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Q&A
Final questions on ballot language requirements and the post-procurement phase of city contracts.
1:24:00
·
87 sec
As the meeting concludes, Commissioner Diane Savino raises a technical question regarding plain language requirements for ballot questions, similar to those for state constitutional amendments.
Commissioner Grace C. Bonilla offers a final comment on procurement reform, highlighting the need to examine the entire life cycle of a contract, especially the "black hole" that nonprofits experience post-procurement during contract management and payment.
Executive Director Alec Schierenbeck acknowledges the importance of the post-procurement phase and the limited role the PPB currently plays in addressing payment issues.
- Savino inquires about specific formatting or language rules for local ballot questions.
- Schierenbeck defers a public answer on legal specifics but confirms legal counsel is being consulted.
- Bonilla emphasizes that many procurement problems for nonprofits arise after the contract is awarded, in the management and payment stages.
- Schierenbeck agrees that the payment process is a significant pain point that needs focus.
Diane Savino
1:24:00
I have a technical question, and maybe you haven't even thought about this yet.
1:24:04
Last year, when they had the actually, I think it was 2021, the state legislature adopted a change to constitutional amendments requiring them to be written in simple language at an eighth grade reading level and that the question couldn't be more than Ed, what was it?
1:24:20
15 words?
1:24:21
15 words?
1:24:22
Right.
1:24:23
So it did not apply to local governments or charter revisions, but the law department advised us.
1:24:36
an answer to that question.
Alec Schierenbeck
1:24:30
Diane, I would ask that you not ask a legal question in this open public meeting because I can't give you a privileged answer.
1:24:37
I can't.
1:24:38
Yes.
1:24:38
And we we're certainly talking to counsel.
1:25:16
I think that's a very helpful, point to make that while PPP does have a sensible authority over this area, there's very little action it takes in the area of payment, and that is such a pain point that we've been focusing on in the report.
Leila Bozorg
1:24:35
No.
1:24:35
I'm just saying we need to get
Grace C. Bonilla
1:24:42
If I could just leave one more comment on the procurement issue.
1:24:45
I think that part of the challenge is that we are not looking at the life cycle of a contract necessarily.
1:24:51
I have not necessarily gotten testimony that looks at that.
1:24:54
When we are talking to nonprofits, it's post procurement where it becomes like a a black hole.
1:24:59
And I think that's the issue that we're trying to solve Yes.
1:25:02
Whether it's TPV or whether it's mocks.
1:25:05
So more clarity to the extent that we can get testimony on what happens post procurement and the challenges of managing the contract itself, I think, would help, clarify what we're Yeah.