Oregon Secretary of State Audit Highlights Need for Improved Procurement and Contracting Oversight

The Oregon Secretary of State (SOS) has released an audit of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and its State Procurement Services (SPS). DAS SPS is the central procurement authority for most executive branch agencies and provides services across state and local government.

The audit identified the need for DAS to dedicate resources to a comprehensive compliance program and to provide enhanced customer service to support state agencies with their procurement, contracting and training needs. While the state’s eprocurement platform, OregonBuys, is meeting many of its goals, the audit also identified the need for improvements to OregonBuys’ functionality to improve the ability to analyze state spending.

"State contracting has been difficult to navigate for too long. Both businesses and government agree: it's time for a change. Governor Kotek has tasked me with overhauling this overly complex system. We must make contracting accessible and responsive for all Oregonians, ensuring it works for both government and businesses," said DAS Director Betsy Imholt.

Oregon state agencies rely heavily on procurement and contracting to acquire essential goods and services. These activities come with significant risks and require effective processes and oversight to ensure efficiency, security and equity. DAS SPS oversees public procurement and contracting for the state and holds primary authority over most state purchasing and contracting processes.

DAS agrees with all eight audit recommendations and is committed to making improvements to enhance procurement and contracting processes.