Attachment ‘A’
48 Four weeks minimum advertisement – five weeks preferred.
P. GENERAL FEDERAL PROCUREMENT GUIDELINES
All grant procurement and related expenditures must adhere to the procurement guidelines found in the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Title 2- Grants and Agreements, Part 200 -Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements of Federal Awards. Such procurement standards in the Uniform Guidance (UG) are covered in paragraphs 200.317 to 200.327. All City agreements, which expend federal grand award funds, must adhere to Part 200, which outlines contract provisions to be included in agreements expending federal awards.
1. FEDERAL GRANT PROCUREMENT STANDARDS
A. Departments are to fully comply with all procurement requirements found at 2 CFR 200.318 through 2 CFR 200.327. The regulations require that procurement activities be performed in an equitable and competitive manner to promote equal treatment, efficiency, and economy in federal grant activities. To ensure objective contractor performance and eliminate an unfair competitive advantage, contractors must be excluded from competing for such procurements if they develop or draft grant applications or contract specifications, requirements, statements of work, invitations for bids, and/or requests for proposals. No City department is exempt from these requirements per the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
B. Departments are subject to the following procurement requirements when utilizing Federal Funds for purchase of goods and services, however, the requirements are only summarized and do not cover the entire Uniform Guidance published here at www.ecfr.gov under CFR 200. It is the responsibility of the grantee/department to ensure they follow the guidelines to avoid suspension or revocation of Federal assistance. The Uniform Guidance, or 2 CFR 200, sets strict requirements around procurement and guarding against conflicts of interest that can occur when purchasing goods and services under federally funded grants and contracts.
2. FEDERAL PROCUREMENT METHOD AND THRESHOLDS
The methods departments must follow are outlined in 2 CFR 200.320, 200.317, 200.318, and 200.319. These regulations mandate the following thresholds related to procurement activities with Federal Grant funds.
A. Micro-Purchase Method
Transactions where the aggregate dollar amount does not exceed the amount fixed by the Government Publishing Office (GPO), set to $10,000. To the extent practical, the department must distribute these purchases equitably among qualified suppliers. Micro-purchases may be made with Management approval and with or without a competitive process. May be awarded without soliciting competitive price or rate quotations.
B. Simplified Acquisition Method
Transactions for goods or services where the aggregate dollar amount is higher than the FAR micro- purchase threshold but does not exceed the simplified acquisition , which is currently $250,000, requires an informal bidding process with price or rate quotations or proposals solicited from at least three (3) contractors, sources or qualified offers.
C. Sealed Bids (Typically Construction Projects) And Competitive Proposals.
Transactions that exceed $250,000, require formal procedures, must be publicized, identify all evaluation factors and their relative importance and the award to the lowest responsive and
Attachment ‘A’
49 responsible vendor/contractor shall be made by the City Council with the recommendation from the department overseer of the project or the Purchasing Manager.
D. Noncompetitive Proposals:
Also known as sole -source procurement, this may be appropriate only when specific criteria are met, and the Purchasing Manager or Finance Director approves. Applicable circumstances are:
• The acquisition of property, goods , and services, the aggregate dollar amount of which does not exceed the micro purchase threshold.
• The item is available only from a single source.
• The public exigency or emergency for the requirement will not permit a delay resulting from publicizing a competitive solicitation.
• The federal awarding agency or pass-through entity expressly authorizes a noncompetitive procurement in response to a written request from the City.
• The competition is determined inadequate after two (2) failed solicitations, failed contracts with a number of contractors, or lack of resources or qualified offers.
13.B.
AGENDA
STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: 2/20/2024 AGENDA SECTION: GENERAL BUSINESS
SUBJECT:
Approval of one new firefighter position, at an annual cost of approximately $128,000, to be added to the master personnel budget and funded out of the General Fund in order to support the health and safety of fire personnel.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of one new firefighter position at an annual cost of approximately $128,000 to be added to the master personnel budget and paid for out of the General Fund in order to assist in the health and safety of personnel.
Recommended Motion: I move to approve one new firefighter position at annual cost of approximately $128,000 to be added to the master personnel budget paid for out of the General Fund in order to assist in health and safety of personnel.
BACKGROUND:
The Fire Department is currently budgeted for a full staff on all shifts. This includes 1 firefighter, 1 engineer and 1 captain per shift. In addition, a Battalion Chief is on assignment during each shift. The fiscal year 2022/2023 saw five vacancies for most of the year. The year prior there were long-term injuries that also caused vacancies. At full staffing levels, if one firefighter is out for training, vacation or sick, a vacancy is created, which in turn forces other employees into possible overtime (if a shift can't be reassigned).
After financial analysis, staff recommends one measure to counter employee fatigue, forced overtime and significant overtime budget overruns is to 'overhire' for one firefighter position. This will help to bridge the vacancy gap to allow staff to take needed time off for training, vacation and sick. Often times, higher level employees such as an engineer or captain will need to fulfill overtime due to vacancy. When fully staffed, the Fire Department would utilize this position to 'float' to where needed shift vacancies are occurring.
It is not believed that overtime will be eliminated due to this measure, but the cost of one position would achieve some budgetary savings in order to fund this additional position. This position would be paid for within existing budget by utilizing funds that would otherwise be spent on overtime costs.
The City would spend this funding regardless, since time off is a necessary occurrence, but the amount to spend would be reduced, which would realize budgetary savings for the City. Considering a full-time firefighter position with all costs at $128,000, staff's analysis shows a minimum of $40,000 a year in savings with reduced overtime.
In recommending one position at this time, staff believes this is a conservative approach to mitigating health and safety concerns associated with overtime use and could realize budgetary savings. If this approach proves successful, staff will look for other recommendations for Council to consider.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This will be a future budgetary impact for the City of approximately $128,000 annually (do go up by agreed upon salary increases) which includes all salary, benefit and equipment costs needed. Fiscal year 2023/2024 the salary for a new firefighter position can be 'absorbed' within existing budget due to vacancies this fiscal year. In future fiscal years this will need to be added, fiscal year 2024/2025 will require an additional appropriation but would have at least partial offset (if all positions full could be more than covered in overtime budget savings) in the department's overtime budget which will be considered at mid-cycle review in May/June 2024.
ATTACHMENTS:
None
Council Future Agenda Items
Originated
Date Item Originator Staff Lead Date Estimate
2/12/2024 Council review of the 30% Design plans
for the Downtown Improvement
Project and direction regarding several
design elements of the overall project.
Council
Direction
Jason Waters 3/5/2024
12/5/2023 Tentative date for a recommendation
to the City Council by the City’s
Revenue Measure Committee
Council
Consensus
Various Staff 5/7/2024