Report 2012-105 Recommendation 3 Responses

Report 2012-105: Departments of Public Health and Social Services: Weaknesses in the Administration of the Child Health and Safety Fund and the State Children's Trust Fund Limit Their Effectiveness (Release Date: November 2012)

Recommendation #3 To: Public Health, Department of

To comply with state contracting laws and policies that protect the State's interest, Public Health should ensure that its staff do not use service orders to circumvent the State's contracting policies.

6-Month Agency Response

By June 20, 2013, CCDPHP Deputy Director or Assistant Deputy Director, will issue an all staff memo directing staff to review the Service Order Manual and the appropriate uses of service orders (see Attachment D).

• By June 20, 2013, CCDPHP will direct its lead staff involved in procurement processes to attend the CDPH Procurement Training series and provide a certificate of completion to program supervisors at the end of their last session. Many of these staff are currently enrolled (see Attachment D).

• In October 2012, the Administrative Support Unit Chief of the Safe and Active Communities Branch completed the CDPH Procurement Training series (Attachment F).

• During the February 12, 2013, administrative update meeting the CCDPHP Assistant Deputy Director reminded all branch administrative staff that service orders were not to be used to circumvent State Contracting Manual requirements. The meeting agenda is attached (Attachment G).

• On April 30, 2013, the Program Support Branch released Contracts and Purchasing Services Bulletin #13-03 announcing the Department's new Service Order Policy (Attachment H). Effective July 1, 2013, new policies will be instituted to centralize tracking, review, and approval of service orders within the Program Support Branch. The Program Support Branch has conducted two "Service Order Policy for FY 13/14" training sessions. The first was held on May 14, 2013, and was attended by 17 CCDPHP staff. The second was held on May 22, 2013, and was attended by 15 CCDPHP staff.

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

60-Day Agency Response

Public Health stated that by February 28, 2013, the center will issue an e-mail directive for program staff to review the Service Order Manual and the appropriate use of service orders. In addition, Public Health stated that the center will direct its lead staff involved in the procurement process to attend Public Health's Procurement Training series and provide a certificate of completion to program supervisors at the end of their last session. Finally, Public Health reported that the administrative support unit chief within its Safe and Active Communities Branch (branch) completed the series in October 2012.

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

All Recommendations in 2012-105

Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.