House backs a process for unsolicited private-sector proposals to state procurement

Lawmakers on the House floor approved a substituted version of House Bill 426 to establish a supplemental process for unsolicited private-sector proposals to provide products or services to specified state departments.

Representative Garn, sponsor of the measure, said the program would let private entities present conceptual proposals to a neutral committee appointed by the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED), which would then coordinate review with affected departments and the state's Chief Procurement Officer. "If the committee determines to accept the proposal, it will be sent to the affected department for comments," Garn said, explaining the oversight and review milestones.

Garn emphasized the bill is intended to supplement — not replace — existing procurement methods; affected departments could still issue requests for proposals. The measure names the Department of Technology Services and the State Board of Education as initial participants with the possibility of expanding to other departments if the program succeeds.

Members questioned whether the bill would interact with a recently passed E-Verify procurement requirement; Garn said he had consulted general counsel and could not definitively state the interaction and that the State Chief Procurement Officer would remain an integral part of the process.

The House substituted the bill (second substitute) and then passed it by recorded tally: 71 yes, 0 no, with 4 members absent. The bill will be forwarded to the Senate for further consideration.