New Law Would Favor RI Companies in State Bids
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
A bill that passed the Rhode Island Senate yesterday would give local firms preference over out-of-state firms in the awarding of state bids.
“If two or more bids come in at the same level, of course we should choose the one that’s going to keep more money in the state, employing Rhode Islanders and boosting our local economy,” said Senator DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton).
“I would hope that we’re already doing this, but we should make it a law so we have a guarantee that in any situation where everything in two bids is equal and one bidder is a local company, that’s the one that gets the work,” DiPalma added.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe law would only apply to those contracts that are fully funded through the state. Contracts partially or wholly federally funded would be exempted, since federal law would prohibit a preference for state-based companies, according to a state Senate press statement.