Resolve, Requiring the
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1449
Committee Amendment CA_B_S382 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"£>" to S.P. 590, L.D. 1449, "Resolve, Requiring the 
Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services to Conduct a Study of the State's 
Grant, Contracting and Procurement Practices" 
Amend the resolve by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, Establishing the Working Group on Modernizing State Grants, Contracts 
and Procm·ement' 
Amend the resolve by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Working group established, Resolved: That the Working Group on 
Modernizing State Grants, Contracts and Procurement, referred to in this resolve as "the 
working group, 
is established. 
Sec. 2. Working group membership. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 
353, the working group consists of 15 members as follows: 
1. Two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom 
is from the party holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature and one of whom is 
from the party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature; 
2. Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, one of whom is from the party holding the largest number of 
seats in the Legislature and one of whom is from the party holding the 2nd largest number 
of seats in the Legislature; 
3. One member who represents the Office of the Governor, appointed by the Governor; 
4. The Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services, or the commissioner's 
designee; 
5. The Commissioner of Health and Human Services, or the commissioner's designee; 
6. One member who represents the Pennanent Commission on the Status of Racial, 
Indigenous and Tribal Populations, appointed by the chairs of the commission; 
Page l • 132LR2101(03) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "'B" to S.P. 590, L.D. 1449 ($·2;&9) 
7. One member who represents a public or private foundation with headquarters in the 
State, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
8. One member who represents a statewide nonprofit association, appointed by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
9. Four members who represent nonprofit organizations that since January 1, 2020 have 
applied for or received grants from, or entered into public contracts with, a state agency, a 
municipality or another nonprofit organization in the State. These organizations must 
represent a variety of mission areas, budget sizes and geographic areas served, appointed 
as follows: 
A. One member representing a small nonprofit organization with an annual operating 
budget of $500,000 or less, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
B. One member representing an area agency on aging, appointed by the President of 
the Senate; 
C. One member representing a community action program, appointed by the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives; and 
D. One member representing a provider that receives MaineCare reimbursement, 
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and 
10. The State Auditor or the State Auditor's designee. 
Sec, 3, Chair, Resolved: That, for the first meeting of the working group, the 
member from the Department of Administrative and Financial Services acts as chair. At 
the first meeting, the working group shall elect one of its members to serve as chair, except 
that members appointed pursuant to section 2, subsections 1 and 2 may not serve as chair. 
Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of working group. Resolved: That, 
notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, all appointments must be made no later than 30 days 
following the effective date of this resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the 
Department of Administrative and Financial Services once all appointments have been 
completed. After the appointment of all members, the chair shall call and convene the first 
meeting of the working group. 
Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the working group shall examine the State's grant 
and public procurement practices and make recommendations to the Department of 
Administrative and Financial Services concerning: 
1. Delays in grant or contract execution and encumberment across state agencies; 
2. Delays in payment of grants and contracts; 
3. Application, communication or system improvements that would increase 
transparency, enhance communications between the State and nonprofit organizations or 
improve application, reporting or procurement processes; 
4. Alignment of state practices with applicable federal standards, such as the 
establishment of a generally pennissible standard of indirect costs; and 
5. A mechanism for ongoing review and evaluation of grant"making and procurement 
processes. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ''6" to S,P. 590, L.D. 1449 ( $-_¾?.\ 
The working group may examine additional matters and make recommendations 
concerning: reimbursement rates, including under the MaineCare progra111; uniform 
application procedures; upfront payments; standard contracting language; feasibility of 
increasing the low-cost service contract to allow more low-barrier opportunities; and any 
other relevant issues. 
Sec. 6. Staff assistance, Resolved: That the Department of Administrative and 
Financial Services shall provide staff support to the working group, with additional support 
as needed from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of 
Transportation, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the 
Department of Education. 
Sec, 7. Report. Resolved: That, by November 4, 2026, the working group shall 
submit a report, including any recommended legislation, to the joint standing committee of 
the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government matters and the 
Department of Administrative and Financial Services. The committee is authorized to 
report out legislation related to the report to the 133rd Legislature in 2027. 
Sec. 8, Outside funding. Resolved: That the working group shall seek funding 
contributions to fully fund the costs of the study. All funding is subject to approval by the 
Legislative Council in accordance with its policies. If sufficient contributions to fund the 
study have not been received within 30 days after the effective date of this resolve, no 
meetings are authorized and no expenses of any kind may be reimbursed. 
Sec. 9. 
Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
Purchases - Division of 0007 
Initiative: Provides one-time funding to contract with a consultant to assist with managing 
and staffing the working group. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2025-26 
$12,000 
$12,000 
2026-27 
$0 
$0 
Amend the resolve by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the minority report of the committee, replaces the resolve 
and changes the title. It establishes the Working Group on Modernizing State Grants, 
Contracts and Procurement to examine the State's grant and public procurement practices 
and make recommendations to the D6partment of Administrative and Financial Services. 
The working group is required to submit a repo1t, which may include recommendatio11S for 
legislation, by Novembe1· 4, 2026 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over state and local government matters and the Department of Administrative 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEEAMENDMENT" fj'toS.P. 590,L.D.1449 (s·3<t°'d~ 
and Financial Services. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations 
section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 06/12/25 LRL 
LD 1449 
LR 2101(03) 
Resolve, Requiring the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services to Conduct a Study of 
the State's Grant, Contracting and Procurement Practices 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "~lS· 3 i;;J' 
Committee: State and Local Government 
'J 
'l'et Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Legislative Cost/Study 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Legislative Cost/Study 
$12,000 
$12,000 
$0 
$0 
Projections 
FY 2027-28 
$0 
$0 
Projections 
FY 2028-29 
$0 
$0 
The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $2,360 in fiscal year 2025-26 and $1,400 in fiscal 
year 2026-27. The Legislatme's proposed budget for the 2026-2027 biennium includes $22,196 in each of fiscal years 
2025-26 and 2026-27 for the costs of legislative studies, as well as $8,265 in projected balances from fiscal year 2024-
and $33,073 of balances carried over from prior years for this purpose. Whether these amounts are sufficient to 
fund all studies will depend on the number of studies authorized by the Legislative Council and the Legislature. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This bill includes a one-time General Fund appropriation to the Department of Administrative and Financial Services 
of $12,000 in fiscal year 2025~26 to contract with a consultant to assist with staffing the working group and 
submitting a report by Novembe1· 4, 2026. Any additional costs it1c1.11·red by the other agencies affected by the 
prnvisions of this bill are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2101(03) - Fiscnl Note - Pnge 1 of I