Council approves first reading to exempt employee-insurance contracts from ordinary procurement rules

The council took the first reading and approved O5, an ordinance amending Chapter 36 (finance and revenue procurement code) to add an exemption for employee insurance, benefits and retirement services procurement.

Director Yara said the proposed change is intended to provide the city more flexibility when procuring health- and benefit-related contracts because those vendors frequently require near–real-time data and certain confidentiality arrangements that do not fit a fully open procurement process. The director said other New Mexico jurisdictions have similar exemptions.

The council had no public speakers and voted on first reading to advance the ordinance. Because this was a first reading, the item will follow the standard ordinance process before final adoption.