TESTIMONY TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

HB 632 Procurement - Maryland Funding Accountability and Transparency Act - Revisions

POSITION: Support

BY:  Susan Cochran, President

DATE: February 12, 2014

The League of Women Voters of Maryland is a nonpartisan organization of citizen activists and volunteers from communities across the state.  Over the more than nine decades of its existence, the League has always worked toward a government that is open, transparent and that works on behalf of all Americans. 

The League has not often testified on issues related to procurement but, in this case, the issue is to make available procurement information additional to that currently required on the State searchable website already in existence.  This additional information will allow a user to learn to whom the State made payments under contracts, the budget code for such payments (i.e., the goods and/or services obtained) and the procurement method used by the State to obtain needed goods and/or services. In addition, if enacted, this legislation will allow a user to determine the stop and start date of each contract, the number and type of employees employed, and their compensation.  Audit information will also be included on the searchable website.        

The State may realize gains from this legislation in the future by obtaining more bids at lower cost while maintaining product or service quality.  In any case, the public has the right to know how tax dollars are being spent.  We urge the committee to support this legislation.