TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to draft an ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code to add emergency procurement regulations, allowing for effective purchase, rental, or lease of goods or services required to address immediate threats to health, safety or improved property, and to restore normalcy to the community as quickly as possible during a proclaimed emergency or disaster. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Under the City’s standard procurement procedures as established in the City Charter, Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) and written policy, procurement is subject to numerous requirements related to noticing, formal and informal bids, and awards, among others. Applicable requirements dictate the length of time necessary to complete a procurement for goods or services. During normal operations, procurement needs are typically non-urgent and known in advance, and the standard procurement process is appropriate to meet such needs.
In the event of an emergency or disaster, the unpredictability and urgency of procurement needs will greatly increase over normal operations. In emergency conditions, the City will likely face immediate threats to health, safety or improved property. Additionally, after immediate threats are mitigated, serious conditions may still exist and may require swift resolution in order to restore normalcy to the community. Responding in a timely manner to these needs will be critical to saving lives, addressing public health and safety concerns, and preventing further property damage. The City needs effective alternate procurement procedures to respond to these needs in an expedient manner.
The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) requires that any procurement made by the City during an emergency or disaster be conducted in accordance with the most stringent requirements of those found in federal, state, and local procurement procedures. In many cases, this would require the City to strictly adhere to its own pr...
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