Celebrating a Legacy
Adapting to and Anticipating the Needs of New Yorkers
As the Office of General Services (OGS) marks 65 years, discover the impactful work happening across its divisions. Follow along throughout the year as different divisions are highlighted. Procurement Services is the first team to be featured in this series.
Procurement Services celebrates a legacy of adapting to and anticipating the needs of New Yorkers. OGS Procurement Services is New York State’s central purchasing office. It manages and oversees statewide contracts for goods, services, and technology that state agencies, local governments, school districts, and nonprofits can use. Leveraging the state’s collective buying power helps save New Yorkers money, ensures quality, and promotes efficiency, transparency, and sustainability in public purchasing.
It wasn’t always known as Procurement Services. When OGS began operations on October 1, 1960, the Division of Standards and Purchasing transitioned from the Department of State to OGS. This division, established to test and supply items for state and local government entities, became the foundation of Procurement Services. From paper clips to helicopters, a variety of commodities were purchased from these initial contracts.
This group even operated an in-house lab at the Empire State Plaza in the 1960s and 1970s! This lab conducted quality control tests on a wide range of goods, including pudding, filing cabinet drawers, floor finishes, toilet paper, and more. In 1969, the lab was used to evaluate different types of reflective paint for license plates to see which could best handle road salt and highway debris. Studies like these helped OGS set the standards for the quality and value of contracts.
In its first full fiscal year, $73 million worth of goods was purchased from 4,622 individual contracts. Today, with a portfolio of about 1,500 centralized contracts valued at approximately $34 billion, Procurement Services has expanded significantly.
In 2025, OGS received the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award from the National Procurement Institute (NPI), marking nine consecutive years of national recognition. This award reflects the leadership, innovation, and dedication of the OGS Procurement Services team.
Sustainability and Green Purchasing
Back in the 1960s, OGS introduced low-lead and lead-free gasoline for use in state vehicles. Under Executive Order 4, issued in 2008, OGS began including environmental standards in contracts for biofuels, energy-efficient lighting, and eco-friendly cleaning supplies.
As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability, OGS Procurement Services continues to prioritize environmentally responsible purchasing through the GreenNY Council and Executive Order 22. One example of this is establishing a statewide renewable diesel contract – the first of its kind in the Northeast – which advances cleaner energy that will significantly reduce emissions compared to traditional diesel.
For nine years and counting, OGS Procurement Services has received the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Purchaser Award for Excellence in Sustainable Technology Procurement. OGS uses EPEAT in its contracts to ensure vendors provide electronics that meet strict criteria. These products are more energy-efficient, less toxic, longer-lasting, and easier to recycle. By integrating greener alternatives into its centralized contracts, OGS helps New York State meet its climate goals.
State Purchasing Forum Becomes GOVBUY
As New York State’s procurement needs advanced, OGS recognized the importance of creating spaces to foster collaboration, education, and innovation in the procurement field. What started as the Purchasing Forum & Trade Show in 2000 has now become GOVBUY. GOVBUY builds on its predecessor by connecting procurement professionals statewide through training sessions, networking opportunities, and presentations. This event helps authorized users and vendors share their expertise and best practices.
In 2024, GOVBUY saw a record attendance of more than 2,000 attendees and over 260 diverse exhibitors. Over the course of two days, 90 different speakers presented in more than 30 sessions. (Missed out on the fun? View the presentations here: GOVBUY 2024 Key Sessions Presentations.)
Customer-Focused Procurement
With online tools such as OGS’s Centralized Online Management for eProcurement Tool (COMeT), authorized users and vendors can quickly find contracts, price lists, and submit bids for the centralized IT Umbrella Manufacturer-Based Contract Award 22802 in one place. These platforms simplify the bidding process, making it more accessible for small, diverse, and mission-driven companies such as Minority-and-Women-Owned-Business-Enterprises (MWBEs) and Service-Disabled-Veteran-Owned-Businesses (SDVOBs).
One of the first steps taken to move towards electronic systems occurred in 2001, when the paper-based bidder application was transitioned to a digital format. In FY 2019, following a statewide review of procurement systems, OGS received authorization to implement an e-procurement system. Shifting processes to a modern e-procurement model will make services more responsive and efficient for both buyers and vendors and further OGS’s customer focus commitment.
In order to truly simplify and expedite purchasing, we knew we had to work in partnership with our clients, both vendors and users. This means actively seeking critical feedback. Within the last year, Procurement Services launched an online vendor feedback system, allowing contract users to evaluate vendor performance on centralized contracts. In real time, OGS is now able to hear individualized feedback about the user experience with our vendors.
In addition, Procurement Services recently began hosting client roundtables, hosted by the Chief Procurement Officer. These roundtables provide another avenue for facilitating discussions aimed at improving municipal procurement processes throughout New York State. During these discussions, OGS shares valuable information on how it is leveraging data and technology to become more responsive to customer needs.
Each and every day, state agencies, local governments, and nonprofits rely on the centralized contracts that OGS Procurement Services administers. OGS Procurement Services stands as a true example of government in action – where transparency and innovation come together to serve New Yorkers. Procurement Services not only exemplifies 65 years of excellence but is charting the course for the next 65 years.