Title:
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Purchasing Policy Update - Consider an Ordinance amending Chapter 220 of the Seminole County Code of Ordinances by repealing Chapter 220 in its entirety and adopting a new Chapter 220 (“Purchasing Ordinance”); and Consider a Resolution amending the Seminole County Administrative Code by repealing Section 3.55 in its entirety and adopting a new Section 3.55 (“Purchasing Policy”), creating a new Section 28.45 (“Parks and Recreation Approval Authority”), and creating a new Section 12.1 (“Community Services Approval Authority”). Countywide (Lorie Bailey Brown, CFO/Resource Management Director) Requesting Department - Resource Management
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Division:
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Resource Management - Purchasing and Contracts
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Authorized By:
Lorie Bailey Brown, CFO/Resource Management Director
Contact/Phone Number:
Stephen Koontz/407-665-7120
Background:
The Purchasing and Contracts Division and the County Attorney’s Office have worked collaboratively for over three years to rewrite the entirety of Chapter 220 of the Seminole County Code of Ordinances (“Purchasing Ordinance”) and Section 3.55 of the Seminole County Administrative Code ( “Purchasing Policy”). In addition, Section 40 of the County Manager Policy has been reviewed as it relates to Purchasing and the pertinent provisions have been consolidated into the Purchasing Ordinance and the Purchasing Policy, as applicable; thereby eliminating a third source to refer to and for ease of administration.
There were several important reasons for rewriting the Purchasing Ordinance and the Purchasing Policy: the need to reorganize, renumber, retitle, eliminate redundancy, remove outdated sections or language, update outdated sections or language, and relocate certain provisions for suitability purposes from the Purchasing Ordinance into the Purchasing Policy and from the Purchasing Policy into the Purchasing Ordinance. The completion of these tasks served three goals: (1) draft the Purchasing Ordinance such that it is outward facing for vendors that may be looking to do business with Seminole County; (2) draft the Purchasing Policy such that it is an administrative document for direction and guidance primarily to County staff; and (3) draft both the Purchasing Ordinance and Purchasing Policy concisely and clearly for ease of administration.
The Purchasing Policy and the Purchasing Ordinance were reviewed by Department Directors and the County Manager’s Office and feedback was solicited from the Commission at the end of 2023. The Purchasing Manager at that time retired in January of 2024 and the update transitioned to the new and current Purchasing Manager in March 2024. After individual briefings with the Commissioners, the Purchasing Policy and the Purchasing Ordinance were before the Commission for a work session on July 23, 2024. Based on the discussion at the work session, revisions were made in the draft Purchasing Policy to: the capital assets section to clarify attractive items; to the definitions of Evaluation Committee and Review Committee to include operational experience and to clarify the term subject matter expert; and, to allow for the County Manager or Designee to approve change orders greater than the amount specified in the Purchasing Policy and prompt ratification by the Commission thereafter. The documents included with this agenda item also updated the previously distributed drafts to correct grammatical errors, deletion and clarify minor erroneous information previously included, and to finalize the format.
Considering the revisions to the Purchasing Policy, it is appropriate to relocate the approval authority of the Parks and Recreation Department, originally part of the Purchasing Policy, to the corresponding Parks and Recreation section within the Seminole County Administrative Code. Although there are no substantive changes to the Parks and Recreation approval authority, the section has been reorganized for clarity and ease of administration. To ensure consistency, Section 28, which pertains to the Parks and Recreation Department, and all related subsections are also being updated to reflect the Department’s revised name, from Leisure Services to Parks & Recreation, integrating these changes with the current update.
Similarly, provisions pertinent to the administration of the Community Services Department are embedded within the current Purchasing portion of the Seminole County Administrative Code necessitating the provisions’ deletion and relocation to Section 12 (“Community Services Department”).
The Community Services Department Director currently has the authority to approve and execute documents pertaining to the Community Services Block Grant (“CSBG”) Program. In addition, the Community Services Department Director has the authority to approve and execute documents pertaining to the State Housing Initiative Program (“SHIP”) and Home Investment Partnership (“HOME”) Program in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00. The County Manager has the authority to approve and execute documents pertaining to the HOME Program in an amount not to exceed $150,000.00 and for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (“NSP”) in an amount not to exceed $200,000.00.
For efficient administration of services to Seminole County and its citizens, Section 12.1 (“Community Services Approval Authority”) will include revised approval and signature authority for the Community Services Department Director or his or her designee, the County Manager or his or her designee, and the Board of County Commissioners, as follows:
- The Community Services Department Director, the County Manager, and their respective designees have the authority to execute all documents in furtherance of the NSP, SHIP, CDBG, HOME, and Shelter Plus Care (“S+C”) Programs, and any other Federal or State entitlement funds received for administration by the Community Services Department.
- The Community Services Department Director or his or her designee is authorized to award and execute documents related to the above-referenced programs in an amount not to exceed ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND and NO/100 DOLLARS ($100,000.00).
- The County Manager or his or her designee is authorized to award and execute documents related to the above-referenced programs between ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND and 01/100 DOLLARS ($100,000.01) and TWO HUNDRED and FIFTY THOUSAND and NO/100 DOLLARS $250,000.00).
- The Board of County Commissioners may award and execute documents related to the above-referenced programs TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND and 01/100 DOLLARS ($250,000.01) and over.
The Community Services Department Director or the County Manager will submit written reports to the Commission of the NSP and HOME transactions on an annual basis until the completion of each Program.
Requested Action:
Staff requests the Board approve an Ordinance amending Chapter 220 of the Seminole County Code of Ordinances by repealing Chapter 220 in its entirety and adopting a new Chapter 220 (“Purchasing Ordinance”); and Consider a Resolution amending the Seminole County Administrative Code by repealing Section 3.55 in its entirety and adopting a new Section 3.55 (“Purchasing Policy”), creating a new Section 28.45 (“Parks and Recreation Approval Authority”), and creating a new Section 12.1 (“Community Services Approval Authority”).