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10:00 A.M. ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2023, AND THE MEETING OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IS CALLED TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL?
>> WE HAVE A LENGTHY AGENDA TODAY SO I'LL ALLOW THE MEMBER SPEAKERS TWO ROUNDS OF COMMENTS PER ITEM, WITH FIVE MINUTES IN THE FIRST ROUND, AND THREE TO FIVE MINUTES IN THE SECOND ROUND, DEPENDING HOW IT GOES. FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[Approval of Minutes ]
CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? >> I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE
MINUTES. >> I SECOND. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND, AND THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> VIAGRAN: MOTION CARRIES.
THAT WAS AN AYE, SORRY. MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT?
>> WE HAVE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THIS AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING.
[Pre-Solicitation High Profile Briefings ]
>> VIAGRAN: OKAY. WE HAVE A PRESOLICITATION HIGH-PROFILE BRIEFING FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 2.
>> CLERK: ITEM 2 IS A BRIEFING ON THE RELEASE OF A SO SOLICITATION FOR ONE CONTRACT TO DEPLOY AN INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM TO ENHANCE COLLECTION OPERATIONS FOR THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT IN THE ESTIMATED TOTAL VALUE OF THEIR 6,400 FOR FIVE YEARS WITH THREE,
TWO-YEAR OPTIONS TO RENEW. >> VIAGRAN: I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A STAFF PRESENTATION.
>> I'M NICK GALUS WITH THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT. AND TODAY I'LL HAVE THE PRO SOLICITATION FOR THE SMART COLLECTION SYSTEM. SO THE SMART SELECTION SYSTEM ENHANCES THE WASTE COLLECTION OPERATIONS AND THERE'S SEVERAL KEY BENEFITS TO HIGHLIGHT.
WHICH INCLUDE SERVICE VERIFICATION AND ENHANCED ROUTE MANAGEMENT TO IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS THE DRIVER EXPERIENCE. MANY SYSTEMS OFFER TURN-BY-TURN NAVIGATION WHICH YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT FOR NEWER DRIVERS THIS IS A CHALLENGE TO READ MAPS, SO WE EXPECT THAT THESE SYSTEMS WOULD REDUCE THE TRAINING TIME THAT IT TAKES UPWARDS USUALLY SIX MONTHS FOR A NEW DRIVER TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE. AND WE HOPE TO REDUCE THAT TIMELINE DOWN TO FOUR MONTHS. AND WE HAVE MANY PAPER-BASED PROCESSES, WE EXPECT THE SYSTEM TO REPLACE MANY OF THOSE. SO, FOR INSTANCE, ON A DAILY BASIS, ALL OF OUR DRIVERS ARE EXPECTED TO DO A PRE- AND A POST-INSPECTION OF THEIR EQUIPMENT BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE YARD. WITH THIS SYSTEM WE'D HAVE A TABLET TO DO THEIR WALK AROUND AND IDENTIFY AREAS OF CONCERN, HAVE A PHOTO, AND HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO FLOW TO OUR FLEET SERVICES DIVISION. SO THAT WAY THAT THE ISSUE COULD BE ADDRESSED.
AND THE LAST BENEFIT WOULD BE CUSTOMER ACCOUNT RECONCILIATION. CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, WE RUN VERY FAST AND OVER 375,000 CUSTOMERS AND WE WANT TO ENSURE WHEN CUSTOMER COMES ONLINE WE BUILD
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THEM AND BUILD THEM ACCURATELY SO THERE'S NO POTENTIAL FOR LOST REVENUE.THIS SOLICITATION IS FOR A COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSAL, AND THE FIRST YEAR IS $640,000 WHICH INCLUDES SEVERAL ONE-TIME COSTS TO DO SOME INTEGRATIONS. AND THE RECURRING COSTS BEYOND THAT IS 574 A YEAR FOR $6.4 MILLION OVER THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT.
AND THE NIGB CODES IDENTIFIED ARE LISTED ON THIS PRESENTATION. AND WE'LL ALSO BE LEVERAGING TRADITIONAL MARKETING AND ADVERTISING MEANS AS WELL AS THOSE SPECIFIC TO SOLID WASTE.
AND THE EVALUATING MEMBERS INCLUDE MR. MCCARY, AND MR. NEWMAN AND MS. JOYCE FIVE VALENCIA AND MISS KA RHONDA CRUMMIE AND MS. MARJORIE HARRELL AND MS. PATSY BOOZER.
THE EVALUATION INCLUDE 30 POINTS FOR EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND AND QUALIF QUALIFICATIONS AND 5S FOR THE PROPOSED PLAN AND 20 POINTS FOR PRICING. AND ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, MANY ARE NOT APPLICABLE AND THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN WAIVERED. WE EXPECT THE RELEASE OF THIS SOLICITATION IN THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER AND COMING BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE WITH A POST-SOLICITATION BRIEFING IN THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY WITH A CONTRACT START DATE OF MAY 2024.
THANK YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THEM.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHATEVER WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY INTO OUR SERVICES AND, DAVID, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN OUT TO THE RODEO, AND I LIKE EVERYTHING THAT I HEAR, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN ASK THEM TO, UM, KIND OF PUT IN THOSE STREETS THAT HAVE A LOT OF STREET PARKING? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IMPACTS THE DRIVERS AND PRESIDENT SERVICE AND AS WE GET, UM, AS WE GET MORE PEOPLE COMING TO SAN ANTONIO, AND WE GET MORE PEOPLE PARKING ON THE STREET AND THAT IMPACTS THAT. IS THERE GOING TO BE SOMETHING WHERE WE TELL THE VENDORS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A MIX, IT'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE -- EVERYBODY IS PARKING IN THEIR
DRIVEWAY SITUATION? >> I GAVE IT A TRY LAST WEEK, COLLECTING ON THE ROUTE, AND I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT WHEN I WAS COLLECTING AROUND A CORVETTE I GOT A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY. THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS IS GETTING IT ONBOARD, AND WORKING THROUGH THE SERVICE VERIFICATION, AND I THINK THAT IN A SUBSEQUENT PHASE, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO ADD, THE ON-STREET PARKING AND THE CHALLENGES WITH THAT. SO IF IT'S A VIOLATION OF THE CODE, WE WOULD NOTIFY THAT CUSTOMER OF THOSE THINGS. AND THERE'S SEVERAL COMPONENTS THAT OTHER CITIES -- WE HAVE BEEN KEEPING OUR EYE ON THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND IT IS REALLY JUST NOW GOTTEN AFFORDABLE AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE. BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO KEEP OUR FOCUS OF GETTING IT IMPLEMENTED FIRST, AND GET THE SERVICE VERIFICATION AND
NAVIGATION FIRST AND THEN WE CAN FOCUS ON THE OTHER THINGS. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
BECAUSE I THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SAN ANTONIO, AND WE THINK ABOUT, UH, HOW WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, DENSE INTERCITY -- HOW WE HAVE SUBDIVISIONS AND HOW WE STILL HAVE RURAL IN SOME AREAS, THAT WE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE THROUGH THESE PHASES AND HOW IT IMPACTS
OUR COLLECTION. >> WE DEFINITELY WILL. WHEN WE -- WE DID AN RFI FOR THIS, AND WE TALKED TO SEVERAL COMPANIES. THERE'S -- THERE'S OVER 70 CITIES THAT HAVE THIS AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF IT. SO I THINK THAT THE SKY IS THE
LIMIT, AND SO TO YOUR POINT, WE CAN IMPLEMENT THOSE THINGS. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
NOW THIS ITEM IS FOR BRIEFING ONLY BUT THEY DO WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR MEMBERS.
ANYONE WANT TO SHARE OR HAVE QUESTIONS? GREAT JOB, THANK YOU.
[Post-Solicitation High Profile Briefings ]
ITEM NUMBER 3. MADAM CLERK, READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 3.>> CLERK: ITEM NUMBER ABOUT IS APPROVAL TO PROCEED WITH SCHEDULING THREE CONTRACTS FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WITH ON-CALL TRAFFIC ENGINEERING SERVICES TO SUPPORT SIGNAL RETIMING AND TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM EFFORTS IN THE ESTIMATED TO THE AMOUNT OF $5 MILLION FOR THREE YEARS WITH TWO, ONE-YEAR OPTIONS TO RENEW.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION. >> YES, MA'AM.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. I AM THE RAZI HOSSEINI, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THIS IS FOR ON-CALL TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION RELEASED IN JUNE OF 2023.
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AND 14 SUBMITTALS WE RECEIVED IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR. AND THE REVIEW BY THE COMMITTEE, AND THE COMMENDING THREE TO BE SELECTED. THE ESTIMATED VALUE FOR THIS WORK IS $5 MILLION, AND THE INITIAL TERM IS THREE YEARS AND TWO, ONE-YEAR OPTIONS TO RENEW.SO THE SELECTION CRITERIA FOR THIS HAS 45 POINTS FOR EXPERIENCE, BACKGROUND, QUALIFICATION OF RESPONDENT, AND THE KEY PERSONNEL AND KEY CONSULTING.
AND 35 POINTS ON THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT AND PROPOSED MANAGEMENT PLAN.
AND 25 -- 20 POINTS FOR THE EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE SAN ANTONIO AND REGIONAL AREA.
