House Bill No. introduced by M. Caferro aims to establish priority criteria for awarding contracts related to public assistance and human services in Montana. The bill emphasizes the importance of local human service providers, who are seen as uniquely qualified to address the specific needs of their communities. It proposes a scoring system for contract awards that prioritizes factors such as the provider's experience in the geographic area, the duration of service provision in the state, the ability to leverage local relationships for effective program implementation, and the potential for job creation or maintenance within the region.

The bill includes a new section that outlines these priority criteria and specifies that it will be codified as part of Title 18, chapter 4, part 3 of Montana law. This legislative change is intended to ensure that contracts for human services and public assistance programs are awarded to providers who demonstrate a strong connection to and understanding of the communities they serve, ultimately aiming to enhance the effectiveness of these programs and support local economies.