Smaller governments frequently procure goods and services without a procurement manager. While smaller governments can get by without designated procurement managers for their daily operations, they occasionally take on larger projects like new building construction that can strain their limited resources.
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In 2019, the Legislature amended the statute to allow any public agency to use the bid of another public agency for its own purposes if the awarding agency met their own bidding requirements. This is a change to how our Office looks at piggybacking and group purchasing arrangements. For audit purposes, we would expect local governments to evaluate group purchasing contracts as outlined below.
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The Center for Government Innovation has published two new resources to help local governments identify best practices for two different, but possibly related areas: credit card programs and travel expenditures.
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The Center for Government Innovation has added two procurement-related resources to the Resources Database in recent months, one on piggybacking and the other on change order best practices.
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YAKIMA – The Office of the Washington State Auditor published two audits of the City of Wapato today, documenting significant violations of government standards. The accountability and financial audits include eight findings, an unusually high number and cause for concern. The State Auditor’s Office (SAO) also issued a letter to Wapato leadership responding to concerns that the public raised about the city. The reports come after SAO issued a fraud report in February detailing a $300,000 misappropriation in Wapato.
“These audits speak to a basic lack of accountability and transparency in the city,” said State Auditor Pat McCarthy. “It is important the State Auditor’s Office shine a light on issues that need public attention, and the situation in Wapato is deeply concerning.”
If you are a local government in Washington state, you may be aware of RCW 39.34.030, which allows governments to use other agencies’ contracts to buy goods and services – also called “piggybacking.” But what you might not be aware of are the potential pitfalls of piggybacking, which can land you in some big trouble.
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Are you unsure when the formal competitive bidding process is required?
The Performance Center recently released two new resources to help local governments determine when they must use a formal competitive bidding process for purchases or public works projects.
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In the Winter Audit Connection, there was an article clarifying the differences between brand name specification versus sole source procurement. There are additional requirements for brand name procurement when federal funding is used.
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Local governments have the ability to specify a name brand during their procurement process. In these situations, the government should thoroughly document why only this specific manufacturer’s equipment is necessary to meet their operational needs, as well as why another manufacturer’s equipment could not substitute. This documentation should be maintained and periodically evaluated to ensure that the specific brand is still required.
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