December 22, 2008
Governor Paterson's Executive Budget contains several items which may be of interest to Business Council members who contract with NYS or local agencies.
Please feel free to continue sharing with me any concerns or observations you have on these provisions or issues I may have missed but you would like the Business Council to track. Business Council staff analysis on major budget provisions across all topic areas will be updated on our Web site.
- The Public Protection & General Government Article VII bill (PPGG), Part HH (p.144) provisions which increase the Wicks construction project threshold for NYC to $10 million; provides school districts with an exemption from Wicks Law requirements on school construction projects; and removes the mandatory apprenticeship requirements from the PLA provisions enacted as part of the 2008-09 state budget.
- PPGG, page 151-2 details increased contracting flexibility for local governments in awarding contracts on a “best value” basis, along with modest increases in the local government competitive bidding thresholds.
- PPGG, Part W, page 59, details the Governor's proposal to create within the executive department a new Office of Procurement Services and to designate a new title of “Chief Procurement Officer.” Objectives include the ability to undertake procurement consistent with best practices, better coordinate and coordinate procurement activities across state agencies, and to leverage purchasing volume to achieve best prices. As proposed, this office will initially be staffed by a transfer of personnel from OGS.
- The Education, Labor & Family Assistance Article VII bill (ELFA), pages 48-57, details proposed procurement relief procedures for SUNY, SUNY health care facilities and not-for-profits organized to carry out SUNY's mission, pursuant to guidelines to be developed by the SUNY trustees. Included among the relief provisions will be the elimination of SUNY contracts to be reviewed and approved by the Attorney General and State Comptroller.
- Consistent with reporting provisions in state law, the listing by agency of Consulting Service Contracts with estimated reappropriations, disbursements and estimated contract employee counts can be found in the Agency Briefing Book.