Last week, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Division of Local Government Services issued a Local Finance Notice describing the final adopted regulations authorizing use of electronic procurement (or “e-procurement”) platforms by local governments and boards of education. In 2018, legislation was enacted that explicitly authorizes local governing bodies to use e-procurement technologies.
Electronic procurement is the use of internet-based technology platforms for the solicitation and submission of competitive bids, proposals, quotations, or qualifications. E-procurement platforms encompassed under these regulations are software services facilitating procurement of goods and services, public works contracts (including construction), commodities and energy.
A copy of Local Finance Notice 2021-18 can be accessed here.
In addition, the regulatory text can be found here.
The Notice of Final Adoption is published in the New Jersey Register.