The Comptroller is responsible for ensuring State and local governments use taxpayer money effectively and efficiently, including through the review of contracts. This year’s State budget allowed at least $11 billion in spending without a competitive process or the benefit of an OSC review. OSC’s oversight adds tremendous value, and contract review was completed in an average of just 5.3 days in 2021. A bill to statutorily restore certain OSC oversight authority for billions of dollars in contract spending should be enacted in this legislative session.

The Office of the State Comptroller received 16,356 contract transactions, including both new contracts and contract amendments, valued at $235 billion in the calendar year 2020. The average time from agency contract submission to final sign-off was 5.8 days.

Of the total contracts reported by State agencies in 2020, 78 percent were processed after their start or renewal dates, the highest percentage since 2013 when the figure was 87 percent.

Of the total contracts, 2,276 (50 percent) were processed after their start or renewal dates. This is an increase from 2018, when 47 percent were reported late. The trend bears watching; the State must avoid further regression toward the ten-year high of 87 percent late in 2013.

Of the total contracts, 2,149 (47 percent) were processed after their start or renewal dates. This is a reduction from 2017, when 54 percent were reported late. This continues a decline in the percentage of late contracts from the five-year high of 77 percent in 2014.

Of the total contracts, 2,210 contracts (54 percent) were processed late, after their start or renewal dates. This is a modest reduction from 2016, when 59 percent were reported late, and continues a decline in the percentage of late contracts from the five-year high of 87 percent reported late in 2013.

State agencies reported that 2,603 (59 percent) of contracts were processed late, after their start or renewal dates, continuing a three-year decline in the percentage of late contracts from 77 percent late in 2014.

Although overall results have improved, State agencies continue to have difficulty meeting established time frames. In 2015, State agencies reported that 61 percent of grant contracts with NFPs were not approved by the start or renewal date. This compares with 77 percent as reported in 2014.

Although the overall results have improved, State agencies continue to have difficulty meeting the established time frames. In 2014, State agencies reported that 77 percent of grant contracts with NFPs were not approved by the start or renewal date. This compares with 87 percent as reported in 2013.

For State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2020-21, agencies paid vendors $1,451,218 in interest, a decrease of $279,793 (approximately 16 percent) from SFY 2019-20.