See more online at www.bythebay.cool
⚠️ This site shows what By The Bay looked like in November 2018. By The Bay is no longer running, and features on this site may not work as originally intended.
Measure S changes how SJ contracts public works projects
Published on 10/12/18, 10:00 AM
Will this make the public bidding process more efficient or corrupt?
How does the process work now?
When San José wants to build a public works project, like improve a park or playground, that costs between $100K and $5M, the City has to publicly request bids from contractors. Currently, San José awards these contracts to the cheapest bidder. In theory, this public bidding process would lead to hiring the least expensive contractor, but in practice, businesses can potentially game the process by submitting artificially low bids and later inflate their "change orders."
Comments • Mark your vote, write a note, and share it with friends.
Sign upWhat is this?
Um, that’s not cool
The City Council thought so too. They put Measure S on the ballot to:
Relatedly, the city can currently skip the public bidding process for DB contracts, which is where a single contractor handles the design and construction of a project, as long as it saves time and money. Measure S would lower the threshold for DB contracts from $5M to $1M, which would give the City more flexibility to bypass the public bidding process.
- Change the procurement criteria for public works projects
- Modify the public bidding threshold for public works projects to $600K and $1M (subject to inflation)
- Lower the threshold for "Design-Build" contracts from over $5M to $1M
Relatedly, the city can currently skip the public bidding process for DB contracts, which is where a single contractor handles the design and construction of a project, as long as it saves time and money. Measure S would lower the threshold for DB contracts from $5M to $1M, which would give the City more flexibility to bypass the public bidding process.
What’s the flip side?
We haven't found any published statements against Measure S, but based on similar policies in other states, critics have argued that allowing additional public bidding criteria could make the process more subjective, leading to nepotism and corruption. While the current public bidding process can accrue additional costs overtime and extend timelines, it can also be argued that it's concrete enough to prevent government officials from modifying the criteria to give their buddies contracts.
It’s a balancing act though. If the city requires too many projects to be publicly bid on, then public works projects become painfully slow and expensive; if it restricts the number of projects, then businesses with established government connections may have an advantage to win contracts, reducing competition.
It’s a balancing act though. If the city requires too many projects to be publicly bid on, then public works projects become painfully slow and expensive; if it restricts the number of projects, then businesses with established government connections may have an advantage to win contracts, reducing competition.
More reading
No on Measure S
No Official Arguments
See more at www.bythebay.cool
Local politics drives our daily life. We strive to be nonpartisan and present all perspectives fairly, so please send us a note via email or text with any corrections, concerns, or questions.
Pretty much all rights reserved © By The Bay 2018
Pretty much all rights reserved © By The Bay 2018