State entering sole-source contracts at a record pace

The New Hampshire Business Review takes a look at the increasing number of sole-source state contracts. The competitive bidding process is supposed to insure that taxpayers' money is spent efficiently. But it's hard to protect the taxpayer when there's only one bidder.

By Jennifer T. Yang and Bob Sanders
Friday, September 11, 2009

The state of New Hampshire is increasingly agreeing to enter contracts without putting them out to bid.

The Executive Council approved nearly $107 million in sole-source contracts in 2008, according to data collected from the council's minutes. That's six times the $18 million spent on such contracts in 2002. And in the first six months of this year, the state let out nearly $67 million in no-bid contracts, 63 percent over last year's pace.

“It's disturbing,” said Executive Councilor Deborah Pignatelli, a frequent critic of such contracts and often the only executive councilor to vote against some of them. “Sole-source contracts should be the exception, and not the rule.” (more)