The Bureau of Procurement (BOP) acquires a wide range of products and services that support and create opportunities for Pennsylvania residents and businesses each day.
Commonwealth procurement employees procured $1.1 billion in general goods and services agencies needed to provide critical services to Pennsylvania constituents during the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Harrisburg, PA – In observance of National Procurement Month, the Shapiro Administration recognizes the contributions of the
Department of General Services (DGS) Bureau of Procurement (BOP) and agency procurement professionals in purchasing goods and services that touch the lives of Pennsylvanians every day. From the purchase of IT infrastructure and software that connects residents to medical care and social services to the procurement of road salt used to clear snow-covered roads, procurement professionals work behind the scenes to ensure Pennsylvanians have full access to critical services, medicines, goods, and job and business opportunities.
To honor the crucial role played by BOP employees, who procured $1.1 billion of general goods and services to support residents and businesses during the 2022-23 fiscal year, Governor Josh Shapiro has
proclaimed March 2024 Procurement Month in Pennsylvania.
"The Shapiro-Davis Administration has made it a priority to make it easier to do business with the Commonwealth with the ultimate goal of providing better service to the people of Pennsylvania – and DGS plays a crucial role in delivering the critical goods and services that serve Pennsylvania residents and businesses each day," said
DGS Secretary Reggie McNeil. "Our BOP employees and agency procurement professionals across state government are proud stewards of these taxpayer funds to help create opportunity for businesses across the state who want to work with the Commonwealth. They deserve recognition for their dedication and efforts – by sourcing goods, evaluating services, negotiating contracts, and more, their work is done in the best interest of Pennsylvania taxpayers every day."
As the Commonwealth's central procurement bureau, the BOP is responsible for the purchase of goods and services necessary for the safe and effective operations of the state, including securing vehicle contracts that allow Pennsylvania State Police to protect residents and park rangers to patrol state parks, purchasing life-saving medicines the Commonwealth provides to Pennsylvania's most vulnerable residents, securing contracts to staff medical facilities, delivering counseling services, and opening doors to an array of business opportunities.
Some recent Commonwealth procurement-related achievements include:
- For the first time in Pennsylvania's history, the Commonwealth
spent more than $1 billion doing business with Small Businesses (SBs), Small Diverse Businesses (SDBs), and Veteran Business Enterprises (VBEs) during the 2022-23 fiscal year.
- The Commonwealth spent more than $22 million on SB prime contracts during the first half of the 2023-24 fiscal year, completing 462 purchase orders (POs) with 158 SBs. That's up from 321 prime POs made with 131 SBs during the first six months of the previous fiscal year.
- The BOP saved
taxpayers nearly $15 million thanks to a renegotiated road salt contract that gives Pennsylvania's local public procurement units who participate in the Commonwealth's cooperative purchasing program the opportunity to take advantage of the contract, receiving the same pricing and terms and conditions as state agencies.
- The BOP cut $43.5 million in costs through contract negotiations, and service and item pricing reductions so far in this fiscal year, representing 87 percent of the BOP's goal of saving $50 million in costs during this fiscal year.
- The BOP replaced a significant portion of DGS' aging automotive fleet, enhancing driver safety, and generating a record $9.1 million of revenue after selling many of the department's older leased vehicles at auction last year.
- The BOP reduced bureau vacancies from 23 in early 2023 down to 4, allowing BOP to better serve vendors and state agencies.
To continue to improve the Commonwealth's delivery of products and services to residents, the BOP recently worked with an external consultant that provided recommendations that will streamline procurement processes, improve staff trainings, strengthen communications with Commonwealth agencies, boost external partnerships, and lower procurement costs.
"I am proud to lead a dedicated BOP team that delivers essential goods and services to Pennsylvanians and works to ensure that their tax dollars positively impact their communities," said
Brian Esposito, Deputy Secretary for Procurement. "We always look for ways to improve the delivery of our procurement services – and our immediate goal moving forward is to streamline our internal processes, lower procurement costs, and continue to make the Commonwealth a strong partner for Pennsylvania residents and businesses to work with."
To learn more about DGS and the BOP, visit the
DGS website.
MEDIA CONTACT: Eric Veronikis, DGS, everonikis@pa.gov
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