On March 25, at the regular Committee of the Whole, Carleton Place councillors passed a motion to update the town’s procurement policy.
“You’ve already passed a motion about shopping Canadian, due to the tariffs so this is timely,” said Trisa McConkey, town treasurer.
The town’s policy was last updated in 2017, so as McConkey pointed out it was past time to revisit the policy and update it anyway.
The new policy addresses the push to buy Canadian by making mid-level purchases invitational only as opposed to open procurement.
“So we can ask Canadian or local suppliers to provide quotes. We still get a competitive process but don’t have to open it up to Korea or the U.S.,” explained McConkey.
The policy also adds language about excluding trade partners who are not acting in good faith. So if the U.S. is not following the trade agreements already in place, the town can exclude them from winning procurements. In addition the policy encourages the use of group procurement programs including provincial government’s procurement programs.
“It should be noted that almost everyone at the municipal and even the State level are up in arms about this too,” said Toby Randell, mayor and County Warden. “This garbage that’s going on is affecting the U.S. as much as it’s affecting us,” he added.
The one concern Diane Smithson, CAO highlighted was Fire Trucks. Most of the suppliers for Fire Trucks are based in the U.S.. So when it comes to purchasing one it may be necessary to use a U.S. supplier.
While members of council generally agreed with the changes they raised concerns over procurement for the town’s large impending projects, namely the water and waste water expansion project.
As Smithson pointed out, the town is just now working through the details of those project, and when the tenders go out the town will be dealing directly with a general contractor and it is the general contractor that seeks their sub-contractors and suppliers.
There was also concern over council’s delegated authority which allows staff to make decision on purchases up to $100,000.
“I’d like it highlighted that when we’e looking at more money as a result of federal discourse, that we have the final decision. I’m trying to avoid a situation where we delegate authority and it ends up costing us tens of thousands more,” said Andrew Tennant, deputy mayor.
In the end, Smithson agreed that any 10 percent deviation in pricing would come back to council for approval prior to purchase. At the same time she pointed out that the town has not been spending a great deal on U.S. good. Last year, she said, the town only bought $12,000 of U.S. merchandise out of $42 million in expenditures.
“We’re trying to do what’s best for Carleton Place in this case. We don’t have a beef with the 17 states along the border, people on both sides of the border are hurting,” concluded Randell.
