1.1 Determine when purchase cards can be used – The city’s Technology Services agency should revise policy and procedure to reflect when a purchase card can be used to make technology purchases.
Agency Response: Agree, Implementation Date – Dec. 31, 2023
1.2 Develop workflows for technology purchases – The city’s Technology Services agency should work with the Controller’s Office to determine requirements for monitoring and ensuring preapproval of technology purchases. Options include:
- Developing a catalog of preapproved technology purchase types in ServiceNow that connects with Workday’s workflows.
- Standardizing memo line entries with codes to better flag technology purchases or create flags based on keywords in Workday.
- Adding spending categories that trigger Technology Services reviews of purchase card reconciliations and expense reimbursement requests in Workday.
- Creating a required checkbox for purchase card reconciliations or employee reimbursement requests that requires city employees to attest that no technology was purchased.
Agency Response: Agree, Implementation Date – Dec. 31, 2023
2.1 Clarify policies and procedures for technology purchases – Once workflows are determined, as outlined in Recommendation 1.2, the city’s Technology Services agency should:
- Refine its relevant policies and procedures.
- Develop supplemental procedures to address city employees’ roles and responsibilities for technology purchases — both for agencies on the network and Technology Services personnel.
- Finalize and approve these policies and procedures.
Agency Response: Agree, Implementation Date – Dec. 31, 2023
2.2 Update documentation for technology purchases – The city’s Technology Services agency should change its policies and procedures to define “technology purchases” and “on the network” to ensure compliance with Executive Order No. 18. This change should include guidance on when purchase cards and expense reimbursements can to be used for technology purchases and it should better define what technology purchases require preapproval from Technology Services.
Agency Response: Agree, Implementation Date – Dec. 31, 2023
2.3 Update guidance for when purchase cards can be used for technology purchases – Following Recommendation 1.1, the city’s Technology Services agency should work with the Controller’s Office to update credit card usage policies and procedures to reflect when purchase cards can be used for technology purchases.
Agency Response: Agree, Implementation Date – Dec. 31, 2023
2.4 Develop and conduct training on technology purchases – Once recommended process, policy, and procedural changes have been implemented as described in recommendations 1.2 and 2.2, the city’s Technology Services agency should work with the Department of General Services to develop a required training and periodic refresher, specifically for those personnel responsible for technology purchases citywide. This should include:
- Definitions for technology categories, how to purchase technology on purchase cards, and what receipts are required for out-of-pocket reimbursements.
Once training has been developed, Technology Services should develop a communications plan to disseminate Executive Order No. 18 and Technology Services’ policies and procedures for technology purchases annually to applicable staff who make citywide technology purchases. This training should also discuss security, data protection and privacy, and financial resources risks when agencies bypass Technology Services’ preapproval of technology.
Agency Response: Agree, Implementation Date – Dec. 31, 2023