Oakland fails again to publish contract transparency reports

"City law requires the council to approve all contracts above $250,000. But Oakland's city administrator, Jestin Johnson, has the power to issue contracts up to that amount without informing the council and the public. The mandatory annual report is meant to provide transparency into these purchases. The report also requires Johnson and his team to explain if any contracts were issued without a competitive bidding process, and how many awards went to local businesses."

"The last time Oakland published a contract report was October 2023. That report, which covered the fiscal year 2022-2023, documented scores of contracts tallying up to more than $10 million. City officials told us last year that the delay was caused by a "transition" with the person in charge of the report. The Contracts and Purchasing Bureau is now charged with generating this information, which appears to be part of the city's efforts to centralize its contracting process."

Oakland failed to publish required annual reports listing contracts authorized by the city administrator without council oversight for the years ending June 2024 and June 2025. City law requires council approval for contracts above $250,000, while the city administrator can authorize contracts up to that threshold without informing the council or public. The report must disclose whether contracts bypassed competitive bidding and how many awards went to local businesses. Officials previously attributed delays to a personnel transition and centralized contracting changes, and the Contracts and Purchasing Bureau now compiles the data. Officials announced multiple postponements, most recently expecting committee consideration in early spring.

Read at The Oaklandside