Share:
Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 14, 2012 03:48 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Mike Folmer |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Openness and Transparency – Procurement Code (Previously SB 1200) |
| I plan to reintroduce my Senate Bill 1200 to provide for more accountability in the award of state (sole-source/no-bid and emergency) contracts. Previous sponsors were Senators Vogel, Rafferty, Erickson, Orie, Smucker, Farnese, Pileggi, Alloway, Browne, Waugh, Ferlo, Yudichak, Boscola, Mensch, and Piccola. SB 1200 unanimously passed the Senate and was subsequently amended and unanimously passed by the House. Session ended before the Senate could consider these changes. The version I will reintroduce is the work of a number of different parties. The purpose of this legislation is to address questions with various state contracts. Some of these issues were outlined in an October 2009 Auditor General audit on technology contracts. The apparent lack of openness, transparency, and accountability has too often raised suspicion of the Commonwealth’s procurement process. These difficulties especially arise whenever the state enters into sole-source (and sometimes no-bid) contracts and/or “emergency procurements.” My legislation would require more public access to procurement records – including the posting of information on the websites of the Department of General Services and other purchasing agencies. Written determinations of purchasing officers would also be required when entering into sole-source/no-bid and emergency contracts deemed to be “in the best interests of the Commonwealth.” Thank you. |
Introduced as SB369