Municipal procurement is something residents don’t necessarily see, but it involves some very important rules designed to protect taxpayers and the integrity of the process.
So what is a Councillor’s role?
Council sets the direction. Administration carries out the work.
Council:
- Establishes policies
- Approves the municipal budget
- Provides oversight and accountability
- Asks questions and scrutinizes spending
- Makes decisions that are properly before Council
Township staff:
- Identify the Township’s needs
- Prepare procurement documents
- Obtain quotes, bids or proposals as required
- Evaluate submissions according to the established process
- Make recommendations
- Manage contracts once awarded
And there’s an important piece that is sometimes misunderstood:
An individual Councillor cannot simply step into an active procurement and negotiate directly with suppliers.
Scugog’s Procurement By-law specifically requires individual members of Council to remain at arm’s length from staff and suppliers during a procurement, unless they have been assigned a specific role.
Councillors must refrain from intervening or interfering with the procurement process, the evaluation of bids, the selection of suppliers or staff recommendations. They should also not receive or review information or documents relating to a particular procurement while that process is underway.
Why?
Because a municipal procurement needs to be fair, competitive, transparent, and defensible.
Giving one supplier special access, attempting to influence an evaluation, or negotiating directly with a potential contractor could undermine the very process designed to protect taxpayers.
This doesn’t mean Council has no role.
Quite the opposite.
Council’s responsibility is to make sure the Township has sound procurement policies, approves appropriate spending, asks the right questions and holds Administration accountable for following those policies.
Ontario’s Municipal Act also distinguishes between Council’s policy and oversight role and the role of municipal administration in implementing Council’s decisions and managing the municipality’s affairs.
Good municipal government isn’t about one person personally negotiating every contract.
It’s about having a strong system, qualified staff, appropriate oversight and a procurement process that gives taxpayers confidence that they’re receiving good value.
Sources: Township of Scugog Procurement By-law 42-22; Ontario Municipal Act, 2001.