LOCAL PERFORMANCE WAS NOT APPLICABLE. AND VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES ALSO WASN'T EQUITABLE. AND WITH THIS CONTRACT, WE ARE EXPECTING TO DO SOME FEDERAL FUNDING, AND, THEREFORE, OUR SBEDA PROGRAM WAS NOT ALSO APPLICABLE TOO. AND THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF THOSE 14 FIRMS SUBMITTED FOR THE QUALIFICATION. A NUMBER OF THE VENDORS, 528, 23 OF THEM ATTENDED THROUGH THE PRE-SUBMITTAL CONFERENCE AND, OF COURSE, AS I HAVE MENTIONED, 14 OF SOME FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND THE RESULT OF MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS REVIEW, NOTHING WAS FOUNDED, WITH THE RESULT OF DUE DILIGENCE REVIEW, NO MATERIAL WAS FUNDING. I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, RAZI. I THINK -- AS IMPORTANT -- THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT -- BUT WE ARE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION AND I KNOW THAT YOU SAID SBEDA AND LOCAL PREFERENCE WAS NOT THERE, BUT WE DID PASS IN TERMS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOOD ACTORS AND WORKING ON THAT. NOW THAT, THEY HAVE TO INCLUDE THAT IN THEIR PRESENTATION, IF THEY'VE BEEN CITED BY THE CITY FOR NOT DOING THEIR JOB. AND I THINK OF SPECIFIC COMPANIES IN PARTICULAR. BUT WE -- WE WERE ABLE TO INCLUDE THAT OR ASK THOSE
QUESTIONS, RIGHT? >> YES, MA'AM. AS I MENTIONED WE HAVE 14, AND WE SELECTED REALLY THREE TOP FROM THE COMMITTEE, AND WE HAVE THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND MANAGER ALSO AND WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE FIRMS. THEY HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB FOR US IN THE PAST AND THEY ASSEMBLED VERY GOOD TEAM TO DO A GOOD JOB
FOR US IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. >> VIAGRAN: GREAT, THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT DO ANY OF MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS. COUNCILMAN COURAGE?
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: T >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND SO MANY PEOPLE THAT APPLIED, WERE ANY OF THE 14 SELECTED PREVIOUSLY TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK FOR THE CITY AND AND THEY
DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT THIS TIME? >> I BELIEVE THAT WE SELECTED THIS FIRM AND THEY HAD DONE EXPERIENCE FOR US AND THEY HAD DONE A GOOD JOB AND THEY WERE SATISFIED.
SOME OTHERS HAD DONE WORK WITH US AND THEY DIDN'T COME IN THE TOP THREE RANKING, AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO SELECT MORE THAN WHAT WE NEED, BECAUSE WHEN WE SELECT THESE FIRMS, WE ARE LETTING THEM TO KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME PROJECT FROM US. AND WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE
HAVE ENOUGH JOBS TO SELECT MORE THAN THREE FIRMS. >> COURAGE: RIGHT.
OKAY, MY OTHER CONCERN IS THAT I RECOGNIZED THAT SOME OF THE MONEY THAT CAN BE INVOLVED IN SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE FEDERAL AND, THEREFORE, THERE ARE SOME EXCLUSIONS ON HOW WE CAN GET POINTS FOR CERTAIN GROUPS. I'M WONDERING THOUGH, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO KIND OF ASK THAT MAYBE THAT LAW BE AMENDED SOMEHOW, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO USE VETERANS' BUSINESSES OR LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES? I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S OUR JOB NECESSARILY TO ANY AROUND AND TO -- GO AROUND AND SAY THAT WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE FEDERAL LAW BUT I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO INQUIRE ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT CREATES A BARRIER FOR A LOT OF GOOD COMPANIES IN SAN ANTONIO TO BE ABLE TO BID AND TO DO GOOD WORK FOR US. BUT IF -- BUT THEY DON'T GET THAT EXTRA CREDIT IF THEY'RE A VETERANS' OWNED GROUP OR A LOCALLY OWNED GROUP. SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR CONGRESSIONAL TEAM CAN LOOK AT AND TO TALK WITH SOME OF THE LEGISLATORS ABOUT? WHY NOT ADD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AMENDING THAT LAW SO THAT WE CAN GIVE LOCAL PREFERENCES. SO, IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT YOU COULD TALK WITH THAT OR ANYONE THAT THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD TALK WITH ABOUT THAT, OR THE MAYOR OR ANYTHING, I WOULD LAKE
TO SEE US TO TRY TO PURSUE THAT. >> YES, SIR. >> COUNCILMAN, I WILL ADD THAT WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH JEFF AND HIS TEAM ABOUT THE CONGRESSIONAL PIECE.
WE, UM -- COUNCIL -- LOCAL COUNCIL DID AMEND THE ORDINANCE NOT LONG AGO TO APPLY LOCAL ON
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THOROUGHLY FUNDED PROJECTS, SO IF IT'S A GRANTOR, WE REACH OUT TO THEM AND ASK IF THEY WOULD ALLOW IT. AND WE HAVE LIMITED SUCCESS, BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT DO ALLOW IT, AND WE ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL ON THE VETERANS SIDE THAN WE ARE ON THE LOCAL.>> COURAGE: THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL, THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MAN WHYTE. >> WHYTE: YES, JUST BRIEFLY AND THIS MAY BE A MINOR POINT, BUT
THE CONTRACTS EXPIRED ON OCTOBER 1ST, RIGHT? >> CORRECT.
>> WHYTE: AND THIS GOES TO COUNCIL CONSIDERATION IN NOVEMBER?
>> CORRECT. >> WHYTE: ANY ISSUE THERE WITH HAVING A GAP?
>> NO, BECAUSE THERE'S STILL SOME OF THOSE EXISTING CONSULTING, THEY STILL HAVE AN ONGOING PROJECT, AND EVEN WITH THE CONTRACT EXPIRED WE ASSIGNED THEM A PROJECT MONTHS AGO AND
STILL THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. >> WHYTE: GOT IT, OKAY. THANKS.
>> VIAGRAN: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE?
>> I MOVE APPROVAL. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> VIAGRAN: ALL OPPOSED SAY NO? THE MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE TWO FINAL INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS FOR
[Final Internal Audit Report ]
CONSIDERATION. MADAM CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 4.>> CLERK: ITEM 4 IS THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFICE OF THEE CITY AUDITOR REPORT, AU22-019
AUDIT OF SAFD HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INSPECTIONS. >> THIS IS THE FINAL REPORT AS THE CITY CLERK INDICATED AND THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR FINAL PRESENTATION ON THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INSPECTION PROCESS. AND ABIGAIL FROM MY STAFF WILL DO THE PRESENTATION.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, ABIGAIL. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS ABIGAIL ESTEVES, THE AUDIT MANAGER FOR THIS PROJECT. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE WAS TO DETERMINE IF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INSPECTIONS WERE PERFORMED APPROPRIATELY WITH TIMELY INSPECTIONS. OVERALL, WE CONCLUDED THAT THE EXISTING FACILITIES WERE SUBJECT TO INSPECTION. ADDITIONALLY, TRAINING WAS BEING PERFORMED.
HOWEVER, WE DID IDENTIFY SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AS IT PERTAINED TO THE FACILITY IDENTIFICATION. RE-INSPECTIONS AND BILLING. WE SELECTED A SAMPLE OF THE FACILITIES, AND CONFIRMED THAT THEY WERE SUBJECT TO INSPECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH, APPLICABLE CLASSIFICATION AND ADDITIONALLY THE STAFF PERFORMING THE INSPECTIONS HAD RECEIVED THE ADEQUATE TRAINING. AND THIS NEXT SLIDE GOES OVER OUR AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FIRST ITEM, THE FACILITY IDENTIFICATION AND THE PROCESS WAS NOT COMPREHENSIVE, AND SPECIFICALLY THE POLICIES DID NOT DEFINE ALL PROCEDURES UTILIZED TO IDENTIFY ANY FACILITIES. AND ADDITIONALLY, THE STATE CHEMICAL REPORT WAS NOT BEING REVIEWED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO CONFIRM ANY POTENTIALLY NEW FACILITIES THAT WERE CURRENTLY UNDER INSPECTION. SECONDLY, FOR FACILITY RE-INSPECTIONS, VIOLATION NOTICES WERE NOT CONSISTENTLY ISSUEED. ADDITIONALLY, RE-INSPECTIONS FOR FAILED FACILITIES WERE NOT BEING PERFORMED ON A TIMELY BASIS. NEXT WE IDENTIFIED THE BILLING AND ACCURACIES, AND TO PROVIDE A FEW EXAMPLES, THERE WERE A FEW INSTANCES WHERE FACILITIES WERE EITHER NOT ASSESSED, THE ANNUAL PERMIT FEE DUE. OR ASSESSED IN AN INCORRECT FEE.
THIS IN TURN COINCIDED WITH THE SYSTEM ISSUES. TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND, THE SYSTEM TO BOTH DOCUMENT INSPECTIONS AS WELL AS TO PERFORM THE BILLING PROCESS.
AND AS MENTIONED, THIS CONTRIBUTED TO THE BILLING ISSUES, AND WE JUST WENT OVER, AS WELL AS ACCOUNTS NOT BEING UP TO DATE. AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AGREED WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND HAS BEGUN ADDRESSING THEM VIA MANAGEMENT ACTION PLANS, AND THEY'VE MADE PROGRESS ON ONE ITEM. WITH ANTICIPATED COMPLETION BEING NOVEMBER 2023. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, BUT MANAGEMENT IS
AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
AND THE COMPLETION -- IS THIS GOING TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING?
