DHHS officials outline contract portfolio; committee presses for sole-source and savings details

The Department of Health and Human Services told members of the Finance - Division III committee on March 18 that it currently has 969 active agreements and had prepared a high-level briefing on the department’s largest general‑fund contracts.

Nathan White, chief financial officer for DHHS, said the department used the top general‑fund spend as a proxy to give the committee a manageable view of the portfolio. “Our providers and our contractors really play a critical role in accomplishing [the] health and human services mission,” White said, adding that some contracts provide direct services to New Hampshire residents while others support department operations such as billing and software.

The presentation separated contract types and accounting classes, White said, noting many contracts are budgeted across multiple class lines such as 102, 103 and 74. White told the committee the department sometimes “braids” federal and state funding in a single contract to avoid issuing multiple agreements for similar services.

Commissioner (Department of Health and Human Services) said the briefing focused on the highest general‑fund contracts, presented as 18 items rather than 20 because of space, and included grouped contracts where appropriate. “These contracts on this list serve, obviously a very significant function in the Department.…