The bill, Substitute House Bill No. 7232, mandates the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to conduct a comprehensive review of the state contracting process for all state agency contracts, particularly those involving service providers and nonprofit organizations. This review will be conducted in consultation with the Department of Administrative Services, the Office of the State Comptroller, and the Attorney General. The findings must address several key areas, including the adequacy of staffing levels for drafting and processing contracts, complications arising from the tiered procurement process, issues with payment policies that delay processing, and the feasibility of utilizing funds from previous fiscal years to support ongoing programs. The OPM is required to submit a report detailing these findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 1, 2026.

The bill also includes a fiscal impact statement indicating that the review will incur a one-time cost of $950,000 in FY 26 for hiring a consultant, as OPM lacks the necessary staff to complete the review within the specified timeframe. The review is expected to encompass approximately 36 agencies. The effective date of the bill is from passage, and it introduces new legal language to current law, specifically establishing a new section for this review process.