>> WE HAVEN'T ASKED TO GO TO PUBLIC SAFETY, WE ARE AVAILABLE IF THAT'S THE DESIRE OF THE
CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: I DO THINK THAT YOU SHOULD GO TO PUBLIC SAFETY, ESPECIALLY CLOSER TO NOVEMBER, TO GIVE THEM UPDATES REGARDING THIS.
AS WE -- AS WE MOVE INTO COLDER TEMPERATURES I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT COMMITTEE HOLDS THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE -- THE REINSPECTIONS AND THE BILLING THAT IS ANOTHER ISSUE -- BUT I
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THINK THAT THEY SHOULD GO TO PUBLIC SAFETY. BE PUT ON THEIR AGENDA.CLOSER TO THE COMPLETION DATE, OR EVEN BEFORE THAT TO GET A PROGRESS REPORT.
YES, THANK YOU. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. AND THANK YOU, FIRE DEPARTMENT, FOR ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES AND CREATING AN ACTION PLAN. I THINK THAT AS THE CITY GROWS AND AS WE -- WE SEE, UM, JUST MORE MATERIALS OUT THERE, THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS.
DOES ANYONE ELSE FROM THE COMMITTEE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
>> WHYTE: YEAH, VERY THANKFUL TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO.
ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT -- THAT ARE GOING TO BE MADE TO ADDRESS SOME
OF THESE ISSUES? OR IS THAT NOT FOR TODAY? >> SO, CHAIR, MAYBE, UM, JUST FOR PROCESS WHEN WE GET THESE AUDIT REPORTS FROM KEVIN, WE TYPICALLY HAVE THE DEPARTMENT TO TALK ABOUT THE RESPONSE TO THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE DEPUTY CHIEF TO GO OVER THE ACTION PLAN TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED.
>> WHYTE: ALL RIGHT. >> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
YES, WE DO HAVE A SERIES OF -- OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DID ACCEPT ALL OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. DID YOU WANT TO GO OVER EACH ONE
OF THOSE INDIVIDUALLY OR WAS THERE ONE SPECIFIC ONE? >> WHYTE: NO, JUST A COUPLE OF
THE HIGH LEVEL RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION. >> NUMBER ONE, AS FAR AS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES -- SO AS FAR AS REVIEWING ANNUALLY THE TEXAS TIER2 LIST AND SO THAT WAS SOMETHING PERIODICALLY DONE, HOWEVER THERE WASN'T A STANDARD POLICY THAT WE'LL DO IT AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR AND WE'LL FOLLOW THIS FORMAL PROCESS. SO THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE AGREED WITH, AND SO NOW WE HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE TO WHERE WE WILL REVIEW THAT TEXAS TIER II LIST TO TRY TO MARRY UP WITH THE FACILITIES THAT HAD TO REPORT THROUGH TEXAS TIER II TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL PERMITS THROUGH THE CITY.
SO LIKE I SAID, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN DONE PREVIOUSLY, BUT NOT WITH A FORMAL PROCESS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO DID IS THAT INSTEAD OF RELYING ON SOMEBODY ELSE TO DELIVER THAT LIST TO US, THAT WAS DONE PREVIOUSLY, THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE OF OUR CAPTAINS, WHO IS IN THE FIRE -- THE HAZMAT INSPECTION PROGRAM DIVISION, TO GET ON THE LIST TO ACTUALLY TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT LIST HIMSELF TO DO THAT FOLLOW-UP.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON ANYBODY ELSE FOR THAT NOW AND WE CAN DO THAT OURSELVES, SO THAT'S BEEN FORMALIZED. AND ANOTHER ONE WAS WITH REINSPECTIONS, AND ISSUING NOTICES OF VIOLATION, AND SO WE HAVE A PROCESS WHERE AFTER THE FIRST INSPECTION, IF THAT INSPECTION FAILS, THEY GET A NOTICE THAT IT WAS A FAILED INSPECTION AND A FOLLOW-UP IS SCHEDULED. THERE'S NOT A CITATION ISSUED UNLESS IT'S A SEVERE TYPE OF VIOLATION. SO IT COULD BE SOMETHING -- SOMETHING MINOR, SOMETHING TO DO WITH SIGNAGE, UM, OR EVEN SOMETHING AS FAR AS BILLING, OR A LATE FEE, THAT WOULD -- THAT WOULD BE -- THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A RE-INSPECTION SO WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK OUT AND DO FOLLOW-UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CURRENT ON THEIR BILL. SO THE NEXT STEP IS TO ISSUE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION, THAT'S A FORMAL NOTICE THAT THEY'RE HANDED AND MOST OF THE TIME WHEN SOMEBODY IS IN VIOLATION, ONCE THEY'VE RECEIVED THE FIRST -- THE FIRST FAILED INSPECTION, THAT NOTICE OF A VIOLATION IS REALLY -- GETS THE FIRE UNDER THEM -- NO PUN INTENDED -- TO GET THEM TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE. AND SO AFTER THAT, ONCE THAT IS ISSUED WE USUALLY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE NEXT STEP WHICH IS CITATION.
SO THAT'S THE LAST -- THE LAST STEP FOR US. THAT'S THE LAST-DITCH EFFORT FOR US TO GET THEM TO COMPLY AND WE HOPEFULLY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT. ON OCCASION WE HAVE TO ISSUE CITATIONS BASED ON A VERY SEVERE VIOLATION, BUT MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BRINGING SOMEBODY INTO COMPLIANCE, UM, THE BUSINESSES ARE -- ARE VERY COOPERATIVE.
>> VIAGRAN: ANY OTHER MEMBERS, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
WE HAVE -- WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC CONSISTENTLY COMPLAINING ABOUT MOSTLY SMELLS THAT THEY HAVE FROM DIFFERENT KINDS OF FACTORIES, MANUFACTURING, CHEMICAL, ETC.
AND SO I PRESUME THAT YOU LOOK AT THAT A LOT, BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY RELATED TO SOME KIND OF
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, IS THAT CORRECT? >> WELL, OUR CODES DEAL WITH STORAGE AND USE, AS FAR AS ANY KIND OF AIR QUALITY, THAT'S REALLY A MATTER FOR THE TEXAS
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COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO -- TO BE HANDED OVER TO TCQ, IF IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHERE IT WAS ACTUAL, UM, ODOR OR, YOU KNOW -- BUT IF WE RECEIVED A REPORT THAT THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR, THEN WE WOULD GO AND INSPECT FOR -- BECAUSE THERE COULD BE IMPROPER STORAGE. AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THATWE WOULD DEFINITELY INVESTIGATE. >> COURAGE: OKAY. I -- IT BOTHERS ME A LITTLE BIT THAT THAT PARTICULAR SECTION OF WHAT YOUR OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HAS NOT BEEN CONSISTENT IN WHEN IT SAYS NOT CONSISTENTLY ISSUED VIOLATION NOTICES, I WONDER, DOES THAT MEAN SOME THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM GETTING NOTICE AND SOME THAT DON'T? OR SOME IGNORED OR SOME FAVORED? AND THEN RE-INSPECTIONS -- YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEONE IS TOLD THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, I WOULD EXPECT THAT RE-INSPECTION SHOULD GET DONE. SO ALL I'M REALLY SAYING IS THAT I'M GLAD THAT THESE WERE POINTED OUT AND I'M GLAD THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO ATTEND TO THEM DIRECTLY AND TRY TO CORRECT THOSE. BECAUSE I THINK THAT THOSE ARE IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO LET US KNOW THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THINGS RELATED TO THAT. SO HOPEFULLY WHEN THERE'S A FOLLOW-UP, WHICH I PRESUME THAT THERE WILL BE BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE RESOLVED, THAT WE'LL HEAR THAT ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. SO, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE MEMBERS?
ALL RIGHT, CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECONDD TO APPROVE? >> MOTION MADE.
>> SECOND. >> VIAGRAN: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> AYE. >> VIAGRAN: ALL OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES.
CLERK, PLEASE READ THE CAPTION FOR ITEM 5. >> CLERK: ITEM 5 IS ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR REPORT AU23-011 AUDIT OF EDD PROSPER WEST CONTRACT.
>> GOOD MORNING. >> VIAGRAN: THERE'S A STAFF PRESENTATION.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> I'M BUDDY VARGAS, WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND I'LL PRESENT THIS AUDIT, OR OBJECTIVE WAS TO DETERMINE IF THE CITY AND PROSPER WEST ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. AND WE CONCLUDED THAT EDD STAFF IS NOT ADEQUATELY MONITORING THE CONTRACT. AND ADDITIONALLY PROSPER WEST IS WANT IN COMPLIANCE WITH KEY CONTRACTUAL TERMS. SEVERAL OF OUR ISSUES, CONTRACT MONITORING, EDD STAFF HAS NOT ADEQUATELY MONITORED THE CONTRACT AND THEY DON'T HAVE EFFECTIVE PROCEDURES TO MONITOR. AND ACTIVITY REPORTS, QUARTERLY REPORTS WERE INACCURATE, SPECIFICALLY THE LOAN AND GRANT QUANTITIES. GRANTS, PROSPER WEST GAVE A GRANT TO AN ELIGIBLE BUSINESS AND ALSO THERE WAS A LACK OF DOCUMENT SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF THESE GRANTS. UNUSED LOANS AND GRANTS WERE NOT RETURNED TO EDD AS REQUIRED.
