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House increases informal bidding threshold to $50,000 for professional A/E services
Summary
Lawmakers voted to raise the informal-bid threshold for selection of professional architect and engineering services from $25,000 to $50,000, a measure supporters said updates a long-unadjusted limit; opponents said it reduces competitive bidding and oversight.
The Maine House voted to increase the informal bidding threshold for selecting professional architect and engineering (A/E) services from $25,000 to $50,000, a change lawmakers said reflects inflation and procurement practice but that opponents argued reduces competitive safeguards.
The measure passed on a roll call, 78 in favor and 66 opposed, and was ordered sent to the Senate.
Representative Greenwood spoke against the bill on the floor, arguing that increasing the threshold without competitive selection is not in the taxpayers— interest. "...I think that's not in the best interest of the taxpayers, therefore I oppose the pending motion," Greenwood said, noting the change would strike the requirement "without advertising or competitive selection."
Representative Salisbury of Westbrook, who described the bill as coming from the Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS), said the change is a targeted update that applies specifically to professional architecture and engineering services and had not been revised since the early 2000s. Salisbury said raising the threshold would allow the state to deliver projects faster and that the $50,000 level reflects current project realities.
Clerk announcements confirmed the vote: 78 affirmative, 66 negative. The House passed the bill by title under suspension of the rules and ordered it sent to the Senate for concurrence.
The change applies only to the informal selection threshold for A/E services and does not alter formal competitive bidding requirements for other procurements, supporters emphasized on the floor.
