a consultant study was completed identifying areas of the Purchasing Code for modification and/or update to effect improvement to the overall contracting process. These suggested modifications keep County departments operational while following established and best practice policies/procedures for auditing purposes.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no immediate fiscal impact identified.
Staff Member Responsible:
Jeanette Phillips, Chief Deputy Directory, Finance Division, Clerk of the Circuit Court
Merry Celeste, Purchasing Director, Administrative Services
Joe Lauro, Director, Administrative Services
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
Proposed Ordinance
Strikethrough Ordinance