A recent follow-up report by Denver Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien, CPA, suggests that Denver's process for vetting contractors for city construction projects continues to be mired in ambiguity and inadequate verification, potentially allowing for the hiring of contractors ineligible for such work, raising concerns over adherence to the City Charter as well as fairness in the selection process.
In flagging the issue, Auditor O'Brien points to the city's Department of Transportation & Infrastructure and Denver International Airport, which are responsible for the prequalification of construction contractors, a process that requires contractors to prove financial capability, among other requirements, to compete for city projects. Despite improvements, the city still falls short in ensuring that only qualified contractors are prequalified, according to the Denver Auditor's Office.
Since the initial 2024 audit, Auditor O’Brien reported that while some progress has been made, there are still significant gaps in the system, notably the application template that has yet to be integrated into the city's software, indicating that the board responsible for contractor prequalification approvals may not be receiving complete information, undermining the very purpose of ensuring contractor eligibility.
The problem extends to transparency with assigning contractors financial levels, which denote the scope and value of contracts they can bid for, absent a clear justification for the decisions of the board in some instances, the agencies neglect to provide contractors with a feasible way to appeal decisions or receive an explanation for the financial levels assigned, potentially leading to a less competitive and less open procurement process, as per the words of Auditor O’Brien.
