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Bill to add business representatives to Guam's Procurement Advisory Council draws questions on balance and effectiveness
Summary
Bill 181-38 COR would expand the Procurement Advisory Council to include business-community representatives and Speaker appointees. Senators asked whether the Guam Chamber should recommend nominees, what qualifications appointees should have, and whether appointment power should be shared with the governor to ensure balance.
The Committee on Finance and Government Operations heard Bill 181-38 COR on Feb. 6, 2026. Introduced by Speaker Frank F. Blas Jr., the bill would amend Subsection 5901, Chapter 5, Title 5, Guam Code Annotated to expand the Procurement Advisory Council's membership to include representatives of the business community and appointees of the Speaker of the Legislature.
Speaker Blas said the measure arose from a Guam Business Policy Review Commission and is intended to improve procurement processes by bringing vendors and community members into advisory discussions. "This was a product of those discussions ... to provide the opportunity for inclusion of members of the community through general public membership and with the business community," he told the committee.
Senator Sean Ngo Matata suggested the Guam Chamber of Commerce could recommend nominees by resolution and asked the Speaker to consider minimum work experience and educational background for appointees. Senator Saint Augustine questioned whether the current council had produced tangible results and proposed sharing appointment authority with the governor to ensure balanced membership and avoid politicization.
Senator Tydigui said the council seldom meets and warned of conflict-of-interest risks when business representatives participate; she said she is working on complementary legislation to address engagement and participation. Speaker Blas acknowledged legal limits on legislative influence in executive functions, citing a 1976 attorney general opinion, and said he would collaborate with colleagues during markup and consider combining bills if appropriate.
No testimony was submitted from external stakeholders at the hearing. The committee will continue to accept written comments during the open record period and will work with the author to refine appointment, qualification and conflict-of-interest language during markup.
