Report 2011-120 Recommendation 19 Responses

Report 2011-120: California Department of Transportation: Its Poor Management of State Route 710 Extension Project Properties Costs the State Millions of Dollars Annually, Yet State Law Limits the Potential Income From Selling the Properties (Release Date: August 2012)

Recommendation #19 To: General Services, Department of

To ensure that it appropriately executes interagency agreements with other state agencies, General Services should provide training to construction unit staff.

1-Year Agency Response

Effective July 1, 2013, DGS has consolidated its purchasing and contracting functions in a new office within its Administration Division, the Office of Business and Acquisition Services (OBAS). Consequently, the Direct Construction Unit (DCU) is no longer responsible for executing interagency agreements. Instead, this responsibility rests with OBAS' professional procurement staff.

It should be noted that, although no longer directly responsible for executing interagency agreements, DCU has taken action to ensure that applicable staff are fully aware of the state's requirements for the use of those types of contracts. Specifically, the area managers for DCU's Northern and Southern Area Offices and the primary administrative staff for those offices have attended the Services Contract Workshop course offered by the California Procurement & Contracting Academy (Cal-PCA). The Cal-PCA course is taught by staff from the DGS Office of Legal Services and includes coverage of the state's requirements for the use of interagency agreements to contract with other state agencies.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

General Services stated that the construction unit has scheduled its staff to attend the Services Contract Workshop course offered by the California Procurement and Contracting Academy (Cal-PCA), which will be held in April 2013. General Services also stated that this course is taught by staff from its office of legal services and includes coverage of the State's requirements for the use of interagency agreements to contract with other state agencies.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

General Services stated that the construction unit will schedule its staff to attend the Services Contracting course offered by the California Procurement and Contracting Academy (Cal-PCA). General Services also stated that this course is taught by staff from its office of legal services and includes coverage of the State's requirements for the use of interagency agreements to contract with other state agencies. (See 2013-406, p. 172)

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2011-120

Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.