Finance Committee Meeting 09-28-26

The City of Santa Fe Finance Committee held a meeting on September 28, 2026, focusing primarily on a detailed review of the city's procurement process conducted by Baker Tilly, the city's internal audit consulting firm. The review highlighted several issues including inefficiencies in the RFP and contracting processes, a high error rate in contract drafts, and a decentralized procurement model that could benefit from greater centralization. Key recommendations included enhancing the pre-solicitation phase, centralizing contract negotiation and approval workflows, involving the city manager in contract approvals over $200,000, and conducting a comprehensive workload analysis to support potential staffing increases in the procurement office. The committee also discussed the use of multiple technology platforms for procurement and contracting, with plans to streamline and possibly consolidate systems like OpenGov and Tyler Munis to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The committee approved moving the audit report and recommendations forward to the governing body for further consideration and potential implementation. Additionally, the meeting touched on the city's authority as a home rule municipality to deviate from the state procurement code to improve flexibility and efficiency.