SENATE COMMUNITY AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2085

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 27, 2020

      The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2085.

      This bill would require State contracting units, including State colleges, to use an electronic procurement process for public works construction contracts when the project requires public advertisement.  The bill requires the State Treasurer to promulgate regulations to effectuate this public works construction electronic procurement requirement.  The regulations would set forth each of the steps the State Treasurer deems appropriate to be taken by each State contracting unit for contracts that meet those criteria.  The regulations also would set forth a procedure to be followed for the awarding of a contract for the administration of the electronic procurement process.

      The bill also permits local governments, county colleges, and school districts to use an electronic procurement process for public works construction contracts.  The electronic construction procurement process to be used by those public entities would be the process developed by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs by regulations promulgated for the electronic procurement practices authorized in the “Local Unit Electronic Procurement Act,” P.L.2018, c.156 (C.40A:11-4.7 et al.).