As noted in the HillCo Client Advisory this month, the LBB has recently redesigned its Contracts Database to comply with reporting and oversight provisions of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the 2016-17 biennium. The LBB has also published a contract reporting guide which provides details on the types of contracts that must be reported to the LBB via the Contracts Database.

SB 20 requires the Comptroller's Office and Governor's Office to work together to study the feasibility of consolidating state purchasing functions and reducing the number of vendors that work with the state. The “Centralized State Purchasing Study” will be posted no later than Dec. 31, 2016 on the Comptroller’s website.

Additionally SB 20 requires the Comptroller to assign vendors "grades," based on agency input, ranging from A to F. The Comptroller's office will establish rules on how a vendor's rating will affect its eligibility to continue contracting with state agencies. The performance tracking system and new rating information will be made available to the public on the Comptroller's website. HillCo will continue to monitor these changes and publish key updates as details are updated.