CITYWIDE — THE NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS system is undergoing a sweeping overhaul on its procurement policy and budget, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels announcedon Thursday. The overhaulaims to bring long-overdue reforms to the nation’s largest school district.
The reforms are expected to save the city more than $100 million over the current fiscal year and the next by eliminating unnecessary contracts, rebidding where appropriate and strengthening active contract management. The reforms address longstanding delays, red tape and bureaucracy in the NYCPS procurement and contracting system. They will modernize outdated technology, provide comprehensive procurement training for staff and establish clear, transparent timelines for vendors.
Deputy Chancellor Lindsey Oates will lead a newly-created Division of Finance, Administration and Human Resources to consolidate the work to streamline oversight, strengthen accountability and improve operations.
One reform underway is the Mamdani administration’s cancellation — announced last month — of a T-Mobile internet service that was part of the previous Adams’ administration’s no-bid deal that included the purchase of Chromebooks, which have remained in storage. The DOE said at the time that this deal duplicated existing resources at an unnecessary cost.”
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