State procurement official seeks to make competitive proof of concept a standalone procurement tool
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Summary
Wallace Sermons of the Department of General Services told the committee HB 261 would allow agencies to run competitive proofs of concept (CPC) as a full procurement method so successful demonstrations can proceed to implementation without restarting the procurement process; he said the change adds oversight and speeds innovation.
Wallace Sermons, chief procurement officer for the Department of General Services, testified that House Bill 261 makes a limited change to the CPC process so agencies can both test solutions and proceed to implement them under a single solicitation.
"Currently, CPC is limited to the proof of concept phase and is not a stand alone procurement method," Sermons said, arguing that agencies now must start a new procurement after a successful CPC and that HB 261 would establish CPC as its own procurement method with added oversight from the chief procurement officer, the Department of Information Technology and the Board of Public Works when applicable.
Sermons offered concrete examples of where testing in real-world conditions is useful: body-worn cameras and assistive wheelchairs in an airport, where agencies can determine practical performance before committing to a full contract. He said the change would preserve oversight while improving speed and outcomes for innovations the state might adopt.
The bill was presented and the sponsor and agency representatives said they were available to answer committee questions; the committee later moved its voting list for consideration by voice vote at the end of the hearing.
