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H 3424

Property tax relief for seniors

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Burns and 13 co-sponsors

The bill lets chief procurement officers award contracts to multiple offerors via RFP within cooperative purchasing, boosting competition and flexibility.

Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
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Bill Summary · H 3424

Summary: An Act to enhance cooperative purchasing opportunities for cities and towns (H 3424)

Overview

  • Bill number: H 3424
  • Title: An Act to enhance cooperative purchasing opportunities for cities and towns
  • Sponsor/Introduced: Representatives Steven Ultrino and Carmine Lawrence Gentile (Filed February 27, 2025)
  • Committee status: Referred to State Administration and Regulatory Oversight; later actions show progression toward third reading
  • Current status: Read second and ordered to a third reading (as of the latest actions shown)

Purpose and intent

The bill aims to broaden and streamline cooperative purchasing opportunities for public procurement units in Massachusetts. By expanding the way cooperative agreements can award contracts, it seeks to increase flexibility, competition, and value for cities and towns that participate in cooperative purchasing arrangements.

Key provisions

  • Primary change: Section 22 of Chapter 30B of the General Laws would be amended by inserting a new paragraph after the first paragraph.
  • Inserted text (summary): Public procurement units that operate a cooperative purchasing agreement may award contracts to multiple offerors through a request for proposals (RFP) if their chief procurement officer determines that awarding to multiple offerors is in the best interests of the parties to the cooperative purchasing agreement. This is stated to be “notwithstanding the provisions of any other section of this Chapter,” giving the CPO broad discretion within the context of the cooperative arrangement.
  • Scope: Applies to public procurement units engaged in cooperative purchasing agreements; the substantive effect is to allow multiple awardees via RFP when appropriate, rather than restricting to a single award or single vendor unless otherwise required by existing law.

Who would be affected

  • Public procurement units in Massachusetts that participate in cooperative purchasing agreements, including cities, towns, and any regional consortia empowered to use cooperative purchasing under Chapter 30B.
  • Chief procurement officers (CPOs) of those units, who would have authority to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether multiple awardees are in the best interests of the cooperative parties.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: February 27, 2025
  • Early actions: Referred to the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight on February 27, 2025; Senate concurred (date in materials).
  • Subsequent steps: Hearing scheduled (July 15, 2025); Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to House Steering, Policy and Scheduling (October 20, 2025).
  • Latest status: Listed as “Read second and ordered to a third reading” with further motions in November 2025 indicating readiness for additional floor action.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Flexibility and value: Allowing multiple awardees via RFP could improve competition, pricing, and terms within cooperative purchasing arrangements.
  • Local governance: Maintains significant discretion with the chief procurement officer, requiring careful oversight to ensure transparency and fairness across participating entities.
  • Administrative complexity: Might increase coordination needs among multiple awardees and participating units, as well as reporting and oversight requirements.

Related legislation

  • Related Bill: HD 466 (noted as a replacement bill)

Note: This summary reflects the text and status information provided. It is a high-level overview and not legal advice.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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