What's happening
This bill allows municipalities to adopt local laws adding extra qualifications to requests for proposal in contract bidding.
Why it matters
Empowers local governments. The bill gives municipalities more control over their procurement processes by allowing them to set their own additional qualifications for contract bids, beyond what state law currently requires.
Potential for higher standards. Municipalities could use this authority to require contractors to meet specific local priorities—such as environmental standards, workforce diversity, local hiring, or experience with certain types of projects—ensuring that public contracts better reflect community values.
Could impact competition and fairness. By allowing different municipalities to set unique qualifications, the bill may make it harder for some contractors (especially smaller or out-of-area firms) to compete, possibly favoring local businesses or those with specialized credentials.
Flexibility versus consistency. The change introduces flexibility, but could also lead to a patchwork of procurement requirements across the state, which might complicate bidding for firms that work in multiple municipalities.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Towns Add Bid Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to local government
- Referred to local government
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2803
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 29, 2019
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to request for proposals and the addition of qualifications by municipalities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 103 of the general municipal law is amended by adding a new subdivision 17 to read as follows:
17. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, in issuing a request for a proposal pursuant to this section a municipality may adopt a local law that would provide for including additional qualifications in the request for proposal for contract bids.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07480-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to request for proposals and the addition of qualifications by municipalities
Purpose
To provide municipalities with the ability to require contract terms on municipal contracts.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 103 of the general municipal law to add a new paragraph 17 to allow municipalities to adopt a local law so that requests for proposals contain qualifications for bidders.
Justification
Currently, § 103 of the NY State General Municipal Law prevents munici- palities across the state from including qualifications in municipal contracts that must ultimately serve these areas. This keeps a munici- pality from meeting its sustainability, social responsibility or other preferences as reflected in local laws or ordinances when using their funds to retain a contractor.
Municipalities should be able to consider local community issues, local preference, worker rights, and simply responsible budgeting, in quali- fications on RFPs for their own municipal contracts. This legislation grants localities across the State the ability to include qualifications in RFPs for contract bids.
Legislative history
S4357 COMRIE No Same as
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act would take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.