Purpose

The Comptroller’s office reviews and approves the vast majority of State contracts.  Procurement laws and guidelines require the award of state contracts to responsible company vendors. The Comptroller’s office has worked to reduce burdens on businesses competing for State contracts.  OSC has also taken steps administratively to ensure that all contracts are only awarded to responsible vendors- ones that have both the integrity to justify the award of public dollars and the capacity to fully perform the requirements of the contract.  To achieve these goals, OSC has worked to standardize the process that businesses need to engage in when being reviewed by State agencies, and requiring State agencies to document the steps they take to verify that vendors are responsible.

A variety of procurement methods are available for use by State agencies. Methodologies covered include: competitive bids (invitations for bid and requests for proposal), grants, sole and single source procurements, piggyback contracts, discretionary purchasing, preferred sources, mini-bids, architect and engineering, construction, emergency purchases, and printing contracts.

Eligibility   

Agencies are required to obtain  information from the proposed contractor the agency deems relevant and address each of the following factors: 1) legal authority to do business in New York State; 2) integrity; 3) capacity (organizational and financial); and 4) previous performance.  Agencies determine vendor responsibility by having them document the following:

 

• New contract
• Agreement with an estimated amount of $100,000 or greater
• Real estate (purchase, sale or lease) except for Eminent Domain or real property sales which are required by law to be sold to the highest bidder
• Assignments
• Change in contract value not provided for in the original contract
• Change to contract time or value provided for in the original contract (i.e. renewal)
• Change in contract not provided for in the original contract resulting in additional time at no cost
• Non-materials amendment/renewal/extension with adverse information
• Construction change order with adverse information
• Mini-bids against backdrop contracts with adverse information

Contact      

NYS Office of the Comptroller
Bureau of Contracts
110 State Street, 11th Floor
Albany, New York 12236
(518) 474-4622