Item - 2019.IE10.6

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to prepare and approve "as to form" all standard form contracts for the purchase of goods and services, including construction, by Transportation Services, that have been awarded by tender, request for proposal, request for quotation, sole source or any other City procurement process, prior to the execution of such agreements by appropriate City officials, utilizing such standard processes and standard form documents as approved by the Chief Purchasing Officer and the City Solicitor.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to delegate these functions and authority to Transportation Services staff as necessary.

The purpose of this report is to recommend changes and streamline the process for the preparation and approval "as to form" for standard form contracts for the purchase of goods and services, including construction, by the General Manager, Transportation Services, that have been awarded by tender, request for proposal, request for quotation, sole source or any other City procurement process. This delegation to the General Manager of Transportation Services will facilitate the streamlining of the procurement process, reduce delays in contract execution and expedite the delivery of projects.

Since Transportation Services Division has restructured to become more functionally organized, the following efficiencies can be achieved by centralizing the execution of contract purchasing:

- Reduced physical circulation of documentation and review time in the process;

- Ability for Transportation Services staff to establish relative priorities amongst the contracts in need of execution;

- Transportation Services staff are in a better position to answer questions concerning the nature of contracts should they arise in the course of circulation; and

- Staff who are accountable for administering the Capital Program will be more responsible for all the steps needed to fulfill the program.
 

Engineering and Construction Services and Legal Services support Transportation Services in its efforts to centralize the administration of contract executions.