The House Commerce and Tourism Committee this week heard testimony on Chairman Rep. Steve Marino’s plan to add transparency and accountability to the process the state uses to purchase goods and services.

House Bills 4954-4956 would require the state to publicly announce all the contracts it awards within 48 hours and establish a process for an unsuccessful bidder to protest a procurement award decision.

“The process for protesting a procurement decision should be clearly laid out,” Marino said. “All of Michigan’s hardworking taxpayers will benefit from the transparency and accountability this common-sense reform will provide.”

Another piece of the proposal would establish a process to ban bad vendors that have been convicted of a crime related to procuring or performing a state contract or a crime that otherwise negatively reflects on the vendor’s business integrity.

The Department of Technology and Budget (DTMB) has its own policies in place, but these are not written in statue, Marino added. This means they are subject to change when new leadership comes in or when there is a change in administration.

“My plan would put these best practices into state law,” Marino said. “That way changes could only occur through the normal legislative process, which involves transparency and opportunities for the public to provide input.”

The plan remains under consideration by the Commerce and Tourism Committee.