Michelle.Wilson@longbeach.gov
Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach Department of Financial Management is asking past, current and prospective vendors to participate in a Vendor Engagement Survey to help guide procurement improvements.
Over the last year, the City of Long Beach has undertaken a comprehensive evaluation and remaking of its procurement systems and processes, in collaboration with the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab (GPL). The goal is to make procurement more efficient, consistent and forward-looking, so that all vendors are better positioned to successfully propose, be awarded and deliver on business opportunities to best serve businesses and residents.
As part of the ongoing process, the City is now collecting input from previous and current vendors, as well as potential future vendors and organizations that have tried but have not been awarded contracts. An anonymous online survey, currently available in English, Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog, closes on Friday, November 12.
Identify barriers faced by prospective and current vendors
Improve vendor outreach, especially to Long Beach businesses
Design and implement new solutions to increase opportunities for contracting
“As a City, we aim to be open, competitive, fair, equitable and transparent in our procurement opportunities. Input from our vendors is essential to achieving this goal,” said Kevin Riper, Director of Financial Management. “To build solutions that work, we need direct feedback from vendors.”
Already, improvements have included a redesign of the request for proposals document, forecasting of upcoming City procurement needs and training staff on procurement best practices. Future changes will focus on building stronger connections to local, diverse and disadvantaged businesses to build equity and inclusion among the vendors signing contracts to work with the City.
For more information, or to troubleshoot any technical questions regarding the survey, respondents should contact lbpurchasing@longbeach.gov.
About the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab
The Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab (GPL), based in the School’s Taubman Center for State and Local Government, supports state and local governments across the country in designing and implementing solutions to pressing social problems. The GPL has conducted more than 200 projects in 35 states, helping innovative state and local government leaders improve the results they achieve for their residents. An important part of the GPL’s research model involves capturing the insights, tools and practices that are gained through these hands-on projects and sharing them with government leaders across the country.