An Act To Support Maine Businesses through State Purchasing

Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §1825-B, sub-§8,  as amended by PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. Y, §70, is further amended to read:

Sec. 2. 26 MRSA §1301, first ¶  is amended to read:

The State, counties, cities and towns, and every charitable or educational institution which that is supported in whole or in part by aid granted by the State or by any municipality shall, in the awarding of contracts a contract for constructing, altering, repairing, furnishing or equipping its buildings or public works, give preference to workmen workers and to bidders for such contracts the contract who are residents of this State , provided as long as the bids submitted by such the resident bidders are equally favorable with within 2.5% of the bids submitted by contractors from without outside the State. This section shall does not apply to construction or repairs amounting to less than $1,000 or to emergency work or to state road work.

SUMMARY

This bill requires that the State, when awarding contracts or purchases for the State or any department or agency of the State, award the contract or purchase to an in-state bidder or person offering commodities produced or manufactured in the State as long as the bid is within 2.5% of the otherwise best-value bidder.

This bill also gives preference in the award of construction and public works contracts by the State and its political subdivisions to workers and bidders who are residents of the State, as long as their bids are within 2.5% of the bids submitted by out-of-state bidders.