... legislative accountability report., January 01, 2009, Page 21, Image 21

available online. Under the old law, advocacy groups must go through
a complex and cumbersome process for information on who receives
contracts or how much they cost. Starting January 1,2010, that information
will be available on a central state website under the new law.
HB 2867 is comprehensive contracting legislation that applies to a majority
of state agencies, local governments, and school districts. The bill mandates
3 cost/benefit analysis on contracts over $250,000. if the analysis determines
that the only reason it is cheaper to contract is because the contractor
pays lower wages and benefits, the agency cannot contract the service.
The new law also requires all agencies to have clear quality expectations
in all contracts. And finally it expands guidelines to determine contractor
responsibility, taking past performance into account.
Contractor reform passed because members told their contracting
horror stories and stood up for quality services over contractor profit and
pennywise/pound-foolish savings. HB 2500 and 2867 are first steps. There is
still work to do, but now contracting will be more thought out and will not
come at the expense of family wage jobs.
By the end of session the coalition forged by SEIU members had expanded
and now includes American Federation of Teachers, Stand for Children,
Oregon School Employees Association, Association of Engineering
Employees, Democracy Reform, AFSCME, Oregon Education Association,
the Bus Project, and the AFL-CIO.
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