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awarding the three contracts, after we discussed this issue with the executive
director and the procurement officer. Therefore, no further corrective action
concerning the three contracts is needed.
Responsible Personnel Were
Not Aware of Requirements
and Lacked Training
The Authority鈥檚 procurement officer was not aware of federal procurement
requirements and the Authority鈥檚 policies and procedures regarding contract
awards in instances of a sole bidder. At the Authority, each department director is
responsible for initiating purchases. The procurement officer is responsible for
determining the proper method of contracting. Although the Authority鈥檚
procurement policy adequately addressed federal procurement regulations, the
procurement officer did not follow the policy due to an oversight. Before being
employed by the Authority in November 2005, the procurement officer worked
for the Commonwealth of Virginia and was not required to follow federal
procurement regulations. We discussed these issues with the Authority during the
audit. It sent its procurement officer to a two-day federal procurement training
course in August 2006. To ensure that the Authority properly documents its
contract award process in the future, it needs to develop and implement controls
to ensure that responsible personnel award contracts according to established
policies and procedures. Further, it needs to emphasize to responsible personnel
the need to follow applicable policies and procedures and provide them additional
training regarding federal procurement requirements.
Recommendations
We recommend that the director of the Baltimore Public Housing Program Hub 11
require the Authority to
2A. Develop and implement procedures to ensure that it properly awards contracts
according to established policies and procedures.
2B. Emphasize to responsible personnel the need to follow applicable policies
and procedures and provide them training regarding federal procurement
requirements.
11
See footnote 7.
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