MATCHING FUNDS, PROSPER WEST DID NOT PROVIDE THE 50% MATCHING FUND REQUIREMENT.
GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, THERE WERE UNALLOWABLE EXPENSES THAT WE IDENTIFIED.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND ACCOUNTING -- PROSPER WEST HAS NOT PROVIDED THE INDEPENDENT AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND ALSO ARE NOT ACCOUNTING FOR CITY FUNDS SEPARATELY AS REQUIRED BY THE CONTRACT. AND, FINALLY, THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS WERE NOT IN COMPLIANCE. MANAGEMENT AGREED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ALSO CREATED ACTION PLANS TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP TO SEE IF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED AT THE END OF NOVEMBER, GOING INTO DECEMBER.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. AND MANAGEMENT IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. I -- I APPRECIATE THIS. THERE WERE A LOT OF FINDINGS THAT WERE TROUBLESOME. AND I THINK THAT THE FIRST STEP FOR OUR COMMITTEE IS TO ACCEPT THIS AUDIT REPORT, AND ALSO TO DISCUSS WHAT ARE THE -- WHAT COMMITTEES OR WHERE THIS NEEDS TO GO NEXT. SO I'M GLAD THAT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AND I THINK, UM, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM MY COUNCIL -- AGAIN, QUITE A FEW TROUBLING THINGS REGARDING THIS. BUT I THINK THAT THE ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, UM, THAT WE, UM -- AND, BRENDA, YOU CAN -- YOU CAN ANSWER THIS
QUESTION. >> SO, CHAIR, AS BRENDA MAKES HER WAY UP, AGAIN, I THINK THAT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF BRENDA TALKS ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT RESPONSE TO THE AUDIT AND ANY
[00:30:04]
ACTION PLAN -- >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, AND, BRENDA, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED YOU TO DO IS TO TALK ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT RESPONSE AND REALLY TALK ABOUT THE STAFFING THAT'S NEEDED FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE DO THIS AND THEN WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THE BDOS.
THIS BDO IN PARTICULAR, BUT AS WE LOOK AT OTHER BDOS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN. AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS. YES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS INDICATED DOES ACCEPT THE FINDINGS OF THIS AUDIT REPORT. THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE TOOK OVER THIS CONTRACT IN 2020, AND THEN I CAME ONBOARD IN 2021, WE HAD SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW THE CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN MANAGED INTERNALLY.
IN FACT, EARLIER THIS SPRING WE HAD AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER POSITION OPEN IN ONE OF OUR OTHER DIVISIONS, AND WE TRANSFERRED THAT POSITION INTERNALLY TO A NEW KIND OF CONTRACT COMPLIANCE AND INCENTIVE REVIEW TEAM. WE POSTED THE POSITION.
WE HIRED SOMEONE -- ACTUALLY OUR INTERNAL PERSON WHO HAS OVERSEEN OUR INCENTIVE COMPLIANCE FOR THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS, SHE COMES WITH OVER 15 YEARS OF CONTRACT COMPLIANCE AND INCENTIVEMANAGEM.
SO OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT SHE IS IMPLEMENTING WITH THIS TEAM THIS SAME RIGOR AND DUE DILIGENCE THAT WE APPLY TO THE INCENTIVE COMPLIANCE TO ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS.
THAT HAS BEEN REALLY KIND OF SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT.
SO AS OTHER TEAM MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, THE SMALL BUSINESS TEAM OR THE INDUSTRY TEAM, HAVE MONITORED THESE INDIVIDUAL PARTNER CONTRACTS. SO, AGAIN, ALL OF THESE ARE TRANSITIONING OVER TO THAT TEAM. AND THAT WE HAVE THAT -- THAT HAS THAT EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST IN OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT THE MANAGER THAT WE HIRED ALSO WORKED IN FINANCE ON THE COMPLIANCE TEAM.
SO HAS THAT SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE. WE WILL HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AS PART OF THAT -- THAT TEAM. WE HAVE AN OFFER OUT TO ONE OF THE CANDIDATES AND WE'LL BE POSTING THE THIRD POSITION. SO, AGAIN, APPLYING THE SAME KIND OF RIGOR AND DUE D DILIGENE THAT WE HAVE APPLIED TO ALL CONTRACTS MOVING FORWARD.
ALL OF OUR TEAMS AS A RESULT OF THIS HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION PLANS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT FOR, AGAIN, NOT JUST THE PROSPER WEST CONTRACT, AND NOT JUST THE BDO CONTRACTS, BUT FOR ALL OF OUR PARTNER CONTRACTS.
AND ALL OF THOSE HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.
AND ARE WORKING ON ENSURING COMPLIENSZ. SPECIFIC TO PROSPER WEST, WE HAVE MET WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP TEAM, THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THEIR BOARD CHAIR AND THEIR VICE-CHAIR TO TALK THROUGH THE FINDINGS. AND THEY HAVE UNTIL FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13TH, TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE AS WELL WITH THE FINDINGS. AND WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH THEM REGULARLY TO ENSURE THAT IS TAKING PLACE. SO, AGAIN, ANOTHER MEETING IS SCHEDULED LATER TODAY. AND THEN, FINALLY, WE ALSO -- AS WE'RE REVIEWING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 CONTRACTS, AGAIN, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE FUNDING BUT THOSE CONTRACTS HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT FORTH AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND WE WILL BRING THOSE FORWARD LATER THIS CALENDAR YEAR YET. BUT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE AUDITORS AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, AND TO ENSURE THAT THOSE CONTRACTS ARE ABSOLUTELY EXPLICIT. SO THAT THERE'S NOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CRITERIA IN
THOSE. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM MY
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU.
BRENDA, NO OFFENSE, BUT I THINK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT REALLY FELL DOWN ON THE JOB ON THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE MAY BE SIMILAR OCCURRENCES WITH SOME OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE IF THERE MAY BE. BUT I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THERE'S A PLAN TO RESOLVE AS FAR AS YOUR DEPARTMENT IS CONCERNED, BETTER MONITORING OF THIS PROCESS. AND THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS. IF THE CITY IS GOING TO BE A PARTNER, WE NEED TO MONITOR THAT PARTNERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY DOES THEIR JOB.
AND SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY CONCERNED ME WAS ONE OF THE FINDINGS WAS, UM, THAT -- WELL, TWO OF THEM REALLY -- GRANTS GIVEN TO INELIGIBLE BUSINESSES. IT JUST MAKES ME THINK OF FAVORITISM BEING USED AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDING. AND THEN REQUIRED MATCHING FUNDS, THE ORGANIZATION DIDN'T PUT UP THEIR 50%, WELL, WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT MONEY THEY DIDN'T PUT UP, WHY WASN'T IT THERE? WERE THERE ANY MORE IN-DETAIL
[00:35:04]
FINDINGS THAT MAYBE A CITY COMMITTEE CAN HEAR MORE ABOUT? I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN OVERVIEW, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S SOME GREATER DETAILS THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED INTHE FUTURE TIME? CAN YOU TELL US ANYMORE? >> SURE.
SO SPECIFIC TO THE MATCHING FUNDS -- SO PROSPER WEST DOES A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
SO THEY DO HOUSING, THEY DO COMMERCIAL RE-DEVELOPMENT AND SO FORTH.
SO THE MATCHING FUNDS, THEY DID SUBMIT MATCHING FUND DOCUMENTATION THAT THE STAFF WAS REVIEWING. IT HAPPENED TO BE HUD, SO ADDITIONAL FEDERAL DOLLARS AND IT HAPPENED THOUGH THAT WAS FOR THEIR HOUSING SO THE MATCHING FUNDS THAT WERE REQUIRED NEED TO BE SPECIFIC TO THIS CONTRACT. THOSE SAME SERVICES. AND SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THAT CLARIFICATION THAT WE'RE ENSURING THAT IS IN THAT FISCAL YEAR 2024 CONTRACT, SO MAKING SURE THAT IT IS EXPLICIT, THAT THE MATCHING FUNDS ARE NOT JUST KIND OF GENERAL ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT. BUT SPECIFIC TO WHAT THE CONTRACT IS, AND IN THIS CASE IT'S FOR SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES. SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT IS MORE EXPLICIT. >> COURAGE: UM-HMM.
>> AND THEN AS TO YOUR OTHER COMMENT ON THESE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ON THE GRANTS, SO IN TALKING TO THE PROSPER WEST LEADERSHIP, THAT THEY DID HAVE EXCEPTIONS TO THEIR POLICIES AND SO FORTH AND THEY JUST WEREN'T DOCUMENTED ACCORDINGLY, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS IF THEA DETAILED REVIEW OF THEIR POLICIES, THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, WE HAVE THOSE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL LOANS. AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE HAVE PUT A PAUSE ON THE GRANTS AND LOAN FUNDING THIS YEAR. SO HISTORICALLY THE CITY PROVIDES $100,000 FOR THAT PROGRAM AND IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET WE DID NOT INCLUDE THAT FUNDING SO WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE TO REVIEW ALL OF THIS. >> COURAGE: SO WHEN WE SEE A DATE OF LATER IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER, AS FAR AS YOUR ORGANIZATION IS SAYING, OKAY, WE'VE CAUGHT UP AND WE HAVE ACHIEVED THE RESULTS THAT YOU'RE ASKING US FOR -- HOW DOES THAT GET VERIFIED? AND HOW IS THAT CONTINUED TO BE MONITORED?
