Not All Piggyback Contracts Are Created Equal

Piggybacking off of the solicitation and subsequent contract of another public agency can be an efficient process that saves time and effort.  

What to Look for in a Piggyback Contract?  It is important that the other agency's solicitation meet your agency's competitive requirements, including, but not limited to the following:

• Was the solicitation advertised at least as long as your agency requires?
• Did they bid the same product you want to obtain?
• Did they bid roughly the same quantity you need?
• Did they include mandated federal requirements, if you will be paying the vendor with federal funds?
• Was the other agency's solicitation bid recently?
• Is the other agency's contract still current or has it expired?
• Did they receive more than one bid?
• Did they award to the lowest bidder?

Police Body Camera Controversies:  Many police departments across the country are moving quickly to equip their police officers with body cameras to help diffuse tension with the communities they serve and to act as an accountability tool.  Some agencies are using piggybacking to obtain the cameras and related storage of the videos in an expedited manner. 

Chicago Police Department:  The Chicago Police Department is piggybacking off of an older State of New Jersey contract for which it appears that body cameras were added to the contract as an amendment, raising questions about whether it is appropriate to piggyback off of a contract for which prices were not competitively obtained. 

Media Attention:  Not only is the Chicago Police Department under scrutiny for their process in obtaining body cameras through piggybacking, but so are other agencies across the country. Even if your agency is not buying police body cameras, some of the issues that have been raised about piggybacking as a process for these cameras is relevant for other products you may procure.  The following are links to three media sources that I've been interviewed by and quoted in about this hot topic:

• The Chicago Reporter:  In swift push for body cameras, Chicago cut contracting corners, by Jonah Newman, October 3, 2016

• NPR Marketplace: Taser's body camera contracts under scrutiny, by Bobby Allyn, May 3, 2016

• The Wall Street Journal: For cities after Ferguson, a body-camera dilemma, by Dan Frosch and Zusha Elinson, March 7, 2016.

Presidential History Blog:  Check out my Presidential History Blog at PresidentialHistory.com and sign up for a free email subscription to it.

Presidential History Interviews:  Here is a partial listed of the media I've been interviewed by and quoted in about presidential history and the 2016 presidential campaign (articles in which I'm quoted by Time Magazine and Voice of America should be published soon):

• Reuters
• Loser! Jerk! Insults fly on Republican campaign trail, by Alana Wise, February 13, 2016

• The Wall Street Journal
• Age-Old Issue Gets Diminished in Election 2016, by Jennifer Levitz, March 4, 2016
• For Obama, Muted Reaction to Brussels Attacks Is by Design, by Carol E. Lee, March 23, 2016

• CNN
• Possible Vice-Presidential Picks for Trump and Clinton, Live TV interview with Carol Costello, May 16, 2016

• USA Today
• Historians: Clinton, Obama Tied Together No Matter What, by Eliza Collins, August 8, 2016

• New York Daily News
• President Obama Approval Rating Rises to 52%, New Poll Shows, by Clemente Lisi, June 24, 2016

• WHDT World News
• Donald Trump & The Evangelical Vote, March 8, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
• Can Donald Trump Survive a Contested Convention?, April 6, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell
• Could Kasich or Cruz Win At Contested Convention?, April 27, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell
• Can the GOP Still Dump Trump?, June 14, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell
• What Mike Pence Brings to the Trump Ticket, July 15, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
• Donald Trump Defies GOP as Leaders Plan Intervention, August 3, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell
• Hillary Clinton Not the First Woman Nominated, August 11, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
• After 2012 GOP Autopsy, Is 2016 “Donald’s Inferno?” August 12, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
• Oval Office Has Been Filled With Sick Presidents, September 14, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell

• WCGO Radio (1590)
• The Presidents, Vice Presidents, and 2016 Campaign, September 27,2016, Radio Interview with French and Friends

Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2016 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

New Book on Procurement Methods

A new reference book entitled "Procurement Methods: Effective Techniques" by Lourdes Coss, MPA, CPPO, will be published on April 25, 2016. Ms. Coss is one of the most highly respected and preeminent public procurement professionals in the nation.

About the book:  "I decided to write the book I had been looking for," Coss notes.  "It's a desk reference for procurement professionals."  The book is applicable for both the manager searching for a tool to train procurement staff and professionals seeking to expand their knowledge. The book serves a resource for procurement professionals providing guidance on method selection and techniques. It provides examples to aid in the development of critical sections of the procurement document and explains the logic that should be followed in order to optimize the process. 

Procurement Methods: Effective Techniques by Lourdes Coss

Table of contents:  Here's the table of contents for the book:

• Bids or Competitive (Sealed) Bids
• Objective and Application
• Invitation to Bid (ITB) or Invitation for Bid (IFB) Development
• Bid Evaluation
• Summary
• Request for Qualification (RFQ)
• Objective and Application
• RFQ Development
• RFQ Evaluation Process
• Summary
• Request for Proposals (RFP)
• Objective and Application
• RFP Development
• RFP Evaluation Process
• Summary
• Alignment & Consistency
• Achieving Alignment
• Consistent Terminology
• Standardization
• Criteria and Submittal Requirements Alignment
• High Level View of Evaluations
• Conclusion

Lourdes Coss, MPA, CPPO

About Lourdes Coss:  In her distinguished career that has spanned more than 25 years, Lourdes Coss has secured support for new procurement legislation, achieved over $150 million in savings in the last several years through strategic sourcing and negotiations, automated routine processes, significantly reduced procurement cycle times, and implemented strategies to maximize available resources.She has has led procurement improvements and transformations for many large public agencies:

• City of Chicago
• Public Building Commission of Chicago
• University of Illinois at Chicago
• Cook County, Illinois
• City of Houston

Buying the book:  The book may be ordered online in paperback or in an electronic edition through either of the links below:

• Click here to buy the eBook now ($7.99)
• Click here to buy the Kindle edition now ($7.99)
• Click here to buy the Nook edition now ($7.49)
• To buy the paperback edition ($12.00), click on one of the links above on May 5, 2016 or later

My semi-retirement:  As most of you know, I am not writing regular public contracting blogs now, but I will periodically post when important things come up.  I think the publication of Lourdes Coss' book is one of those important events that people should be aware of.  I know Lourdes and think very highly of her.  I am still doing some consulting and training, but am trying not to take on too many commitments so I can focus on my interest in writing and speaking on presidential history.

In the media:  I've been contacted by the media a lot recently to comment on presidential history and the current campaign.  In addition to being quoted in The Wall Street Journal and by Reuters over the last month or so, last week I had two television interviews that you can watch by clicking the links below:

• Race for President with KBTC public television in Tacoma, Washington
• Can Donald Trump Survive a Contested Convention? with WHDT World News 

Presidential History Blog:  If you're interested in presidential history, you can sign up for a free email subscription to my Presidential History Blog at PresidentialHistory.com.

Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2016 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com

The Perils of Piggybacking

I was interviewed by and quoted in The Wall Street Journal on March 7, 2016 about some of the questionable practices that have been used by various public agencies across the country in piggybacking off of contracts for the purchase of police body cameras.  

Click here to read the article: "For Cities After Ferguson, a Body-Camera Dilemma."

 

Presidential History Blog:  Check out my Presidential History Blog at PresidentialHistory.com and sign up for a free email subscription to it.

Mike Purdy's Public Contracting Blog
© 2016 by Michael E. Purdy Associates, LLC
http://PublicContracting.blogspot.com