WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |State officials told to bid all state purchases

State officials told to bid all state purchases

Associated Press - October 28, 2009 6:44 PM ET

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Gov. Bob Riley and Acting State Finance Director Bill Newton have instructed state purchasing officials to seek bids before making any purchases.

A memo signed by state Purchasing Director Isaac Kervin was sent Oct. 19 with the directions from Riley and Newton. It said no purchasing requests from state agencies would be processed unless a competitive bid process had been completed.

The memo was dated a day before the governor said he would sign the extension of a controversial no-bid computer contract with a firm that has no business phone listing or Web site.

The governor's communications director, Jeff Emerson, said the purpose of the memo was to remind state officials of the governor's policy on no-bid contracts.

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