Meet Procurement: The City's Ultimate Steward
“In our procurement department, we’ve saved taxpayers millions of dollars through both best practices and innovative new procurement processes like the City’s first-ever reverse auction. We’ve expanded our engagement with the public, launching a public procurement transparency dashboard and hosted targeted outreach events to regional businesses and suppliers. We’ve fully staffed our internal compliance team to ensure that all of our procurement activities meet regulatory mandates. And, finally, Procurement has completed almost all of the p-card audit recommendations and is preparing to execute a controlled relaunch of the program. This team has done phenomenal work and I’m confident in where they’re headed next!”
-Mayor Danny Avula
Richmond is celebrating National Procurement Month , a great opportunity to learn what our City’s Procurement team does.
What is Procurement?
A city needs a lot of stuff to operate! This can include anything from salt and sand for treating roads, to construction contracts, to the big scissors you see at ribbon cuttings. Procurement is the process of getting that stuff. A Procurement department facilitates buying, renting, preparing and awarding contracts, inventory control, and disposal operations, among other things.
Why does a City need a Department of Procurement?
“I like to think of us as the keeper of the gate from the process perspective,” says Deputy Director Scott Lyons.” Everyone who works at the City should be a steward of taxpayer dollars, and our department’s mandate is really to focus on how that money is spent and to whom it is paid.”
Scott says that while individual departments are the experts in what they need, Procurement staff are the experts in how to get what departments need.
“Our job is to make sure that when agencies go out and buy things, they are making fair and consistent decisions. They’re not buying from someone who isn’t qualified. And we want to get good stuff for a good cost in time. We spend a lot of time thinking about efficiencies.”
Procurement staff also think ahead when departments have to be focused on the work at hand. Contracting Officer Daniel Mullery says that Procurement pays attention to regular and consistent needs so that they can create contracts in advance. “We had a road salt contract six months before winter weather—things like that so we can get out ahead of problems,” he says.
Who works for our Procurement department?
In Richmond, Procurement is split into two teams: The contracting side handles the City’s requests for proposals and contract bidding. “We want to make sure our bidders have a fair shot for bids they’re qualified for and that the public and vendors can have confidence that the best person for the job is going to get it,” Scott explains. “We also want to encourage as much competition as is practical. Competition drives prices down, but just as importantly, it helps us connect with new vendors and ideas.” Procurement works closely with the City’s Office of Minority Business Development to make sure that small and minority businesses are fairly included in the bidding process.
On the operational side, procurement experts help suppliers register so that they can do business with the city. This team includes an outreach program that connects Richmond’s wide network of vendors to possible opportunities for City work and training services that work with both City staff and vendors to educate them on procurement procedures.
Where can I learn more about Procurement, either as a resident or a potential vendor?
Visit the Procurement website for information about becoming a supplier or competing for bids and updates on the City’s p-card progress. Scott especially hopes you’ll check out the “About Us” section for more on Procurement’s charge and mission: “We want the public to know that someone is always looking out for them!”
