There is created, by merger, a department of the county, which shall be known as the “internal services department,” hereafter referred to in this chapter as the “department.” The departments of facilities management, data processing and purchasing and stores are hereby merged into the internal services department. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

The department shall be under the direction and management of the director, internal services, hereafter referred to in this chapter as the “director,” who shall be appointed by the board of supervisors. The director shall appoint all employees of the department. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

From and after the operative date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, the director shall be the successor to the director, facilities management; director, data processing; director, communications; purchasing agent; or other county official as regards any functions, duties or responsibilities, whether imposed by contract or otherwise, which prior to the operative date of the ordinance codified in this chapter were the functions, duties or responsibilities of the director of facilities management (with the exception of the duties of the county engineer), director of data processing, purchasing agent, director of communications, director of building services, director of mechanical, or other county official which by this chapter are now or hereafter delegated by the board of supervisors to be the duties of the director. (Ord. 95-0052 § 33, 1995: Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Internal county services are those services which support county departments in their delivery of services to the public. Internal services include, but are not limited to, facilities operations, maintenance and repair; design, operation and maintenance of communications and data processing facilities, systems and equipment; fleet management and maintenance; business machine maintenance; security services; purchasing, storage and distribution of personal property, equipment and supplies; printing services; energy management; and parking management. Internal county services are divided into three categories as designated by the chief administrative officer: centralized, decentralized and delegated. Responsibility for these services is as follows:
A. Centralized Internal Services. The director is responsible for managing and providing centralized internal services to county departments, to the extent permitted by budgeted funds or paid for by recipients or requestors of the services.
B. Decentralized Internal Services. Each county department head is responsible for arranging for the provision of decentralized internal services to support his or her department’s operations in compliance with county-wide standards established by the chief administrative officer, approved by the board of supervisors, and monitored by the auditor-controller. Unless otherwise directed by the chief administrative officer, each county department head may purchase decentralized internal services from the department; or may purchase these services from outside contractors, provided the department’s bid for such services has been solicited and considered, subject to provisions of law, the approval of the chief administrative officer, and compliance with contracting policies adopted by the board of supervisors; or may, with the approval of the chief administrative officer and the director, provide these services with in-house staff or purchase them from another county department. Any change of service provider from the department to another provider, including in-house staff, shall be done in conjunction with policies established by the chief administrative officer. In competing to be selected as the provider of decentralized internal services, the department shall function as an entrepreneurial organization with the mission of marketing, selling and delivering high-quality, competitively priced services to county departments and other customers and shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, operate with flexibility analogous to private sector providers of similar services. All services rendered shall be paid for by the recipient or requestor of the services.
C. Delegated Internal Services. The director is responsible for providing these services but may delegate their day-to-day operation to requesting county department heads according to policies established by the chief administrative officer and procedures established by, and subject to the approval and supervision of, the director. Such delegation may be rescinded by the director upon approval of the chief administrative officer. (Ord. 95-0052 § 34, 1995: Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Centralized internal services which are the responsibility of the director, unless otherwise designated by the board of supervisors or the chief administrative officer, include but are not limited to the services set forth in this chapter. (Ord. 95-0052 § 35, 1995: Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Pursuant to statutory and Charter provisions, the director is authorized to perform certain duties on behalf of the board of supervisors pursuant to California Government Code Section 31000.9. The director will maintain, as a public record, documentation of staff recommendations and support materials for all actions under this delegation of authority. Quarterly reports will be submitted to the board of supervisors listing all actions completed under this delegation. The director may not take any action requiring funding until the chief administrative officer has certified that funding is available and has authorized the expenditure of such funds. (Ord. 95-0052 § 36, 1995.)

Upon agreement with paying customers, the director shall direct the custodial maintenance and management services of facilities so as to create and maintain a safe and sanitary environment. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Upon agreement with paying customers, the director shall provide miscellaneous construction, maintenance and repair work. The director shall also provide for all extraordinary maintenance and repair, as defined by the chief administrative officer, of county buildings and related structures, improvements and fixed equipment, except as otherwise provided by law, to the extent permitted by available funds. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

The department shall be the lead agency for energy audits and surveys, and the design, construction, implementation and management of the county’s energy management functions, including but not limited to, the procurement of energy resources, adoption of energy conservation measures, including building and energy plant retrofit projects, and advice on energy-related regulatory matters. (Ord. 95-0052 § 58, 1995.)

