“The last item before me today is a package of procurement reform legislation.  I will be considering 12 pieces of legislation that were sponsored by numerous Council Members including the Chair of the Committee on Contracts, Council Member Robert Jackson, who sponsored the introduction of several of these bills at the request of the Administration.
 
“These bills, which are the product of a collaborative effort between the Council and the Administration, will reform the City’s overall Procurement Process by streamlining the procurement system and bringing it into the 21st century.

  “The bills that I will sign today are: Intro. No. 28-A, Intro. No. 29-A, Intro. No. 46-A, Intro. No. 262, Intro No. 263, Intro. No. 264, Intro. No. 265-A, Intro. No. 348, Intro. No. 349, Intro. No. 352, Intro. No. 353 and Intro. No. 362.

“As I noted in last fall’s Blueprint for Change procurement reform report, the challenge with procurement is the challenge for all of government: namely, how to provide the citizenry the best value for their tax dollars. 

“The procurement reforms we announce today will ensure fair prices, high quality and the timely delivery of the goods and services that we need.  These reforms will attract more innovative companies.  They will remove obstacles for many small, locally based businesses that have trouble with the City’s complex procurement process.   By shortening processing time and eliminating burdens, they will save our vendors substantial time and money.  All of this will translate into future price savings, as doing business with the City becomes a viable choice for more companies and more organizations.

“In addition, Resolution Numbers 13 and 36, passed by the City Council on the same day as the 12 bills that I am signing, represent key steps toward making ‘E-Procurement’ a reality.  Resolution No. 13 will authorize City agencies to accept electronic bids and proposals, and Resolution No. 36 will raise the small purchase threshold to $100,000 for goods and services.  Today’s reforms will help us do a better job of procuring in areas that undergo rapid change – such as technology – so that we can secure goods and services efficiently.  Moreover, the procurement reforms that will be enacted will benefit New York City taxpayers by a saving the City’s financial resources, allowing the procurement of higher quality goods and services and increasing opportunities for vendors and contractors.

“I would like to thank the Director of the Mayor’s Office on Contracts, Marla Simpson; the Commissioner of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, Martha Hirst; Terri Matthews, Counsel to the Deputy Mayor for Operations and each of their respective staffs for their efforts in bringing about the implementation of these procurement reform bills.  I would also like to thank staff from City Comptroller Bill Thompson’s office and Speaker Gifford Miller’s office for their work on these bills. Finally, I would like to thank Council Member Robert Jackson and the numerous Council Members who served as bill sponsors and assisted in guiding these bills and resolutions through the legislative process.”