In April 2001, New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson vetoed the Performance Contracting Act, which would have required state agencies to perform an in-depth cost-benefit analysis before awarding contracts for any professional services, such as architecture, landscaping, surveying, construction, etc. It would also have tied a portion of contractors payments as well as any contract extension or renewal to the achievement of certain goals.
Critics of the legislation argued that it would have added unnecessary bureaucratic overhead, complicating the contract process and hampering the use of private-sector firms to provide services to the state government. The American Institute of Architects (AIA), which labeled the bills provisions “onerous,” organized a letter-writing campaign to stop the legislation from being enacted and praised Gov. Johnsons veto in a recent edition of AIAs Angle.
For more information, contact the New Mexico State Legislature or AIA.
