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DGS faces data, vacancy and procurement challenges; new grants system and utility-centralization pilot underway
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Summary
The Department of General Services told lawmakers it is implementing a new grants management system and expanding a utility bill centralization pilot, while legislative analysts flagged procurement data integrity issues, high vacancy rates and a $58.5 million State Center settlement.
Legislative analysts told the Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee that the Maryland Department of General Services (DGS) is implementing reforms while facing operational challenges: data integrity issues tied to an e‑procurement transition, a sizable number of long‑standing vacancies, and ongoing costs tied to the cancellation of the State Center redevelopment public–private partnership.
DGS Secretary Atif Chaudhary said the agency provides central services for state government and described steps to modernize procurement and grants administration, noting DGS's plans for a new web portal (CGL Connect) to improve grantee and legislator access to grant status information.
Procurement and vacancy concerns
DLS noted that while DGS aims to complete 80% of large procurements within 90 days, managing-for-results data were unavailable since fiscal 2021 because of data integrity issues during the transition to the eMaryland Marketplace Advantage system. DLS reported that new procurements rose by 264% from fiscal 2023 to 2024 and that competitive service procurements over $50,000 receiving two or more bids dropped from 95% to 68%.
DLS recommended deleting funds for 12 new Office of State Procurement positions added in fiscal 2025 that remained unfilled as of Dec. 31, 2024. Secretary Chaudhary said seven of those 12 positions were already filled at the time of the hearing and that DGS was actively recruiting to fill the remainder, arguing the positions are needed to implement procurement reform.
Grants management and customer service
DGS launched a new cloud-based grants management tool (Submittable) to replace a largely paper-driven workflow for some 4,000 active grants. DLS and lawmakers raised concerns about onboarding and user access — some grantees and legislative staff reported difficulty accessing the portal and obtaining timely status updates. The agency said further refinements and a public-facing inquiry portal (CGL Connect) are forthcoming and that it will add grant coordinators to improve customer responsiveness.
State Center relocation and fiscal items
DLS presented a status update on agency relocations from State Center following the cancellation of the private redevelopment: the Board of Public Works approved a $58.5 million settlement related to that cancellation, with $46.8 million in general funds and $11.7 million from the Transportation Trust Fund. DGS said five of 12 agencies had completed moves, two more were expected in 2025, and the remainder planned to relocate in 2026. DGS reported a projected $29.3 million balance in a dedicated purpose account (after accounting for prior additions and contingent reductions) and said it would provide a further status report as requested.
Ending
Lawmakers pressed DGS for clear customer-service standards and quick responses to legislative inquiries during the budget process. Secretary Chaudhary said the agency would supply contact points and that DGS is adding staff to address timely responses for grants and procurement-related inquiries.
