BILL NUMBER: S8527

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring the
New York state thruway authority to submit quarterly reports to the
legislature of all purchases, procurements and expenditures related to
contracts

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation would require New York state thruway authority to
submit quarterly reports to the governor and legislature the day on or
day before each fiscal quarter of all purchases, Procurements and
expenditures on any contract entered into by such authority during the
preceding quarter for legislative oversight

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends Subdivision 1 of section 363-a of the
public authorities law to require NYSTA report expenditures quarterly.
              

Section 2 of this bill provides for an immediate effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION

This bill would ensure New York state thruway authority adopt best prac-
tice procurement procedures to ensure purchases and expenditures on
contracts are adhering to state programs and metrics set forth by vari-
ous goals the state has sought to achieve across a range of disciplines.

At present, State authorities generally follow their own guidelines for
procurement. These guidelines vary from authority to authority and
usually are approved only by the authority's board of directors.
Requiring NYSTA to report quarterly procurement to the executive chamber
and both houses of the legislature would help ensure transparency in the
procurement process and benefit the vendor community by providing a more
fair approach to awarding State contracts.

State law prescribes best practice processes for procurement, including:
requiring open competition when practicable; ensuring a level playing
field for bidders with standard advertising and evaluation criteria; the
opportunity for losing vendors to be debriefed on awards; ensuring
vendors comply with appropriate worker protections such as prevailing
wage, workers' compensation and disability insurance, and equal
employment/nondiscrimination requirements; and confirming that vendors
are responsible, responsive and merit participation in state contract-
ing. Quarterly updates will help ensure adherence.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

none

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.