Primary Department: County Administration
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Erica Lee Carter, County Administrator
Secondary Department: Purchasing
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: Kimberly J. Williams, JD
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Discussion Item
Project ID (if applicable):
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable):
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: Choose an item.
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): Choose an item.
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request by the Office of County Administration for discussion and possible action regarding status of the Purchasing OPSS (Optimizing Procurement Speed and Service) Project and next steps.
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Background and Discussion:
On June 11, 2026, Commissioners Court approved the initiation of the Purchasing Optimizing Speed and Service (OPSS) project to identify and implement practical improvements to key purchasing and procurement processes, with a focus on increasing efficiency and achieving measurable results.
Led jointly by the Office of County Administration and the Office of the Purchasing Agent, the project has completed its 90-day sprint on October 9, 2026. The project closure report documents the engagement’s findings, impacts, and recommended “quick wins” developed through the project. These improvements will now transition into implementation and launch within the applicable purchasing processes.
Expected benefits include greater efficiency, improved transparency, and more consistent execution across the purchasing lifecycle.
Expected Impact:
This initiative is expected to produce measurable reductions in procurement and contracting cycle times, improved consistency and transparency in processes, and more predictable service delivery across County departments.
Alternative Options:
N/A
County Strategic Plan Goal: Choose an item3. Make our economy more inclusive.
County Strategic Plan Objective: Choose an itemJ: Grow the number and size of MWBEs.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): Choose an item.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): Choose an item.
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an itemJ3: Strengthen enabling support and processes for MWBE programming.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan: This initiative is also related to the FY26 Operational Imperative: Procure to Pay
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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6/11/26 |
5 |
The item was approved as presented, and Commissioners Court authorized the project to proceed. |
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8/6/26 |
270 |
Transmittal of a report describing the status of the Purchasing OPSS project, including project timeline, scope, and approach. |
Location:
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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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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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 |
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Anticipated Court Date: 10/15/2026
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: Kimberly J. Williams, Harris County Purchasing Agent; Rachel O’Connell, Sr. Project Manager, Office of County Administration
Attachments (if applicable): PUR OPSS- Project Closure Report