|
About
Contract Sunshine
Wisconsin's Contract
Sunshine Act [2005
Act 410] calls for the creation and maintenance of an Internet site at
which anyone may access information about every state contract, purchase,
and solicitation of bids or proposals that involves an annual expenditure of
$10,000 or more. Wisconsin Statutes direct the Wisconsin Government
Accountability Board
to create and maintain this site.
In enacting the
Contract Sunshine Act, the Legislature’s intention was to enhance citizens’
confidence in the State’s procurement process by providing a one-stop
Internet location where citizens, the press, vendors, and others can learn
about current procurement activities. The legislature intended that the
Act provide potential vendors of goods and services with ready access to
information about the State’s purchases and confirm that the State’s
procurement programs are operating fairly and efficiently.
What the Act requires:
This Act directs every state office and agency in the
executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government to provide
information about each solicitation for bids or proposals and each proposed
order or contract of the agency for which bids or proposals will not be
solicited that involves an expenditure of $10,000 or more, or if a contract
or order is for continuing purchases, an expenditure of $10,000 or more
during a fiscal biennium. A state agency is to forward to the
Government Accountability Board information about a purchase within 24 hours of the agency's initially
soliciting a bid or beginning negotiations for a purchase.
Intermediate and long-term
objective (2007 and beyond):
A likely
outcome is a single online database of:
·
All request for bids and
proposals (with contact and detailed information)
searchable
and
sortable by item or service,
potential value, agency, date of announcement, and submission date.
·
Contracts for goods and
services awarded without competitive bidding
searchable
and
sortable by item or service,
potential value, agency, and date of announcement.
·
Contracts for goods and
services awarded by a simplified bidding procedure
searchable
and
sortable by item or service,
value, agency, date of announcement, and date of award.
Short-term plan (summer and fall 2006):
During summer and fall 2006, the Wisconsin
Government Accountability Board, with advice from vendors, state agencies, and others, will
address the creation, implementation, and operation of an Internet site that
will realize fully the Legislature's directive. During the planning and
construction of a fully functioning display of all state contracts,
purchases, and requests for bids and proposals, the Government
Accountability Board is
publishing on its website links to purchasing information that the state
offices and agencies have provided.
If you have a question about any of the
information displayed, please contact the appropriate agency directly.
|
