Libby Tucker in yesterday's Daily Journal of Commerce draws attention to a City Audit on construction contracts. She writes:

[It] faults Facility Services for poor planning, project delays and cost overruns on city projects. City construction projects are often out for bid before any substantial design is complete, resulting in changes to the scope of work and delaying project completion, the report says.

Staff also approved additional work at higher rates than the contracts allowed and didn't adequately document the changes. Such practices could skew public bids and leave room for contractors to submit low bids knowing they could easily make changes later.

The Audit is here (pdf). There is a short summary at the beginning, if you don't have time to read the whole thing.

I have been calling for a major overhaul in City contracting policies and practices for years. I have highlighted problems in specific examples on my blog over the past twelve months, in the weekly Next Up at City Council feature.

If elected, I will make sure the recommendations in this Audit are implemented. In addition to the four major proposals for action in the report, I will propose revision of City Code that currently allows contract budgets to be exceeded by 25%, before requiring re-authorization by the City Council. My family budget doesn't run with a built-in 25% inflation rate. I don't believe the City of Portland should do business that way, either.