As part of this year’s Executive Budget, Governor Cuomo proposed a series of procurement “reforms,” however, all but one of them was dropped during budget negotiations. The enacted budget did extend the sunset date for the State’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) Program until April 15, 2018 and also provided that the program will continue until the end of 2018 if a required statewide disparity study is completed and delivered to the Governor and the Legislature by June 30th.
The Governor’s proposals, provisions including creating a Chief Procurement Officer, a Buy American preference for American made products in construction and other contracts, Inspectors General to oversee procurement in several public authorities and the prohibition of contributions by vendors bidding on contracts, were dropped from the budget during negotiations with the Senate and Assembly.
Procurement reform, including a number of proposals from State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, is likely to be deliberated in the final weeks of this year’s legislative session.
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