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Curran signs policy increasing oversight on county contracts

Jessica Parks
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran signed two assessment reforms into law on Friday. Last month, she signed an updated procurement policy. (Photo by Jessica Parks)

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran signed a new policy last Thursday that increases oversight and implements further controls for county contracts.

“We’re transforming the way Nassau County does business, increasing oversight and implementing strong controls to guard against corruption,” Curran said. 

The new Nassau County Procurement and Compliance Policy clears up some of the “gray areas” in the previous policy, she said. 

For example in the new policy, county officials involved in contracting are barred from accepting gifts from potential contractors when before there were hazy stipulations, Curran said. 

The policy also sets forth the methods by which the county may procure goods and services, when each method may be used, the required approvals that must be obtained to complete procurement under each method and procurement-related elements of effective contract administration. 

Some other changes to the policy are the inclusion of the Vendor Code of Ethics, a set of rules for all county vendors unveiled in June; a conflict of interest policy for proposal selection committees; new online portal for county contractors with increased oversight and audit trails; the inclusion of the office of the inspector general in procurement and compliance policy, a position created over the past year that is now held by Jodi Franzese; new procedures for officials conducting proposal evaluation; added roles and responsibilities within departments to review contracts; and new process and procedure to ensure timely contracts. 

Curran ordered an annual review last year of the policies that are involved in how over $1 billion in county funds are spent, which includes policies and procedures for the procurement process. 

“We’re transforming the way Nassau County does business, increasing oversight and implementing strong controls to guard against corruption,” Curran said.

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