City says social procurement policy working well

Article content material

The Metropolis of Calgary appears to be like past price and high quality on the subject of contract bidding, and the outcomes could be constructive for everybody concerned.

Article content material

The Council’s government committee obtained an replace on the town’s social procurement practices on Thursday.

Article content material

The thought was first raised in a discover of movement in 2018 by former councilors Druh Farrell and Diane Colley-Urquhart, together with present Ward 9 Coun. Gian Carlo Carra. However since then, the town has put it into apply and streamlined the way it works.

Social fairness, dedication to inexperienced financial system amongst elements breaking ties between bidders

Amit Patel, director of provide administration for the town, mentioned that extra individuals profit by sending extra of his enterprise cash to native small companies which have constructive social insurance policies.

“The town purchases a mean of about $725 million value of products and providers every year from aggressive sources,” he mentioned. “There’s a actual alternative to reap the benefits of the numerous buying energy that the town has.”

If two almost equal bids are available, the town considers elements past price and repair to interrupt the tie. These gadgets could embody points corresponding to social fairness, a dedication to the inexperienced financial system and dedication to reconciliation with First Nations.

Article content material

Article content material

To maintain monitor of those elements, companies full a social procurement questionnaire as a part of the bidding course of. It asks questions corresponding to whether or not an organization is owned by members of an underrepresented group, and whether or not it has insurance policies to help indigenous communities, or local weather and environmental targets.

Council discovered that 53 % of metropolis contracts at present go to the individual or agency that had the best ranking on the social procurement questionnaire. This has been described as a lift to companies with a stronger social focus.

‘No Proof’ Metropolis Faces Elevated Prices As a consequence of Social Procurement, Administration Says

Shovel. Dan McLean requested if this system prices the town extra. Patel mentioned the social questionnaire is just 5 to 10 % of the overall consideration, whereas conventional elements corresponding to price and high quality are weighted way more closely.

Article content material

“There may be completely no proof of any enhance in prices on account of the social procurement,” he mentioned, including that third-party research of this now frequent apply have proven the identical.

He mentioned two bids should be very shut earlier than the town will have a look at social elements to interrupt the tie.

Shovel. Sonya Sharp, who beforehand labored in administration, reminded board members that this system has been in place for a number of years and is now getting a reputation change. It was known as benefit-driven procurement, however social procurement is the usual business time period.

“I believe with the identify change, perhaps it additionally simply makes some individuals suppose it is new work, however it’s not, and I believe we have accomplished issues very efficiently,” Sharp mentioned. “The town has an actual alternative to advance a lot of the constructive work on social change with out compromising the standard of what we obtain or the integrity of the method. And what we noticed at this time are literally some actual victories.”

brthomas@postmedia.com
Twitter: @brodie_thomas