GOVERNOR PROTECTS IDAHO JOBS
August 31, 2007 (BOISE) – Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter signed an executive order today aimed at ensuring that state government contractors do not outsource what should be Idaho and U.S. jobs.
“Idaho State departments and agencies procure millions of dollars worth of goods and services annually, by contract, through public and private vendors,” Governor Otter wrote in Executive Order No. 2007-08. “The citizens of Idaho are entitled to know how and where their tax dollars are being spent, including whether their taxes are being spent to utilize workers located in countries outside the United States.”
The order directs the Idaho Department of Administration’s Division of Purchasing to develop policies and procedures to ensure all vendors disclose where services related to their state contracts, as well as any related subcontracts, will be performed.
“The Division of Purchasing shall not award a contract to a vendor that fails to provide the information required … or adhere to policies and procedures established by the Division of Purchasing,” according to the executive order.
In addition, and with a few specific exceptions details in the order, the Division of Purchasing “shall not award a contract to a vendor who submits a bid or proposal to perform services, or have a subcontractor perform services, at a site outside the United States … ”
“If the contractor or subcontractor has declared that services or work under the contract will be performed in the United States during the term of a contract and then proceeds to shift services or work outside of the United States, the contractor shall be in breach of contract, unless the Division of Purchasing and the using agency first determine in writing that extraordinary circumstances require the shift or that a failure to shift would result in economic hardship to the State of Idaho,” according to the executive order.