Council will consider Monday night a staff proposal to "depoliticize" the process for approving purchases over $1 million.
As it stands, only council can approve purchases above that level except in cases in accordance with the city's emergency program bylaw. In those instances, the city manager can authorize the purchases.
Staff is suggesting council allow the city manager authority to approve a purchase "no matter the dollar value, provided that the purchase is in accordance with the council-approved financial plan."
"If these purchases continue to be subject to council approval, then vendors would remain strongly motivated to lobby members of council to make purchasing decisions in favour of those particular vendors," administrative services general manager Walter Babicz said in a report to council.
He said it would be better if council rely on staff to select a vendor bases on the process set out in the solicitation document, if used, as well as market research and purchasing expertise.
Updates on purchases would be provided to council on a quarterly basis, providing transparency to the process.
Nine other large B.C. municipalities have adopted the approach.