The director or his/her designee shall represent the county before the California Public Utilities Commission and other energy regulatory bodies or agencies at all hearings or other proceedings in which the director or his/her designee determines that the county’s best interests require such participation. The director shall advise the board of all participation in significant matters. (Ord. 2005-0063 § 1, 2005.)

The department shall manage the operation, maintenance and repair of county-owned or operated parking facilities as designated by the chief administrative officer. (Ord. 95-0052 § 59, 1995.)

The director, under the supervision and direction of the board of supervisors, shall have authority over the inspection, maintenance, and repair of all county-owned automobiles, motorcycles and trucks, except as otherwise designated by the chief administrative officer. It shall also be the duty of the director, under the supervision and direction of the board of supervisors, to prepare the specifications for the purchase of all such motor vehicles. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

“Communication equipment and services” means all telecommunications networks, systems, facilities and services required to move voice, data, text, facsimile, graphics and video information via wire and/or wireless transmission media, and mail and messenger service. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

A. The director shall be responsible for the systems planning and technical planning, design, approval of requisitions as to quality and standards, installation, operation, maintenance and repair of all county-wide and multi-user communications systems, networks and facilities, as defined by the chief administrative officer or directed by the board of supervisors. The director shall also have the authority to review and approval all telecommunications systems and equipment which interface with the county-wide systems, networks and facilities for the purpose of insuring that the interface will not negatively impact the operations of the county-wide systems, networks and facilities. The director may also provide or arrange for county-wide mail and messenger service.
B. The director is authorized to grant usage permits allowing the use of county-owned poles, conduits and other communication appurtenances by persons, firms, corporations, cities, districts and public agencies, and may apply for and agree to pay for permits permitting the use of poles, conduits and other communications appurtenances by the county, if the estimated or actual consideration for the permit is $500.00 per month or less, and if the term of the permit is for no longer than a year-to-year duration.
C. The director shall be responsible for the allocation and use of the electromagnetic spectrum for the county. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

The director shall represent the county before the Federal Communications Commission and other communication utility bodies or agencies at all hearings or other proceedings in which the county may have any interest. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

The director shall be responsible for planning, installing, operating and maintaining county data center facilities including related equipment and systems software as designated by the board of supervisors. The director shall also have the authority to review and approve all data processing applications which are operated on such data center equipment and all systems and equipment which interface with such data center facilities, systems and equipment for the purpose of ensuring that the interface will not negatively impact the operations of such facilities, systems, and equipment. The director may provide other data processing services based on agreements reached with paying customers. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Under direction of the chief administrative officer, the director shall be responsible for assisting in the development and evaluation of county-wide disaster response plans for county facilities involving interdepartmental communications, transportation, facilities and equipment repair; and for reporting to the chief administrative officer the initial assessment of damage to county facilities. (Ord. 95-0052 § 60, 1995: Ord. 90-0030 § 1, 1990: Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Unless delegated by the director, it shall be the duty of the director to purchase all such services as are authorized by law, and to purchase and rent all furnishings, materials, supplies, fixtures, equipment, and all other personal property required by the county of Los Angeles, or any of the districts or public agencies for which the purchasing agent of the county of Los Angeles acts as purchasing agent, when the head of such county department, district or public agency shall make proper written requisition upon him, and to otherwise perform all the duties of the purchasing agent permitted or required by the Charter, state law, or other provisions of this code. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

A. Pursuant to the provisions of Government Code Section 25509, the director may establish a checking account in any commercial bank for the payment of miscellaneous and emergency purchases of services and supplies by purchase order check. No one check drawn on the account shall exceed $2,500.00. The director shall not fragmentize orders to avoid the intention of the board of supervisors in prescribing the maximum amount per check prescribed above.
B. The $2,500.00 limitation in subsection A of Section 2.81.805 shall not apply to checks drawn in payment of the following services and supplies:
1. Postage;
2. Training;
3. Transportation provided by common carriers;
4. Organization dues and membership fees approved by the board of supervisors;
5. Subscriptions that require prepayment;
6. Fee assessments for mandatory accreditation surveys, reviews and evaluations for the department of health services; and
7. Emergency purchases that the using department has certified were delivered.
C. Pursuant to the provisions of Government Code Section 25509, the director may also establish a checking account with a fund limit not to exceed $50,000.00 in any commercial bank for the payment, acquisition, repair or refurbishment of goods for the county’s surplus property program. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

