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HB 21

Public purchasing laws; amend to revise the lowest and best bid decision procedure.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Hank Zuber

Mississippi bill shifts public procurement from strict lowest-bid selection to "lowest and best bid" criteria, giving agencies discretion to weigh quality and other factors alongside price.

Died In Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 21

Legislative bill overview

HB 21 would amend Mississippi's public purchasing laws to revise how government entities evaluate and select bids for contracts. Rather than using a strict "lowest bid" standard, the bill would allow consideration of "lowest and best bid," giving purchasing officials discretion to weigh factors beyond price alone when awarding public contracts.

Why is this important

Public procurement directly affects taxpayer spending and government efficiency. This change could allow agencies to consider quality, reliability, contractor experience, and other factors when spending public money—potentially improving outcomes but also introducing subjective decision-making into the bidding process. The shift from lowest bid to lowest and best bid is a significant policy change affecting millions in annual government purchases.

Potential points of contention

  • Subjective criteria concerns: Moving away from lowest bid introduces discretion that could enable favoritism, political connections, or discrimination in contractor selection, reducing transparency and accountability.
  • Cost implications: While "best value" procurement can improve quality, it may increase costs to taxpayers if agencies prioritize factors beyond price without clear cost-benefit justification.
  • Small business impact: Established contractors with proven track records may have advantages over small or minority-owned businesses competing primarily on competitive pricing.

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

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