Primary Department: County Library
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Edward Melton
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: N/A
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval to use the department’s procurement card to pay vendors providing library programs.
end
Background and Discussion:
HCPL delivers vendor-provided literacy, educational, and cultural enrichment programming across 27 library branches, serving children, teens, adults, and families countywide. These programs support major system initiatives including the Summer Reading Program, the America 250 Initiative, cultural heritage month observances, annual literacy efforts, and STEM learning opportunities. Programming is offered year-round through partnerships with professional educators, performers, and cultural organizations to ensure broad public access and community engagement.
HCPL is requesting authorization to charge up to $120,000 in cumulative expenditures for library program services from various vendors to the procurement card through December 31, 2026. These services consist of multiple low-dollar transactions (each under $1,000) with a wide range of vendors, the majority of which are small, local businesses that rely on timely payment and simplified billing processes. Programs are often scheduled on short notice to meet community demand or align with systemwide initiatives. Requiring a purchase order for each transaction creates administrative delays, limits scheduling flexibility, and can delay vendor payment. Procurement card usage enables prompt payment, reduces administrative barriers for small local businesses, and provides a more efficient payment method while remaining within established purchasing thresholds and internal control requirements.
Expected Impact: Approval will improve operational efficiency by reducing processing time for small, recurring program payments and minimizing the need for multiple low-value purchase orders. It will allow branches to respond quickly to community needs and scheduling changes while ensuring timely vendor payment. This approach supports consistent delivery of high-quality programming, strengthens vendor relationships, and reduces administrative burden without increasing overall spending or changing program scope.
Alternative Options: Alternative options include continuing to process individual purchase orders for each vendor payment. Continuing with individual POs would maintain existing controls but would remain time-intensive, reduce flexibility, and risk program delays or cancellations. Use of the procurement card is the most practical and efficient option for managing these low-dollar, time-sensitive transactions while maintaining fiscal oversight.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 3. Make our economy more inclusive.
County Strategic Plan Objective: N: Improve the health behaviors of community members.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): N/A
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): K4: Expand adult literacy programs.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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Location: N/A
Address (if applicable): Multiple
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
Library and Literacy Programs |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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1000 - General Fund |
$ |
$120,000 |
$120,000 |
$120,000 |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$120,000 |
$120,000 |
$120,000 |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$120,000 |
$120,000 |
$120,000 |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only) |
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CAO Reviewer Name and Title |
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CAO Review Completion Date |
Click or tap to enter a date. |
Anticipated Court Date: 2/26/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Daisy Torres, Finance and Budget Director, HCPL
Attachments (if applicable): N/A