Amendment #676 to H4200

An Amendment requiring preferential Procurement for Massachusetts Businesses

Representatives Diehl of Whitman and DeCoste of Norwell move to amend the bill by inserting the following section:

SECTION XXXX. Chapter 30B of the General Laws is hereby further amended by striking out section 23, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 23. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary and to the extent permitted by federal law, a governmental body shall, by a majority vote, establish a preference for the procurement of products or services by businesses, as defined in section 3A of chapter 23A, with their principal place of business in the commonwealth.

(b) If a governmental body establishes a preference under subsection (a), the procurement officer responsible for procuring products and services on behalf of the governmental body shall effectuate such preference for the procurement in: (i) advertising for bids, contracts or otherwise and making reasonable efforts to facilitate the purchase of such products or services; and (ii) purchasing products or services by businesses, as defined in said section 3A of said chapter 23A, with their principal place of business in the commonwealth, unless the price of such goods or services exceed, by more than 10 per cent, the price of such goods or services produced by businesses with their principal place of business outside of the commonwealth.