WASHINGTON, DC - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) David P. Gragan today submitted the Procurement Reform Act of 2010 to the D.C. Council, the District’s first major comprehensive reform legislation focused on improving procurement.

“Procurement is at the core of everything we do on behalf of the residents of this great city,” said Mayor Fenty.  “For decades, the District neglected to make substantial changes in the way we do business in this government. This legislation will bring our procurement into the 21st Century.”

The legislation would make improvements to most of the District’s existing procurement laws, which were passed in 1985. It covers procurement authority, source selection methods, cost principles, contract types, procurement of infrastructure facilities and services, bonds and other forms of security, supply management, legal and contractual remedies, electronic transactions, and cooperative purchasing. 

“This reform legislation will streamline and modernize the procurement process required under the current law and decrease cost of government,” stated Gragan.  “The proposed legislation will bring the District’s procurement system into the modern era, and continue the Fenty Administration’s procurement reform initiative.”

To improve the District’s procurement practices, this legislation: 

• Establishes a Procurement Training Institute for procurement training of OCP and non-OCP procurement staff.
• Calls for promoting the purchase of environmentally preferable products and services and green purchasing.
• Shortens advertising requirements, allowing commonly available items to be quickly procured.
• Updates construction procurement methods to include modern delivery methods such as design-build; design-build-finance-operate-maintain; design-build-operate-maintain; and operations and maintenance.
• Consolidates the CPO’s procurement authority.
• Increases bonding thresholds to enable Certified Business Enterprises to more easily participate in construction-related procurements.
• Authorizes special procurements, as well as pilot, experimental and demonstration projects to enhance flexibility.
• Authorizes stipends to be paid to bidders to encourage competition on procurements in which proposal costs will be significant.
• Establishes competition exemptions for items that cannot or should not be competed such as farecards; postage; copyrighted and patented material; dues and memberships fees in trade or professional organizations; and subscriptions for periodicals and newspapers.

“This legislation is one more example of the crucial reforms this administration is enacting,” said Attorney General Peter Nickles. “With greater efficiency, wider access to procurement training for District employees, and stronger incentives for competitive bidding, District agencies will be able to provide higher quality goods and services to our residents.”

OCP was established in 1997 to provide contracting services for selected agencies and offices in the District. The office provides acquisition services to District agencies, ensuring agencies have the supplies and services they need to operate effectively. OCP is also responsible for providing  procurement information to the public.