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Q&A
Improvements in contracting processes and payment timelines for nonprofits
0:47:11
ยท
3 min
Council Member Bottcher inquires about when nonprofits in his district can expect to see improvements in contracting processes and payment timelines. Director Flores acknowledges the ongoing challenges but expresses optimism for upcoming improvements.
- Flores mentions changes to rules dating back to the '80s and the introduction of a multi-year discretionary process.
- She highlights a weekly meeting with key officials to address short, medium, and long-term issues affecting nonprofit payments.
- Flores notes preliminary results showing a six to nine month decrease in timeline for discretionary awards.
Erik D. Bottcher
0:47:11
I really appreciate all your efforts to improve the contracting process for nonprofits and the payment timeline for nonprofits.
0:47:22
And I also understand that you inherited many of the issues that you're trying to fix.
0:47:30
The district I represent, Council District 3, we probably have more nonprofits than anywhere in the city.
0:47:37
They're headquartered in our district.
0:47:41
With all these reforms happening that you outlined today, when can the nonprofits in my district expect to see improvement?
0:47:53
They haven't yet.
0:47:54
They're still struggling with getting paid, sometimes for years.
0:48:00
Will they see things get better next year?
Lisa Flores
0:48:05
Thank you for that question.
0:48:06
You know, I I know that it seems and feels, as if there's no way out of this.
0:48:17
But I promise you that, again and I appreciate you sort of saying, council member, a lot of how we got here is built up over many years, not even to suggest blaming any specific person or administration, but processes.
0:48:35
There's the rules and regulations which have built up over many years, but there's also just processes that have built up over many, many years.
0:48:44
I can tell you that I truly believe you will continue to see some rays of light both this year, through the end of this year, and and and soon after.
0:48:55
We have started, really in earnest, not only with our technology, as I mentioned in my testimony, we've changed rules that haven't been touched since the '80s.
0:49:04
And that takes time, it also takes sort of really dedication to see that impact.
0:49:10
And I know I've had conversations with multiple folks here around ensuring that what we're doing has permanent impact going forward.
0:49:19
I do think that also making changes to the discretionary process, which we continue to work with council, especially I'm sure in your district, there are a lot of city council discretionary awards.
0:49:30
As you know, we just instituted a multi year discretionary process.
0:49:34
Our preliminary results show a six to nine month decrease in the timeline.
0:49:39
And so I think we will start to see more of that impact starting next year and definitely looking forward to conversations of even thinking bolder around how we can do discretionary contracts.
0:49:48
So all that being said, definitely, I I hope that you will continue to see some improvements and cash out the door.
0:49:55
We've been doing, as I mentioned in my testimony, a short term backlog initiative on invoices, making changes to passport to ensure that payments can go, smoother.
0:50:05
And there is a weekly meeting with, deputy mayor Amazar, first deputy mayor, OMB, and others looking at all of the short, medium, and long term things that need to continue moving forward, to ensure a timely payment to our nonprofit sector.
Erik D. Bottcher
0:50:19
Thank you.
0:50:20
I wanna follow-up on chair Wan's questions about artificial intelligence and the use of AI.