HomeMy WebLinkAbout96-88 - ADMIN Resolution - City Council - 1996/06/03RESOLUTION NO.
96-88
A RESOLUTION OF THE ST. LOUIS PARK CITY COUNCIL ADOPTING THE
PROPOSED EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PURCHASING PROGRAM
AS PART OF THE CITY'S PURCHASING PROCEDURES
WHEREAS, it is in the best overall interest of the City of St. Louis Park,
Nfinnesota, and the residents thereof for the City to establish and to implement policies
and programs designed to encourage and foster participation in City commerce by all
persons and businesses that desire to do so; and
WHEREAS, to achieve that end, the City has endeavored to identify specific
opportunities that may exist to improve participation in City contracts by a diverse array
of persons and businesses, and particularly by historically underutilized business
enterprises; and
WHEREAS, the City has identified three areas in which present contracting
procedures could be improved to encourage broad participation in City contracts,
including (1) typical City contracts may be too large for a small business to perform; (2)
small and historically underutilized businesses may have insufficient cashflows to permit
them to finance City projects; and (3) contract specifications may be perceived as being
skewed in favor of particular suppliers, with which small and historically underutilized
businesses may not have an established business relationship; and
WHEREAS, the City has developed a program of improvements to its purchasing
procedures that are designed to create further opportunities for small and historically
underutilized businesses to participate in City contracts and to enhance existing
contracting opportunities, a summary of which was presented to the Charter Commission
on March 14, 1996;
WHEREAS, the Charter Commission formally endorsed the proposed equal
opportunity purchasing program on May 9, 1996, and recommended that the Council
adopt the program as part of the City's purchasing procedures; and
WHEREAS, the City Council also wishes to endorse the principles and goals of
the proposed equal opportunity purchasing program;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ST. LOUIS PARK CITY
COUNCIL THAT staff should incorporate the following program as part of the City's
purchasing procedures:
• During the annual formulation of the capital improvement project plan, staff will
identify small projects, (usually having a value of $25,000 or less), for this program.
• On projects identified for the program, the contractor's invoice will be paid within
three days, instead of the normal thirty days, regardless of the contractor selected.
• Staff is authorized to partner with local banks to provide financing to those
contractors winning bids for the small projects, regardless of the contractor selected.
• In those instances where the specifications for a project identified for the program
require a certain product that is supplied from a supplier that does not have a
relationship with the HUBE, bids may propose that the City either purchase the
product and provide it at cost to the contractor, or that the City should request the
supplier to sell the item to the contractor at the City's price.
• Also, wherever possible, all contract specifications should be written more generically
to allow greater participation by all contract bidders.
Adopted by the City Council on June 3 , 1996.
Attest:
Reviewed for administration:
/City Manager
AA) A
Mayor
Approved as to form and execution:
/f"- (Yg
City Attorney