Public Contracting and Procurement

SB 838B exempts OPRD from the Public Contracting Code, except as to surplus property and information technology related

procurement. Because of the agency's unique service portfolio and public role, statutory purchasing and printing restrictions increase costs and reduce efficiency without providing a parallel increase in public value. SB 838B exempts the agency from procurement and printing requirements that other executive branch agencies follow.

With the passage of this bill, OPRD must update its administrative rules. Divisions 146, 147, 148 and 149 all outline OPRD’s public contracting and procurement requirements and state printing and printing purchase process requirements. These need updates and they must be clarified to include the new exemption with clearly defined processes the agency plans to follow. As the agency uses its flexibility to procure goods and services in the most cost-effective ways within the communities we serve, these new processes must remain transparent and accountable.