AB 48

Current law generally authorizes the Department of Administration (DOA) to

purchase, or delegate the authority to purchase, all necessary materials and

contractual services for all state agencies. With some exceptions, orders or contracts

must be awarded to the lowest bidder. This bill creates an exception to require DOA

and any agency making purchases to attempt to ensure that at least 20 percent of

the total amount expended for such procurement in each fiscal year is from

Wisconsin-based businesses and that, in any fiscal year, the percentage of the total

amount expended from Wisconsin-based businesses will not be lower than it was in

the previous fiscal year. To measure compliance with this exception, this bill requires

DOA to collect data from a person who bids for a contract regarding the person's

principal place of business and make the information publicly available on its

Internet site.

This bill also sets a goal that at least 20 percent of the aggregate value of the

annual purchases of products and services by a local governmental unit (which

includes cities, villages, towns, counties, and special purpose districts, which include

schools and technical college districts) will be from Wisconsin-based businesses. A

further goal is that, in any year, the percentage of the aggregate value of routine

purchases of products and services from Wisconsin-based businesses will not be

lower than it was in the previous year. The bill also requires a local governmental

unit to annually evaluate its performance in reaching these goals, and make the

evaluation available to the public, but the political subdivision's governing body may

vote to opt out of these requirements.