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Virginia Plans to Buy Smart

New agency will assume greater authority and oversight of technology procurement and procedures

RICHMOND, Va.-- Virginia Secretary of Technology George Newstrom is inviting public comment about the commonwealth's new procurement guide "Buying Smarter, Faster, Better: VITA's Guide to Technology Procurement." The draft of the guide is posted on the state's Web site.

The initiative to overhaul the commonwealth's procurement system is part of Newstrom's eight-point plan to carry out the strategic plan for IT as outline by Gov. Mark Warner in Sept., 2002. Release of the procurement guide is timed to coincide with the abolition of the Department of Information Technology on July 1, 2003. The new Virginia Information Technology Agency (VITA) will assume more sweeping authority than DIT and be charged with carrying out significant changes in the commonwealth's IT governance structure.

The draft procurement guide is meant to be a comprehensive document that streamlines the purchasing process while encouraging industry partners to submit solutions. It draws on "best practice models" that include solutions-oriented RFP's for statewide contracts; value-based purchasing; a strategy supporting long-term partnerships with industry and strict enforcement of a code of ethics and conduct for both public and private sector partners. Although the commonwealth already has procurement guidelines, VITA proposed a separate code of ethics to cover the specific issues and relationships that are unique to procurement.

Among the draft language is an invitation to industry to make unsolicited proposals that, according to Sec. Newstrom, should provide opportunities for innovative partnerships. In addition, the pre-qualification of companies is designed to speed up the characteristically slow government purchasing process.

In the draft plan, purchasing is still delegated to agencies but VITA is building a data collection procedure to allow agency heads to report all technology procurements. VITA will have the authority to audit all technology purchases. Sole-source purchases over $100,000 will require VITA approval.

The procurement guide Web site allows parties to submit comments electronically. Public hearings are also planned.