SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT, WAGERING, TOURISM & HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3473

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 21, 2026

      The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3473.

Under current law, certain government contracting units authorized to purchase goods, or to contract for services, may make purchases and contract for services through the use of a nationally-recognized and accepted cooperative purchasing agreement that has been developed utilizing a competitive bidding process by another contracting unit within the State of New Jersey, or within any other state, when available. The definition of “contracting unit” in this provision of law includes various government entities, but specifies that they are “not a State board, commission, committee, authority or agency.”            

     This bill revises this definition of “contracting unit” to change the use of “authority or agency,” providing instead for “State authority or agency.” Thereby, State authorities or agencies would be included in the definition of contracting unit and be able to participate in the pertinent cooperative purchasing agreement.  State boards, commissions, and committees will remain ineligible to participate in these cooperative purchasing agreements.