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Q&A
Commissioner Nieves and Director Chafee discuss management versus charter issues in procurement and emergency contracting limits
0:18:40
·
146 sec
Commissioner Dr. Lisette Nieves probes IBO Director Louisa Chafee on distinguishing management problems from issues addressable by the charter, particularly regarding procurement accountability and emergency contracts. Chafee clarifies her proposal on emergency contracts focuses on adding a time limit (e.g., two years) requiring reaffirmation, not changing the initial threshold, and explains the proposed charter change for the Procurement Policy Board (PPB) would mandate ("will") rather than permit ("may") it to establish rules, aiming to compel action.
- Chafee clarifies the proposal is not to change when an emergency contract can be used, but to require mayoral and controller reaffirmation after two years.
- The suggested charter change for the PPB aims to strengthen its mandate to create and enforce procurement rules.
Dr. Lisette Nieves
0:18:40
So, Lisa, thanks for for what you're stating.
0:18:45
It's a little sense
0:18:46
of what you're shutting about.
0:18:47
Fine.
0:18:48
I I would say couple of things.
0:18:51
I'm curious because it's it's hard to tease apart what are the management issues that you're talking about versus what can be resolved due to China.
0:18:59
I'm just saying for me.
0:19:01
So that's I wanna hear that.
0:19:05
And so I'm just I'm just gonna be honest with that in that transparency, where you have a level of transparency where we know what agencies are not completing.
0:19:15
Is it if it's an accountability issue, why would we approach it in the charter?
0:19:21
So I just said that, and I'm curious if you could respond to that.
0:19:25
That's fine.
0:19:26
The second thing is you talked about limiting the emergency contracting.
0:19:31
Right?
0:19:32
From your perspective, what would be reasonable emergencies that would allow that to because I I think this is an interesting one about because we yes.
0:19:43
In the city, we go emergency Ottawa.
0:19:45
So I would love to just kinda hear your thoughts on that.
Louisa Chafee
0:19:48
So there are really specific rules about when an emergency contract is allowed to be used, but there's no time limitation on the current.
0:19:55
So what we're suggesting is not to change the threshold of when, the mayor and the controller may decide to enter into an emergency, but rather two years may they simply need to both reaffirm that the emergency still exists so that the contract be entered into emergency contract doesn't indefinitely run or is open and could be used in for other circumstances that really don't have anything to do with the initial emergency or maybe even emergency anymore.
0:20:25
And the first question was about the distinction between what should be in the charter, what's in the PPV, and what's management.
0:20:34
So all we are suggesting is that the charter currently says that the PPB may, and we're suggesting that that language be turned into the PPB will so that the PPB is given more enforcement ability so that it must be it must execute the responsibilities that the charter believes the PPP to them.
0:20:54
As in the current openness, the PPP tends not to meet and not to execute any of the responsibilities that one would expect it to be doing based on charter language.