A. Pursuant to Section 54202 of the Government Code, the director shall prepare or cause to be prepared a manual of procedures, for submission to and approval of the board of supervisors. Said manual shall contain detailed procedures concerning the conduct of all purchasing and stores business, including, but not limited to, procedures and other matters pertinent to:
1. Handling requests for quotations, including their custody and safeguarding, opening and tabulation, rejection and readvertising, and the procedure for determining the lowest responsible bidder;
2. Securing from vendors and prospective vendors the data necessary to determine whether or not they are responsible;
3. Inspection of deliveries of supplies, materials, equipment and contractual services;
4. Making emergency purchases;
5. Reporting receipt of deliveries of supplies, materials, equipment and contractual services;
6. Submitting requisitions for the supplies, materials, equipment and contractual services required by the using agencies;
7. Receipt and examination prior to audit of invoices for supplies, materials, equipment and contractual services delivered;
8. Control and safeguarding supplies, materials and equipment in storerooms or at storage points, including the maintenance of a perpetual inventory system showing the quantitative amounts and monetary values of the inventories;
9. Authorized signatures for the various documents, reports and forms pertinent to the conduct of business and the administration of the department; and
10. All other matters as may be necessary to give effect to provisions of this chapter and any amendments hereto.
B. It is recognized that such manual shall require additions, amendments and deletions from time to time as necessitated by the ordinary course of business. Such additions, amendments and deletions shall be made a part of the manual of procedures by the director, to be effective immediately, and shall periodically be submitted to the board of supervisors for approval.
C. A copy of such manual of procedures shall be available in the office of the director and shall be open to public inspection during regular business hours. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

It shall be the duty of the director to purchase such quantities of furnishings, materials, supplies, fixtures and equipment as may be required for official use and provide for their disbursement upon receipt of regular requisitions presented to the director. A record of receipts and disbursements shall be kept in such manner that the same may be easily checked by the county auditor-controller. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Upon agreement with paying customers, the director shall procure and provide forms, duplicated, reproduced and printed matter as required by the various departments of the county. The director may operate a central county printing facility and such other regional printing facilities as may from time to time be established. The director may utilize county or alternate duplicating sources to meet the county’s needs, subject to applicable legal limitations, and may establish guidelines and standards for the production of printed or duplicated matter, and may issue instructions for the requisitioning and procurement thereof. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

A. Upon the receipt by the director of a requisition properly drawn and signed, he shall determine from whom the proposed purchase is to be made and the cost, and shall prepare a purchase order with as many copies as may be necessary.
B. The director shall insure that the auditor-controller has certified for each purchase order that there are sufficient funds available to meet the cost of the articles proposed to be purchased. This shall not apply to purchase orders issued under the general stores revolving account or to purchase orders for services and supplies under $2,500.00. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Upon receiving the certification as described in Section 2.81.840, the director shall be authorized to issue to the vendor a purchase order directing the delivery of the articles named therein and at the price named therein to the requisitioner. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

In the event of failure to receive a certification by the auditor-controller that there are sufficient funds available, the director shall not purchase the goods requisitioned. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

The director shall engage independent contractors to perform sundry services for the county and the officers thereof, with or without the furnishing of material, where the cost does not exceed limitations imposed by law. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

The director shall not engage independent contractors to perform sundry services until and unless such independent contractor shall file with the director a certificate or affidavit of the State Compensation Insurance Fund, or private insurance company duly authorized to write worker’s compensation insurance, that such independent contractor has, pursuant to the Worker’s Compensation provisions of the Labor Code, insured all his employees to be engaged by the contractor in the performance of the sundry service, or shall file with the director a certificate of consent to self-insure issued by the director of industrial relations. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

In the publication of legal notices required by law, the director shall cause each such notice to be published in a local community newspaper of the community affected by the proceedings, provided that publication in such newspaper meets the requirements of law, notwithstanding that lower prices are obtainable for such advertising outside the local community affected by the proceeding. It is understood, however, that the foregoing shall not include any instance in which a specific newspaper is designated by the board of supervisors for the publication of any such notice, or any instance in which a public officer or said board of supervisors is required by law to designate specifically the newspaper wherein any such legal notice is to be published. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

