Governor Larry Hogan Establishes Commission to Modernize State Procurement

Commission will be chaired by Lt. Governor Rutherford

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today signed Executive Order 01.01.2016.05, which establishes the Commission to Modernize State Procurement, a bipartisan commission that will conduct a comprehensive review of Maryland’s procurement code and regulations. Due to an outdated approach, as well as a lack of modern technology, the state’s current process for procurement is considered unpredictable and discourages full participation among Maryland citizens and the business community. Currently, the Board of Public Works annually oversees $4 billion worth of procurement contracts and modifications.

“Over the past year, it has become apparent that Maryland’s procurement system is a patchwork of archaic laws and processes that are inefficient, ineffective, and result in wasted taxpayer dollars,” said Governor Hogan. “By modernizing the way Maryland deals with procurement, we will create a predictable, consistent, and transparent system, and get the best value for every dollar we spend – exactly what Marylanders expect and deserve.”

The commission will be chaired by Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford who previously served as the secretary for the Department of General Services for the state and had oversight over billions of dollars in annual procurement in his role as assistant secretary and chief acquisition officer at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The 19-member commission will review all aspects of modernizing the state’s procurement process including standardizing the interpretation of the procurement provisions in the Code of Maryland Regulations across all agencies; reducing costs for state agencies by utilizing new technologies; developing a statewide procurement manual to be used by state agencies for awarding contracts, and simplifying the current Request For Proposal (RFP) template to make it easier for businesses to understand and respond.

The commission will be comprised of state officials including representatives of the Maryland General Assembly, Comptroller’s Office, Treasurer’s Office, and several state agencies. Additionally, Governor Hogan has appointed five members with expertise in Maryland procurement law and experience in information technology, construction, and engineering services industries, among others. These members are:

Ronald Lipton, principal and CEO of Arel Architects, which provides traditional architectural and engineering services to commercial, institutional, and faith-based clientele.

John Molnar, co-founder of Integrity Consulting, and has 25 years of management experience in assisting companies enhance efficiency and savings opportunities.

Matthew Solomson, chief legal officer at Federal Government Solutions, where he manages the legal, compliance, and audit and procurements teams in support of a $9 billion business unit that provides healthcare management and technology services to the federal government.

Eileen Straughan, president and founder of Straughan Environmental, Inc., a multi-disciplinary environment firm with over 21 years’ experience in environmental permitting and compliance.

Eric Regelin, president of Granix, LLC, and has more than 35 years of design and construction experience.

The final report will be due to the governor no later than December 1, 2016.