Public Procurement

House Bill 205 makes changes to the state's procurement code. Collectively, these changes streamline the procurement code to ensure consistent application of the law, and results in a more understandable, efficient procurement process for the state's business partners as well as our employees conduct procurements.

Streamlining is accomplished by simplifying the application of our many preferences, which is currently complex and confusing for employees and vendors requiring a certain level of expertise. The bill makes application of the preferences uniform - currently, preferences do not contain the same language so they must be applied differently. It also clarifies which preferences are cumulative and those that may not be combined.

House Bill 205 would add a new section to the procurement code consolidating the Alaska bidder preference, Alaska veterans' preference, and other preferences formerly at AS 36.30.170(b). This section also simplifies the qualification for the disability and employment program preferences and eliminates the seldom used employers of people with disabilities preference.

With the passage of this legislation, our procurement process will be simplified and more user friendly to Alaska business owners and our state workers.

I appreciate your support and consideration of this legislation.