Hempstead Town Passes Law Requiring Contract Bids

The Town of Hempstead passed a new law this week requiring all professional service contracts for more than $10,000 to be competitively bid on. Under the law, requests for proposal (RFPs) would be mandated for all professional services and insurance coverage.

RFPs for non-legal professional services of more than $10,000 will be scored by a bipartisan committee of members of the supervisor's office, the comptroller's office and various department heads. Legal service contracts will be approved from a list of qualified vendors that apply to an open Request for Qualifications (RFQ) before the beginning of each year. They will also be approved by a bipartisan committee.

“I am proud and delighted to be ushering in a new era of transparency and good government in the Town of Hempstead,” said Supervisor Laura Gillen. “Residents are tired of business as usual and of a patronage system of government that has been, at best, careless with taxpayer dollars.”

Many towns and villages – including Oyster Bay and North Hempstead – have policies in place requiring a competitive bidding process for professional services. The recently passed legislation brings the Town of Hempstead in line with other municipal governments around Long Island and the rest of New York State. Previously, town law allowed professional services contracts to be awarded without any competitive review.

“Transparency and open government is something that I have fought very hard for as a member of the Hempstead Town Board,” said Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney. “I believe the procurement policy that was unanimously passed by the board on June 5 is an important step in this ongoing process.”

Photo: Town of Hempstead