Oklahoma Moves to Make State Purchasing More Flexible

The Oklahoman reports that the legislature is working on legislation to make state purchasing more flexible. Right now all contracts over twenty-five thousand dollars are executed by the Central Services Department. They would like to concentrate on larger contracts. State agencies with a "trained purchasing staff" would be able to do contracts up to $100 thousand. The state would also like the Central Services Department to negotiate broad contracts for use by all parts of the state government. The changes make sense as it should reduce the costs to evaluate and award contracts. Unfortunately the possible negative is that the departments will need some oversight to prevent "pay-to-play" or sweetheart contracts being awarded. In Washington D.C. for example in the past a city department head got in trouble as he would break up contracts being awarded to his friends into small enough amounts that the City Council did not have to review them. Of course most government, and private company, procurement rules are based on the contractor and those awarding it being ethical.