>> SO AS MR. VARGAS INDICATED, WE ARE COORDINATING WITH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE SO WE'LL PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION WHEN THE AUDITORS COME BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT, AS ANTICIPATED, AGAIN, THAT WILL BE AT THE END OF NOVEMBER. AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING AT BRINGING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 CONTRACTS FOR THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS FORWARD TO EWDC, SO THAT WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT THE FINDINGS AS WELL.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING MORE IMPORTANTLY MOVING FORWARD WITH THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 CONTRACTS.
>> COURAGE: ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: YEAH, UM, I WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF COUNCILMAN COURAGE, AND I APPRECIATE THOSE QUESTIONS. I MEAN, THIS FOR ME IS TREMENDOUSLY DISAPPOINTING. THESE ARE -- THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, BEFORE I GOT INTO THIS OFFICE AND I KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC OUT THERE -- THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT -- WHAT I FEARED HAPPENS TOO OFTEN IN GOVERNMENT AND I KNOW THAT MY CONSTITUENTS FEAR THE EXACT SAME THING.
AND THAT IS THE CITY DOLING OUT MONEY WITHOUT HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE, OR A GOOD PLAN IN PLACE, TO ACTUALLY MONITOR HOW THE MONEY IS BEING USED, IF IT'S DOING WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO AND IF CONTRACTS ARE BEING COMPLIED WITH, AND THIS SPEAKS TO ALL OF IT.
AND AS WAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, MY GUESS IS THAT THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER AGENCIES WHERE WE'RE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THAT WE HAVE HERE WITH PROSPER WEST. AND I UNDERSTAND AND I APPRECIATE THAT, I GUESS THAT WE'RE HIRING SOMEBODY NEW TO HELP, YOU KNOW, TO OVERSEE THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD, IF I UNDERSTOOD THAT CORRECTLY. BUT IN THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN WE -- WHEN WE GAVE THIS MONEY, DID -- I MEAN, WE PROBABLY THOUGHT THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROPERLY TO MONITOR THE CONTRACT BACK THEN. AND, YOU KNOW, WHY WERE WE WRONG THEN? BUT NOW WE THINK THAT WE'VE GOT THE SOLUTION TO IT. AND SO I -- I JUST HOPE -- AND IT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION, BUT MY HOPE IS THAT JUST THAT MOVING FORWARD THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SPENDING DOLLARS AND GIVING MONEY TO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, THAT WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A GOOD PLAN IN PLACE TO MONITOR THESE THINGS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE BEING PROPERLY USED. AND IT IS OUR JOB TO BE GOOD STEWARTS OF TAXPAYER MONEY AND WE FELL DOWN ON THE JOB HERE WITH PROSPER WEST, AND SO WE GOTTA JUST DO BETTER.
[00:40:06]
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. >> CHAIR, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, COUNCILMAN.
SO JUST FOR CONTEXT, KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE LITERALLY THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CONTRACTS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. WE DON'T ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT.
WE DIDN'T HERE. AND WE'RE GOING TO FIX THAT GOING FORWARD, AND THE EXPECTATION WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT IS THAT THEY MONITOR THOSE CONTRACTS AND IS THEY THEY HAVE WHAT WE CALL CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO LOOK AT THE KEY PROVISIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SERVICES OR WHATEVER WE'RE CONTRACTING FOR IS BEING DELIVERED AND THAT THEY'RE MEETING THE SIGNIFICANT TERMS, BUT I THINK THAT KEVIN CAN JUMP IN HERE AS WELL, AND WE DO A LOT OF THESE AUDITS AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I HAVE SEEN ONE LIKE THIS.
AND, AGAIN, WE DON'T ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT, WITH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CONTRACTS AND 13,000 EMPLOYEES, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT WE DELIVER.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS, THE SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS OF HAVING KEVIN'S OFFICE IN PLACE AND GOING OUT AND LOOKING AT THESE AND LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, OUR VARIOUS CONTRACTS FROM AN AUDIT PERSPECTIVE IS THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHERE WE DO HAVE GAPS. WE HAVE GAPS HERE AND WE'LL ADDRESS THEM AND WE'LL GET THOSE FIXED. SO I DON'T KNOW --
>> SO WHAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT EDD. THE SBEDA PROGRAM, WE LOOK AT THAT EVERY TWO YEARS AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM. AND THEY'RE BRINGING BUSINESS INTO THE CITY. AND WE HAVE LOOKED AT THAT IN THE PAST WITH MINOR -- MINOR ISSUES. AND WE WERE SURPRISED AT THIS AUDIT AND THE RESULTS OF IT.
I BELIEVE THIS IS A ONE-OFF BUT WE AUDIT CONTRACTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS AN ANOMALY, I HOPE THAT IT'S AN ANOMALY, FOR IT TO BE THIS BAD.
WE GENERALLY HAVE ISSUES BUT THEY'RE MINOR IN NATURE. BUT I DON'T THINK -- AND I JUST WANT -- THIS IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.
>> AND I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IF I CAN, LISTEN, I'M -- SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, FOUR MONTHS, MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT STAFF OVERALL DOES A GREAT JOB.
AND NOBODY IS SAYING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE PERFECT, AND SO THAT'S UNREALISTIC.
AND WE GIVE OUT A LOT OF MONEY AND WE SPEND MONEY ON A TON OF THINGS, CERTAINLY MORE THAN I WOULD LIKE AND WE GIVE MONEY TO A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES, AGAIN, FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND SO I HOPE THAT SEEING SOMETHING LIKE THIS MAKES US TO RE-DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE GIVE OUT DOLLARS THAT WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND WE'RE MONITORING HOW THEY'RE USED. BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC, AGAIN -- I DON'T THINK THAT THE PUBLIC EXPECTS US TO BE PERFECT, BUT WE SHOULD TRY TO BE AS CLOSE TO PERFECT AS WE CAN.
>> VIAGRAN: ANY OTHER MEMBERS? COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, BRENDA, AND, UM, BEN AND KEVIN. I THINK THAT THE ONE THING THAT WE SEE HERE IS, UM, IT WAS UNEXPECTED AND LIKE YOU SAID WE HADN'T SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN A WHILE.
I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GOING TO, UM, TO BRING IT BACK. I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE THAT FRIDAY OCTOBER 13TH DATE. I THINK THAT THIS DOES NEED TO GO TO ECONOMIC WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS BACK TO AUDIT IN A FUTURE MEETING, JUST SO THAT WE CAN GET AN UPDATE BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE HEARD HERE. BUT WHAT -- WHAT WE DO NEED RIGHT NOW IS A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ACCEPT THE AUDIT REPORT.
>> I MOVE TO ACCEPT. >> VIAGRAN: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO
ACCEPT THE AUDIT REPORT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE.
>> VIAGRAN: ALL OPPOSED SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
[Staff Briefing ]
WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING, AND FOR ITEM NUMBER 6. DO YOU WANT TO READ THEDESCRIPTION? >> CLERK: ITEM NUMBER 6 IS A STAFF PRESENTATION ON THE FISCAL
YEAR 2024 ANNUAL HIGH PROFILE FORECAST REPORT. >> VIAGRAN: ALL RIGHT, WE'LL
HEAR FROM TROY TODAY. TROY, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM, AND GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I'M TROY ELLIOTT, I'M THE DEPUTY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. AND THIS MORNING I'LL PRESENT THE 2024 EVERY YEAR ABOUT THIS TIME, THE PURCHASING DIVISION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY. AND WE DEVELOP A LIST OF THOSE CONTRACTS, OR THOSE PROCUREMENTS THAT MEET THE DEFINITION OF A HIGH PROFILE AND WE BRING THEM TO THIS COMMITTEE. ONE, TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO BE FORTHCOMING OVER THE NEXT YEAR THAT MEET THE HIGH-PROFILE DEFINITION. BUT ALSO TO GET THIS COMMITTEE'S
[00:45:02]
INPUT AS FAR AS -- I'LL TALK ABOUT IT IN A MINUTE -- ABOUT THE PATH THAT THOSE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS TAKE AND THERE'S FOUR OF THOSE. WE WANT TO GET YOUR INPUT AS FAR AS OUR RECOMMENDATION AND WE AS STAFF ARE RECOMMENDING THE RIGHT PATH OR THE RIGHT VEHICLE OR PROCESS FOR THOSE CONTRACTS TO TAKE. AND THERE WILL BE A B SESSION COMING UP NEXT WEEK AS WELL, WHERE I WILL PRESENT THIS INFORMATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL, I'LL PROBABLY GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DEPTH, NOT JUST WITH THE FORECAST AND TALKING ABOUT SOLICITATION METHODS AND OUR PREFERENCE PROGRAMS AND HOW THEY ACTUALLY TIE TO THESE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS FOR SOLICITATIONS. AS FAR AS MY PRESENTATION, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AS FAR AS THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS, TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS A HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACT. AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE EFFICIENCIES THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE ON THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS AS FAR AS WHAT DIRECTION THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE, WHAT PATH THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE. AND THEN ALSO GOING INTO THE DETAILS STAR AS FAR AS EACH OF 2 HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS AND THE PATH RECOMMENDED. IN FRONT OF YOU THIS MORNING THERE SHOULD BE A PACKAGE PLACED AT YOUR SEAT. THIS INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY DETAILED. IT IS ACTUALLY -- I CAN GO INTO SOME DETAIL IN MY PRESENTATION, BUT FOR YOUR REFERENCE, THIS PACKAGE IS GOING TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS FOR SOLICITATIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE PURSUING OVER THE NEXT YEAR.AND TODAY I'M GOING TO TALK AT A SUMMARY LEVEL BUT IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO -- I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TODAY, BUT IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK THIS MORNING OR THE B SESSION AS FAR AS THE PATH THAT WE TAKE.
