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House committee advances bill raising public-works bidding threshold to $250,000
Summary
The House Governmental Affairs Committee voted to pass House Bill 137, which raises the dollar threshold that triggers mandatory competitive bidding for public-works projects from $100,000 to $250,000 and expands the change to some state purchasing while excluding GDOT.
The House Governmental Affairs Committee voted to pass House Bill 137, moving a proposal that raises the threshold for mandatory competitive bidding on public-works projects from $100,000 to $250,000.
Sponsor and committee members said the change was intended to adjust the threshold set in February 2001 to reflect inflation and reduce procurement friction. The committee also accepted a change requested by the governor’s office to apply the new threshold to certain state purchasing; the Georgia Department of Transportation was specifically excluded from the change.
The bill’s sponsor told the committee the legislation reflects work since 2023, when a related bill was vetoed by the governor. Committee members said the new $250,000 threshold had not been adjusted in the previous 24 years and that the change is intended as an inflationary update to reduce administrative burden on smaller projects.
No roll-call vote recording individual member votes was included in the transcript for this item; committee members moved and seconded passage and the chair called for voice votes. The committee approved the bill by voice vote and moved on to the next agenda item.
Why it matters: Raising the bidding threshold changes when formal competitive procurement is required for public-works construction and maintenance, affecting how local governments and certain state agencies solicit contractors. The bill excludes GDOT from the change, leaving existing procurement rules for state transportation projects unchanged.
The committee opened for questions but recorded no amendments to the bill before passage. Following the voice vote, the committee proceeded to consider House Bill 155.