It shall be the duty of the director to procure for the uniformed personnel of county departments, districts and public agencies such uniforms and equipment as may be authorized by the chief administrative officer. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Unless delegated by the director, it shall be the duty of the director to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all surplus personal property not disposed of by the board of supervisors in the manner provided in Article 7 (commencing with Section 25500) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 2 of Title 3 of the Government Code. (Ord. 97-0063 § 2, 1997: Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Unless delegated by the director, the director shall dispose of any personal property received by him pursuant to Sections 2.34.100, 2.122.080 and 4.40.050 of this code, or received by him from a court pursuant to Section 1411 or 1418 of the Penal Code, or property of deceased indigents, as follows:
A. He may retain any such personal property which is needed for public use, or deliver such personal property to the county officer or employee who needs it for public use;
B. He may destroy all such personal property not disposed of pursuant to subsection A of this section which is of no value;
C. He shall sell, in the manner provided for in Section 2.81.910, all personal property not disposed of pursuant to subsections A or B of this section, and all personal property having a monetary value of less than $25.00 of a deceased indigent in those cases in which there has been no probate of the estate of such indigent, or if there has been a probate and such property was not disposed of in such probate. (Ord. 97-0063 § 3, 1997: Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

The director shall not sell any gambling device as such but shall sell such gambling device after destruction only as junk. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Formal bids shall be the preferred method of purchase for all goods, services and leases, with at least three competitive bids obtained wherever feasible. Any other means shall be used only when, in the opinion and discretion of the director, the best interests of the county will be served by using other methods, or that formal bidding procedures are impractical. Guidelines for use of these other purchasing methods are as follows:
A. Informal Bid. In general and where applicable, procedures concerning formal bids are equally applicable to informal bids. They should be used only when the product or service cannot be more efficiently obtained through formal bid, and where the product or service meets at least one of the following qualifications:
1. Repair part, component or accessory for which no substitute is available;
2. Value or volume does not warrant formal bid; or
3. Time requirements are such as to make it impracticable to process by formal bid.
B. Telephone Bid. The telephone bid may be used when immediate delivery is essential and at least three quotations shall be solicited.
C. Prior Bid, Last Price. Award may be made on the basis of a prior bid or last price, if the conditions of purchase are similar, with the approval of the director.
D. Monopoly. Award may be made without bidding when the item to be purchased can be obtained from only one source and the item is one which does not economically lend itself to substitution.
E. Letter Quotations. This method shall be used in the same manner as the informal bid. The letter quotation is a written offer made to the county by a bidder usually, but not exclusively, modifying or extending a previous offer. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Extensions of bid closing date will only be granted with the approval of the director. Notification of extension of date will be made by amendment to the request for quotation, and such amendment will be mailed to all firms sent the original request. No informal extension shall be obtained by any vendor without this process. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Every award to other than low bid shall be made by a reviewing authority in the department superior to the assigned deputy purchasing agent. The assigned deputy purchasing agent shall follow standard operating procedures in documenting and reporting the action. The director shall submit to the board of supervisors a monthly report of all contracts estimated to result in an expenditure of more than $5,000.00 which are awarded to other than the low bidder, are awarded without being put out to competitive bid, or are awarded, extended or amended upon the basis of negotiation or renegotiation, such report to include the reasons therefor. Awards made by individual department heads pursuant to decentralization delegation of purchasing authority by the director and subject to the above limitations shall be reported to the board of supervisors separately by the awarding department. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

All factors being equal and to the extent authorized by law, the county shall first prefer products grown, manufactured or produced in Los Angeles County, and then in the state of California. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Purchases shall not be made from a county or district employee or his spouse unless authorization is obtained in each specific instance from the board of supervisors. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

Sales of surplus personal property may be made to county and district employees on the same basis as to other private citizens, except that no such sales shall be made to an employee of the department, the employee’s spouse, or blood relative of either. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

The director may delegate the authority granted by this chapter to appropriate staff under his direction and control. Thereafter or until revoked, such subordinates may exercise any and all authority delegated by the board of supervisors to the director. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)

This chapter shall not be deemed or construed as imposing any duty upon, or authorizing any act by, the director which duty or act is imposed upon or required to be done by any other county officer, department or employee pursuant to the provisions of any general law, or any provision of the Charter of the county of Los Angeles. (Ord. 89-0026 § 1 (part), 1989.)