AT A MINIMUM THIS INFORMATION IS GOING TO TELL YOU THE PROJECT NAME, THE DEPARTMENT, THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT, THE ESTIMATED VALUE, THE METHOD THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROCURE IT.
WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO AS FAR AS B SESSION, AUDIT COMMITTEE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALSO ADDED IS THE PREFERENCE PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE APPLICABLE TO THIS, THE LOCAL PREFERENCE AND THE SBEDA AND THE VETERANS SO A BIT OF BACKGROUND FOR THE HIGH PROFILE -- UM, THE HIGH PROFILE COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED IN OCTOBER 2013 TO BASICALLY TO MONITOR THE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACT PROCESS.
IT WAS PUT IN PLACE TO ELEVATE TRANSPAR ELSEY FOR OUR CONTRACTS AND TO GET INPUT FROM THE COUPLE COUNCIL OR THE COMMITTEE BEFORE WE ACTUALLY RELEASE A SOLICITATION.
AND WHAT WE CALL PRE-SOLICITATION. AND WHEN WE COME BACK AFTER COMPLETING THE SOLICITATION AND SHOWING THE RESULTS OF THAT SOLICITATION.
AS YOU SAW TODAY ON THE AGENDA FOR THE SOLID WASTE AND THEN RAZI ON THE POST.
AND IN AUGUST 2017, THE COMMITTEE WAS RENAMED TO THE AUDIT ACCO ACCOUNTABILITY COMMI, AND TO LOOK AT THE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS THAT MY DEPARTMENT OVERSEES.
AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER 2019, WE STARTED MODIFYING THE PROCESS BASED ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION OR THE LESSONS LEARNED. SO WE ESTABLISHED WHAT WE CALL A SELECT HIGH-PROFILE CATEGORY FOR B SESSION BRIEFINGS. WHAT WE'RE NOTICING AT THE TIME WAS THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS THAT WERE COMING TO THIS COMMITTEE, AND THERE WERE ALSO -- THEY HAD SIGNIFICANT INTEREST, AND WE WERE DUPLICATING THE EFFORT GOING TO THE FULL COUNCIL AND B SESSION. SO IN ORDER TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS WE DEVELOPED A SET OF CRITERIA THAT AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE IN MORE DETAIL HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES.
IN JUNE 2022, WE ALSO, WITH THE -- WITH THE INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM COMING ONLINE, WE ALSO WANTED TO PLACE EMPHASIS ON THOSE HIGH-PROFILE SOLICITATION. JESUS WILL BRING FORWARD ALL OF THOSE SOLICITATIONS WITH HIS BRIEFINGS THAT OCCUR EVERY TWO OR THREE MONTHS AND I BELIEVE THAT HE'LL HAVE A BRIEFING THIS WEEK TALKING ABOUT THE CONCESSIONS CONTRACTS.
AND, LASTLY, OCTOBER 2022, WE MADE ADDITIONAL REFINEMENTS. A LOT OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WERE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD BETWEEN A MILLION AND FIVE MILLION WERE FAIRLY ROUTINE AND RATHER THAN TO BRING THEM TO THIS COMMITTEE WITH HIGH VOLUME, THEY GO DIRECT TO CITY COUNCIL NOW AND I TALK ABOUT THAT ALL HERE IN A SECOND. WHAT IS A HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACT OR THE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACT DEFINITION ESTABLISHED BACK ON OCTOBER 203? 13? THERE'S THREE CRITERIA. ONE, DISCRETIONARY VALUE OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
DISCRETIONARY IS A KEY TERM. MEANING THAT WE WILL WANT NOT BE BRING LOW-BID PROCUREMENTS TO THE COMMITTEE, BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO DISCRETION. THERE'S TWO FACTORS THAT ARE DETERMINED, ONCE, YOU HAVE SPECIFICATIONS -- IS IT A FOUR DOOR WHITE SEDAN, UM, OR -- AND
[00:50:02]
PRICE? SO IF IT MEETS SPECIFICATIONS AND IT'S LOW BID AND THERE'S NO DISCRETION AND WE AWARD TO THE LOWEST PRICE AND THAT MOVES FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA.IF IT'S DISCRETIONARY, MEANING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER FACTORS BEYOND PRICE, TYPICALLY YOU SEE IT ON AGENDAS LIKE TODAY, EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATION AND PROPOSED PLAN, UM, THEN IT BECOMES DISCRETIONARY. AND WE MEET MORE CRITERIA ON THE HIGH-PROFILE DEFINITION. AND SECONDLY, IS THERE A HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY INTEREST OR OTHER EXCEPTIONAL INTERESTS. AND THEN, FINALLY, IS IT HIGHLY COMPLEX OR TECHNICAL IN NATURE? AND OUR CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS ARE NON-STANDARD OR COMPLEX.
IF IT MEETS ANY ONE OF THESE THREE CRITERIA WE ESTABLISH IT ON HIGH PROFILE AND THEN IT GOES THROUGH THE HIGH PROFILE PROCESS. AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT THE HIGH PROFILE DEFINITION IS THAT IT'S ALSO TIED TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE.
SO NO POLITICAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE MADE BY INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES SEEKING HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS. SO REALLY THOSE ARE THE KEY PROVISIONS TIED TO THE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS. I MENTIONED A WHILE AGO TOO THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN PROCUREMENTS THAT WE WERE NOTICING THAT MET SEVERAL ATTRIBUTES, AND THOSE INCLUDE TYPICALLY THEY HAVE A VALUE OVER $25 MILLION. OR THEY HAVE HIGH CONTRACT TERMS OF 10 YEARS OR MORE.
HIGH LEVEL POLICY OR PUBLIC SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. HIGH LEVEL COMMUNITY OF STAKEHOLDER IMPACT OR INTEREST. AND THEN PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT. IF I MISSED ANYTHING, JUST BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME NOW, UM, I TEND TO OVER HISTORY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE COUNCIL AND WE'LL RAISE THAT TO THE COUNCIL IN TERMS OF THE B SESSION OR AUDIT COMMITTEE. BUT GIVEN THESE CRITERIA, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT HERE, WE TYPICALLY WILL TAKE THESE STRAIGHT TO A B SESSION AND NOT BE DUPLICATED GOING THROUGH THE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE.
THERE ARE FOUR PATHS THAT A HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACT CAN TAKE. THE FIRST AS I MENTIONED IT CAN BE SELECTED FOR B SESSION. IT'S GOING TO RANGE TYPICALLY OVER $25 MILLION OR MEET THE KRI CRITERIA THAT I TALKED ABOUT ON THE PRIOR SLIDE. YOU CAN HAVE THE HIGH-PROFILE BRIEFINGS AND THIS IS DESIGNED TO MEET THE AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE TO DELIVER THE INTERNAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON TIME. AND THEN THOSE FOR THE AUDIT COMMUNITY THAT ARE $5 MILLION TO $25 MILLION AND THOSE THAT GO STRAIGHT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. WHAT WE'LL ASK TODAY AND RECOMMENDING OF STAFF IS TO SHOW YOU ALL OF THE HIGH-PROFILE CONTRACTS AND WE'RE GOING TO CATEGORIZE THEM INTO ONE OF THESE BUCKETS. IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE MOVED, BETWEEN ONE OF THESE COMMITTEES, LET US KNOW AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. AS FAR AS THE HIGH-PROFILE FORECAST, THERE WERE 52 AND WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS HIGH PROFILE.
THREE WERE RECOMMENDING TO BE PRESENTED AT B SESSION. AND FIVE DESIGNATED FOR A B SESSION. AND 19 THAT WOULD COME THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE.
AND THEN 25 THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO GO -- BASED ON BEING BETWEEN $1 MILLION AND $5 MILLION AND BEING ROUTINE TO BE PLACED ON THE CITY CONSENT AGENDA.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE ARE THREE SELECTED FOR B SESSION AND THAT REALLY REPRESENTS ESSENTIALLY SIX PRESENTATIONS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE FOR EACH CONTRACT FOR A PRE-SOLICITATION BRIEFING AND WE'LL CONDUCT THE PROCESS, WE'LL COME BACK TO B SESSION FOR THE POST, SHARING THE RESULTS. AND THEN AFTER THE PRE-SOLICITATION BRIEFING AND A POST-SOLICITATION BRIEFING, THEN IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE PUT ON FOR A THIRD TIME ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA TO ACTUALLY TO GET THE RECOMMENDED AWARD. AND MOVE FORWARD.
