Georgina Parsons

The council meeting included an overview of the enacted state budget and updates on procurement specifications. The agenda featured discussions on proposed tentative approvals for apparel, water coolers, plumbing fixtures, and pavement marking paint, as well as final approvals for lighting equipment, mulch, snow and ice control agents, and hand dryers. Additionally, the meeting covered departmental decarbonization projects and status updates from various working groups focusing on fleet conversion, embodied carbon, sustainable design, renewable electricity, reporting, procurement, and waste management.

The Council reviewed preferred source commodity applications, including the approval of a new braille transcription service definition and designation. A new workgroup was established to examine and provide recommendations regarding the review policy for preferred source offerings, specifically focusing on pricing approvals and market price determinations. Updates were provided on the governor's proposed budget legislation related to procurement, and the Council received a presentation on green purchasing and sustainability procurement specifications.

The council discussed new certification requirements under State Finance Law § 139-M regarding gender-based violence workplace policies. Reports were provided on NYSID 100% recycled copy-paper sales, leading to the decision to remove ongoing reporting requirements while retaining the ability to request data. Updates were shared regarding workgroups on Emergency Procurement Guidelines and Preferred Sources. A detailed overview of the Preferred Source program was presented, covering pricing, application processes, and the role of facilitating agencies. The council also deliberated and voted on several motions introduced by the Office of the State Comptroller concerning price review methodologies, statutory authority, and transparency, all of which were denied. Additionally, updates were provided on the CPO Roundtable initiatives and the extension of the IT manufacturing umbrella contract.

The agenda includes legislative updates, a report on preferred source reporting and new applications under OGS authority, and updates from the Procurement Council workgroups covering emergency procurement guidelines and preferred source programs. Additionally, the council will review procurement and discretionary purchasing guidelines, receive a presentation on gender-based violence and workplace policy requirements, and discuss GovBuy and other procurement service updates.

The Council meeting featured an overview of OPRHP's climate change and sustainability initiatives, including updates on capital projects, energy programs, and environmental stewardship efforts. The agenda included votes on various procurement specifications for lighting and appliances, as well as updates from several working groups covering topics such as embodied carbon, ZEV conversion, and waste diversion. Additionally, details were shared regarding the upcoming 2026 NYS Electric Vehicle Fleet EVent.