When vendors gathered at the recent California Vendor Forum in Sacramento, the agenda included an explanation by the California Department of Technology of procurement changes.
The state plans to break the acquisition models for services rendered to other departments into four separate categories.
The model with the highest level of oversight control will include RFPs for competitive bids from the established service catalog. Since these are usually larger projects with ongoing components, it will include high levels of CDT input and contract management.
The second ranking, according to Marlon Paulo, CDT’s chief technology procurement officer, will include flexible CDT solicitations like RFOs and flexible customer solicitations like Form 20s. This level will require less CDT contract management.
The third style of new acquisition models will have the lowest level of CDT requirements associated with it and more options for customer solicitation.
The fourth model will be for one-time acquisition contracts and require little to no added oversight.
The new system should be in place within the next year and include staggered contract solicitations and expiration dates, allow for more proactive communication and base requirements on industry needs, Paulo said.
The new guidelines are intended to simplify access into the vendor pool and increase requirement adaptability.
