Issue: Vendor selection involved individuals with undisclosed financial or personal relationships, violating conflict of interest policies.
Trend: Lack of documentation and disclosure is a recurring problem, raising concerns about procurement integrity.
Follow-up: Implement training on conflict of interest policies and establish a clear process for documenting relationships in vendor evaluations.
Finding Text
During audit procedures, we noted that individuals involved in the evaluation and selection of vendors had financial or personal relationships with the vendors selected. These relationships were not disclosed or documented as required by the County’s conflict of interest policies or applicable federal procurement standards. Additionally, there was no evidence that steps were taken to mitigate potential conflicts in the procurement process.
Corrective Action Plan
Management will update the written conflict of interest policy to clearly define disclosure requirements. All employees and board members involved in procurement will complete an annual conflict of interest disclosure form. The Chief Executive Officer and Director of Finance will review and maintain all conflict of interest disclosures prior to awarding any contract. Staff training on conflict of interest compliance with be conducted by December 31, 2025.