STATE REPRESENTATIVE MIKE JACOBS INTRODUCES BI-PARTISAN LEGISLATION TO END DECEPTIVE PRACTICES IN LOCAL BIDDING PROCESSES

 ATLANTA—Georgia State Representative Mike Jacobs (R-DeKalb) has introduced legislation that would criminalize deceptive practices in local competitive bidding processes.

 “The process of competitive bidding for local government contracts is in place to protect our taxpayers and to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent appropriately,” Jacobs said.  “Recently, certain deceptive practices in DeKalb County were brought to light.  County officials were manipulating the competitive bidding process, cheating the taxpayers of our community by skirting established threshold levels and awarding sweetheart deals to preferred vendors to the tune of millions of dollars. These deceptive practices are wrong and this legislation will finally criminalize such activities.”

House Bill 922 amends current Georgia law to create a misdemeanor offense for anyone found guilty of soliciting, authorizing or awarding a contract to a vendor for goods or services within one year of that same vendor being awarded another contract for the same or similar services when the value of each contract is less than the current monetary threshold required to trigger the competitive bidding process or approval of the local governing entity but the total of all contracts awarded exceeds that threshold requirement. 

“While the actions of those individuals in DeKalb County were certainly meant to intentionally bypass established safeguards, I was astonished to find out they don’t fit any existing criminal offense,” Jacobs continued.  “This bill is necessary to ensure that your local elected officials are able to protect the rights of taxpayers, refer these actions for prosecution, and end these sweetheart deals for select vendors.”

Co-signers of the legislation include Representatives Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), Jill Chambers (R-Atlanta), Kevin Levitas (D-Atlanta), David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge), and Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta).

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