Report 2016-125.1 Recommendation 7 Responses

Report 2016-125.1: The University of California Office of the President: It Has Not Adequately Ensured Compliance With Its Employee Displacement and Services Contract Policies (Release Date: August 2017)

Recommendation #7 To: University of California

To ensure that the university achieves its goals of obtaining services at the lowest cost or best value and of providing vendors with fair access to contracting opportunities, the Office of the President should direct university locations, including its own local procurement office, to implement controls to ensure staff better comply with the university's contract manual's requirements for using standard terms and conditions, obtaining the proper contract approvals, and awarding of sole-source contracts.

6-Month Agency Response

To ensure staff better comply with the university's contract manual's requirements for using standard terms and conditions, obtaining the proper contract approvals, and awarding of sole-source contract, the Office of the President updated the university's contracting policy (BUS-43).

These changes were introduced and reinforced through:

-A letter from the UC Chief Procurement Officer to all Campus and the Office of the President procurement leaders to remind them that they are expected to use the templates on the Office of the President's website

-Training for all Procurement systemwide and campus management and staff was conducted on November 29, 2017. An additional session for the Procurement Leadership Council was conducted on November 7, 2017.

-Updated templates, job aids and FAQs published on the UCOP website

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

The Office of the President will update the university's contracting policy (BUS-43) as required and reinforce compliance through:

-A letter from the UC Chief Procurement Officer to all Campus and the Office of the President procurement leaders to remind them that they are expected to follow BUS-43 requirements regarding the use of templates available on the Office of the President's website.

-A webinar/training event for all procurement leaders and staff to introduce refreshed materials and reinforce compliance with contracting policies

-Updated templates, job aids and FAQs on the Office of the President's website.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2016-125.1

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.