Report 2021-102 Recommendation 8 Responses

Report 2021-102: Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund: The State Could Better Manage Its Distribution Fund and Its Problem Gambling Programs (Release Date: August 2022)

Recommendation #8 To: Public Health, Department of

To ensure that its training conference expenditures are reasonable, the Office of Problem Gambling should, beginning with its next planned catering expenditure, obtain quotes from multiple vendors, document those quotes, and select the vendor that offers the best value.

6-Month Agency Response

All Substance and Addiction Prevention Branch (SAPB) staff (including those in the Office of Problem Gambling) received guidance on procurement standard operating procedures, including obtaining quotes from multiple vendors, documenting and storing received quotes, and selecting the best value. This was provided in an All-Staff meeting (includes all staff and supervisors) on January 18, 2023. Procurement procedures are documented in the SAPB SharePoint site and will be included as part of on-boarding for new procurement staff. (See Attachment 2 - Contracts-PurchasingSOP.pdf)

The Office continues to have no planned catering expenditures as 2023 conferences will be held online.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

To date, the Substance and Addiction Prevention Branch and Office of Problem Gambling (Office) leadership have:

- Reviewed existing Office procurement procedures

- Reviewed best practices in the State Administrative Manual, State Contracting Manual, and Public Health Administrative Manual

- Provided training to all Office staff, covering the Public Health Contract and Purchasing System

The Office has no planned catering expenditures planned for FY 2022-23. All training conferences have been moved online, following the in-person 2020 training.

Between now and November 30, 2022, the Substance and Addiction Prevention Branch will develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for procurement, contracts, and record-keeping and will provide to Office leadership. SOPs will include guidance on obtaining quotes from multiple vendors, documenting and storing received quotes, and guidance on selecting for best value. By December 30, 2022, all Office staff will be trained on the new SOPs and will apply these procedures for future training conferences.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2021-102

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.