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Bill

HB 492

Public purchases; exempt purchases with amount up to $7,500.00 from bid law requirement for single source vendors.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Kimberly Remak

Exempts public purchases under $7,500 from competitive bidding requirements for single-source vendors, streamlining procurement but reducing cost-competition safeguards.

Referred To Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
#accountability #efficiency #transparency
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Bill Summary · HB 492

Legislative bill overview

HB 492 would exempt public purchases under $7,500 from Mississippi's competitive bidding requirements when procuring from single source vendors. This means government agencies could purchase directly from one vendor without soliciting competitive bids for purchases below this threshold, rather than following standard procurement procedures.

Why is this important

Public procurement rules exist to ensure taxpayer money is spent efficiently and competitively. This bill would streamline smaller purchases by reducing administrative burden, but also reduces oversight mechanisms designed to prevent waste, favoritism, or inflated pricing on these transactions—which collectively could represent significant spending across multiple agencies.

Potential points of contention

  • Cumulative spending concern: Agencies could make multiple purchases just under $7,500 to avoid bidding, potentially circumventing competitive requirements for larger total expenditures
  • Single-source vendor preference: Without competition requirements, vendors with existing relationships to agencies could receive preferential treatment without demonstrating competitive pricing
  • Threshold justification: The $7,500 figure lacks clear justification—it may be too high for adequate oversight or too low to meaningfully reduce administrative costs depending on typical agency purchasing patterns

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

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