THERE ARE ALSO IN ADDITION TO THESE, I'LL NOT BE SHARING THOSE TODAY BUT THERE ARE SOME SOME PROGRESS AND THERE'S ABOUT 13 ON THE 2023 HIGH PROFILE FORECAST OR ACTUALLY IN PROCESS AND THEY'LL BE COMING THROUGH ONE OF THESE PATHS AS WELL. AS I MENTIONED, I'LL GO THROUGH THESE AT VERY, VERY HIGH LEVEL, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM THE DEPARTMENTS THAT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. IF THERE'S ANYTHING HERE THAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON. AS I MENTIONED THERE ARE THREE THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT REALLY MEET THE CRITERIA TO GO TO A B SESSION. FOR PUBLIC WORKS WE HAVE THE UPPER LABOR DAM AND THE WATERWORKS OF BRECKENRIDGE PARK, ABOUT $10 MILLION THAT WOULD GO TO B SESSION. AND HISTORICALLY FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES, $9.6 MILLION FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. AND THEN JUST RECENTLY IN SEPTEMBER, Y'ALL HEARD THE TOW MANAGEMENT CONTRACT, AND WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY TAKING THE INPUT THAT YOU SEE FROM COUNCIL DURING THAT B SESSION, AND ADDING THAT TO THE SOLICITATION BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GOES OUT, ROUGHLY FOR ABOUT $460 MILLION. THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WILL BE
[00:55:07]
GOING THROUGH THE B SESSION SPECIFIC TO AVIATION. WE HAVE $9.6 MILLION FOR THE COMMON USE PASSENGER PROCESSING SYSTEM. THIS IS A CONTRACT TO SUPPORT FLIGHT OPERATIONS AND WE ALSO HAVE $8 MILLION FOR A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSAL FOR SECURITY SERVICES FOR THE AIRPORT AS WELL. AND $71 MILLION FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRIME CONCESSIONAIRES, AND WE'LL SHARE THIS INFORMATION IN A PRE-SOLICITATION AT B SESSION TOMORROW TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR THESE CONCESSION ITEMS. AND THEN TWO OTHER -- WELL, I GUESS WHAT I DEEM AS FAIRLY ROUTINE ARE ON-CALLS FOR $20 MILLION FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES AND $6 MILLION FOR REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR ON-CALL ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.ALSO RECOMMENDED TO GO THROUGH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE NEXT, IS THERE IS ABOUT -- THIS IS THE NEXT SLIDES, THERE'S 19 ITEMS, AND THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO GO THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE, AND BE PRESENTED FOR A PRE-SOLICITATION AND A POST-SOLIS OFTATION THROUGH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. THE FIRST IS THROUGH CCDO, $7 MILLION, THAT'S A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSAL TO ARE PLACE AND ENHANCE OUR PARKING REVENUE CONTROL SYSTEM.
THE EQUIPMENT FOR OUR CITY-OWNED GARAGES, AND THE SOFTWARE THAT SUPPORTS IT.
AND SECOND ITEM WITH OUR IT TECHNOLOGY SERVICES IS $5 MILLION FOR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR MUNICIPAL COURTS. AND THEN LASTLY ON THIS SLIDE, THE LIBRARY FOR $24.5 MILLION, ANOTHER REQUEST FOR SEALED PROPOSAL FOR PRINT MATERIALS AND THEN CATALOGING AND PROCESSING SERVICES. CONTINUING WITH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, WE HAVE A A RECOMMENDATION FOR PARKS AND RECREATION $12.5 MILLION FOR MMEMING SERVICES.
AND $12.FOR TRACK IMPROVEMENTS AND $6.2 FOR THE DISTRICT PARKS MULTI-GENERATIONAL RECREATIONAL FACILITY. I BELIEVE THIS IS TO CONSTRUCT THE ADDITIONS TO WEST END PARK SENIOR CENTER AND THE WEST END PARK. AND WE HAVE THE ONE THAT YOU JUST HEARD, PRESENTED THIS MORNING, IN A PRE-SOLICITATION SOLICITATION FOR SOLID WASTE WAS THE SMART COLLECTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. ALSO GOING THROUGH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, $4 MILLION CONTRACT FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR OUR HIGH VOLUME RESCUE PARTNER PROGRAM. 2 FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND $9.7 MILLION FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR SAP UPGRADE FOR OUR SYSTEM INTEGRATOR, THE BACKBONE OF OUR PROCUREMENT SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE. AND THEN OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM FOR SAP. AND THEN ALSO IT'S $3.5 MILLION, SINCE WE ARE BRINGING ALL OF THE SOFTWARE INTEGRATIONS FOR S.A.P. THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE AND WE'RE BRINGING THE $3.5 MILLION FOR OUR SYSTEM INTEGRATOR FOR INTEGRATING OUR BUDGET SOLUTION TO SUPPORT OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING, WE HAVE TWO REQUESTS FOR PRO PROPOSALS, BOTH $4.2 MIN FOR MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS RENTAL ANDAL OUR SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP WE HAVE AN RFP ISSUED FOR OUR RISK MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR $8 MILLION, FOR SELF-INSURED WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND OUR THIRD-PARTY CLAIM ADMINISTRATION FOR WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
PUBLIC WORKS, WE HAVE TWO REQUESTS FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND ONE FOR 15 AND ONE FOR $5 MILLION AND BOTH ARE ON-CALL -- ON-CALL CONTRACTS FOR CULTURAL RESOURCES, CONSULTING, AND FOR OUR ON-CALL CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND INSPECTION SERVICES.
AND THEN LAST -- THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE OUR TRANSPORTATION, $5.5 MILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION AND SAFE STREETS. THESE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES ARE THE ONES THAT WE RECOMMEND TO GO TO THE FY AGENDA. AND THE REQUEST FOR SEALED PROPOSAL AND YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THEY'RE ALL LESS THAN FIVE MILLION AND THE FIRST SEVERAL ARE FAIRLY ROUTINE, THEY'RE ON-CALL, ON-CALL SOLICITATIONS. AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM, $1.8 MILLION FOR RUBBER AND PAINT BUILDUP AND REMOVAL SERVICES FROM OUR RUNWAYS. AND $1.6 MILLION FOR SYSTEM INTEGRATION PROJECT FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. IT REALLY IS BASICALLY
[01:00:02]
DEVELOPING OUR UPLOAD TO THE GOOGLE CLOUD AND ESTABLISHING AN AVIATION-WIDE DATABASE.FOR BUILDING EQUIPMENT SERVICES, AGAIN, I THINK THAT YOU WILL SEE A THEME THAT THESE ARE FAIRLY ROUTINE. $1.5 MILLION FOR SPRINKLER SYSTEM INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SERVICES. TWO SEALED PROPOSALS FOR ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS.
AND THEN $1 MILLION FOR TRAINING MANAGEMENT AND RECORD SYSTEM FOR SAPD.
AND OUR LIBRARY RECOMMENDING THREE REQUESTS FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSALS.
$3 MILLION FOR SELF-SERVICE DISPENSING EQUIPMENT OF THE LIBRARY EQUIPMENT AND $3 MILLION FOR SERVICES AND THEN SHELVING AND PSERVICES. AND FIVE REQUESTS FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSALS FOR PUBLIC WORKS. $3.9 MILLION FOR THE TRAINING ACADEMY AND $3 MILLION FOR RENTAL AND BARRICADES, $2.8 MILLION FOR THE PARK TO CONSTRUCT PARK IMPROVEMENTS. TO INCLUDE -- MAY INCLUDE POOL HOUSE IMPROVEMENTS AND NEW AQUATIC AMENITIES AND A WRAPPING IT UP FOR THOSE THAT GO TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA WE HAVE TWO REQUEST REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR HEALTH, $2.8 MILLION FOR OUR MOBILE MENTAL WELLNESS COLLABORATIVE -- SORRY -- AND $1 MILLION FOR THE IMMUNIZATION FOR VACCINE HEZ HESITANCY AND OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES TO $1.2 MILLION, AND OUR APPRENTICESHIP OF GRANTS OF $1.3 MILLION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE. AND THEN THREE REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR PUBLIC WORKS, OR OUR ROAD GRADE SEPARATION AT 4.5, AND THE ASSESSMENT SURVEYS AT $1.5, AND PROGRAM SERVICES AT $1.4 MILLION. SO IN SHORT THAT GIVES YOU AN INSIGHT INTO THE 52 CONTRACTS MOVING THROUGH THAT MEET THE DEFINITION OF HIGH PROFILE OVER THE NEXT YEAR. AND IF THERE'S ANY INPUT OR ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN MENTION, WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATION HERE, AND I WILL BE PRESENTING AN EXPANDED PRESENTATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL NEXT WEEK, PRESENTING THE FORECAST.
>> VIAGRAN: THAT IS THE MOBILE MENTAL WELLNESS COLLABORATIVE AND THE IMMUNIZATION VACCINE HESITANCY, AND THE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR TRANSPORTATION.
OTHER THAN THAT, I -- YOU KNOW, THE REST ARE ALL -- THEY LOOK A LOW BID, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT LOW BID, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A LOCAL PREFERENCE POINT, AND I THINK THAT AS THE COUNCIL DISCUSSES THEIR PREFERENCE TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN LOCAL PREFERENCE, THAT THOSE THREE -- OR THOSE FOUR SHOULD COME TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE BEFORE WE SEND IT ON A CONSENT AGENDA, REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT. AND SO THAT -- THAT'S WHAT I SE. THE OTHER -- WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM MY -- MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, IS PERHAPS THE ACS TOPIC SHOULD GO TO B SESSION BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SUCH A PRIORITY FOR -- AND I'M FINE DISCUSSING IT HERE IN AUDIT -- BUT IT'S BEEN SUCH A PRIORITY FOR SO MANY COUNCILMEMBERS THAT IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WARRANTS A B SESSION OR ASKED FOR FOR A B SESSION IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THAT IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE, AND YOU TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE.
SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR -- I KNOW THAT WE JUST GOT THIS TODAY, AND THERE'S STILL -- THERE'S STILL ROOM TO HAVE CONVERSATION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ANYONE WANT TO GO FIRST? YES? MEMBER TREVIÑO.
[01:05:03]
>> TREVIÑO: TO BE CLEAR, THE 25 PLACED ON THE CITY COUNCIL CONSENT AGENDA -- THESE ARE NOT LOW BID? RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT LOW BID IS
SEPARATE. >> NO, MA'AM, THEY'RE NOT LOW BID, THEY ARE DISCRETIONARY.
BUT THEY ARE FAIRLY ROUTINE IN NATURE. >> TREVIÑO: OKAY.
SO OUR ROLE AS A COMMITTEE, AS YOU TALKED ABOUT KIND OF WHAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, AND THE HISTORY OF THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION -- IS TO JUST TO REALLY LOOK AT THE PROCESS, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE CONTRACTS AS WE DID A FEW MINUTES AGO, POST AND PRE, AND WE ASK QUESTIONS, RIGHT, ABOUT THE PROCESS AND SBEDA AND HOW YOU DID THE SCORING. SO WOULD THESE OTHERS THAT WERE -- THE THREE THAT ARE IN B SESSION AND THE FIVE THAT ARE GOING TO B SESSION UNDER AVIATION AND THEN EVEN THE 25.
THE THREE SECTIONS THAT ARE COMING TO OUR COMMITTEE -- MY QUESTION IS -- SO DOES THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT EXTRA STEP? I FEEL THAT WE'RE THE EXTRA STEP OF REVIEWING THAT PROCESS, RIGHT. BUT IN THIS CASE, WE WILL NOT BE, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COMING TO THIS COMMITTEE. WHEN YOU PRESENT TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE -- EXCUSE ME -- TO CITY COUNCIL NEXT WEEK, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU MENTION TO THEM THAT THERE IS NOT THAT SECONDARY LOOK OF THESE CONTRACTS AND THE PROCESS?
>> DEFINITELY. AND THEY'LL BE GETTING A VERY SIMILAR PRESENTATION, IF NOT ALMOST THE EXACT PRESENTATION, ON THE HIGH-PROFILE PROCESS AND I'LL MENTION TO THEM THE SAME WAY AS FAR AS THE DIFFERENT PATHS THAT THEY WILL FOLLOW AND WHERE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO
HAVE INPUT. >> TREVIÑO: THANK YOU. >> SO TO MENTION THE DEFINITION OF HIGH PROFILE ON THE FRONT END, ANYTHING ABOVE A MILLION, AND THAT TRIGGERS SOME OF THE ETHICS CODE REQUIREMENTS, AND THOSE STAY IN PLACE, AND CAN SO THE RESTRICTIONS, SO IT STAYS IN PLACE AND THE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS STAY IN PLACE. WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO ON THE PROCUREMENT SIDE IS TO LOOK AT THAT DEFINITION AND WITH COUNCILMAN COURAGE TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN STREAMLINE THIS A BIT. AND THERE ARE PRIMARILY THE 25 THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT GOING DIRECTLY TO COUNCIL, THAT WE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE HITTING THAT THRESHOLD BUT THEY'RE ROUTINE. THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT TO THEM, BUT THEY STILL GO THROUGH THE SAME RIGOR FROM KEVIN'S OFFICE AND THEY STILL LOOK FOR CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, AND RESTRRESTRICTIONS ON COMMUNICAT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IN PLACE.
AND IT'S BEING MORE EFFICIENT WITH TRYING TO GET THINGS THROUGH THE PROCESS AND TO HAVE THE COMMITTEE REALLY FOCUS ON THOSE THAT WE THINK THAT, UM, THAT HAVE A LITTLE MORE -- A PROCESS THAT MAY BE A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX IN TERMS OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO WE WANT TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE, BOTH PRE AND POST AND THEN GO TO COUNCIL.
SOME ARE SO SIGNIFICANT THAT WE THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A FREE COUNCIL, AND SO TO PICK WHAT
THOSE GO THROUGH AND HOW TO MOVE THOSE THROUGH THE PROCESS. >> VIAGRAN: NO, THAT MAKES SENSE AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT PIECE. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCILMEMBERS WERE RELYING ON THIS COMMITTEE TO REVIEW IT, AND TO HAVE THAT SECOND REVIEW. AND IT'S GOING JUST DIRECTLY TO
THEM. THAT WAS MY QUESTION. >> AND THEY WILL SEE THE SAME THING, AND WE'LL BREAK IT DOWN, AND IF THERE'S FEEDBACK THAT -- WE'LL GET ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCILMEMBERS BETWEEN NOW AND THE 18TH -- OCTOBER 18TH, B SESSION.
AND WE CAN GET MORE FEEDBACK FROM YOU FROM THAT B SESSION FOR THE TWO CITIZEN MEMBERS, IF Y'ALL HAVE A FEEDBACK BETWEEN NOW AND THEN AND WE CAN TAKE THAT AS WELL AND SHARE WITH THE
COUNCILMAN. >> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO JUST TO KIND OF REVIEW IN MY OWN MIND, THE 25 DIRECT PLACEMENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL -- THEY VERY WELL COULD BE ON A CONSENT AGENDA IF NO COUNCILMEMBER HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE. BUT THEY WILL BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA, SO THE COUNCILMEMBERS CAN LOOK AT THEM IN ADVANCE AND ASK QUESTIONS IF THEY HAVE ANY AND ASK THAT IT BE BROUGHT UP AS A DISCUSSION ITEM. AND SO TAKEN OFF CONSENT.
AND AT THAT TIME, IF THE COUNCILMEMBER HAS A QUESTION, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD TALK TO YOU, TROY, OR YOU, BEN, OR IF IT'S AN AUDIT ISSUE TO KEVIN TO TRY TO CLARIFY THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT IT JUST DOESN'T GET IGNORED. AND THAT COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT EVERY AGENDA AND QUESTION ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND GET CLARIFICATION BEFORE THE ITEM COMES UP SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE BACKGROUND. I PRESUME THAT ANY DISCUSSION WOULD ALSO INDICATE, NO, IT DIDN'T GO TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND IT WENT DIRECTLY AND DO YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT KIND OF SITUATION. >> THAT IS CORRECT, COUNCILMAN.
[01:10:05]
IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE DELIBERATION BY THE COUNCIL AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.THERE'S AN ITEM THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION ON, WE CAN DO THAT TO INCLUDE
PROCESS -- >> COURAGE: OR AS WE HAD BEFORE TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO TAKE THIS
TO A B SESSION BECAUSE WE THINK THAT IT IS MORE SIGNIFICANT. >> RIGHT.
>> COURAGE: NOW, CHAIR, YOU MENTIONED FOUR ITEMS THAT I THINK THAT WERE OUT OF THE 25 DIRECT PLACEMENT. AND DO I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANTED TO MOVE THEM TO A B
SESSION AND -- OR TO THE COMMITTEE? >> VIAGRAN: TO THE COMMITTEE.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. SO THOSE WOULD COME TO THE COMMITTEE, AND I AGREE -- I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE ABOUT THAT. AND THEN ALL OF THE ONES THAT COME TO THE COMMITTEE ARE GOING TO GET THE FULL EXPLANATION, JUST LIKE WE GOT TODAY FOR THE EARLIER ONES, RIGHT? AND SELECTED TO A B SESSION ARE GOING TO BE NOT GOING THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE DIRECTLY, BUT
GOING TO GO TO THE COUNCIL DIRECTLY. >> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. ALL RIGHT, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD OR ANYBODY UNDERSTOOD TOO. SOUNDS GOOD TO ME, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> VIAGRAN: ANY OTHER COMMENTS? AND THEN ON THE ACS ISSUE -- AND I CAN -- I MAY HAVE CONVERSATIOE TO LEAVE THAT TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, INSTEAD OF DOING A B SESSION. I KNOW THAT IT'S $4 MILLION I BELIEVE THAT IT IS?
>> YES, MA'AM, I BELIEVE THAT IS CORRECT. >> IT IS.
>> AND I GUESS THAT AS YOU THINK ABOUT WHETHER YOU WANT TO KEEP IT HERE AT AUDIT COMMITTEE OR TAKE IT TO B SESSION STRICTLY FOCUSED ON THE PROCESS AND NOT NECESSARILY THE POLICY. SO THAT WOULD BE -- SOMETHING THAT TO CONSIDER AS YOU THINK ABOUT WHETHER YOU WANT TO KEEP IT HERE AT THE COMMITTEE OR YOU
WANT TO MOVE THAT TO A FULL B SESSION. >> VIAGRAN: YEAH, I DO LIKE KEEPING IT IN THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE I DO LIKE TO STREAMLINE THAT FOR THE COUNCILMEMBERS.
HOWEVER, AS WE CONTINUE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND CONTINUE TO GET REPORTS, IF I -- IF I ANTICIPATE THAT SOMETHING IS GOING TO BE PULLED ANYWAY, IT IS HELPFUL TO GET CONVERSATION BEFOREHAND.
BUT VERY COMPREHENSIVE LIST. THIS ITEM IS FOR BRIEFING ONLY AND WE CAN DO ANOTHER ROUND -- ANYBODY, ANY COMMENTS, YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING, PULL ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THE TIME IS 11:11, AND THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.