The provincial government doesn’t see any downside to a revised Public Procurement Act which favours local companies over outsiders. However, critics aren’t so sure.

Public bodies, including the government, schools, municipalities, and Crown corporations, will be able to award contracts to local companies provided they exceed the lowest bid by not more than 10 per cent. As well, the threshold dictating when public bids have to be called has been increased, giving the public sector more discretion at the local level.

Finance Minister Tom Osborne assures all the safeguards are in place and the result will be more work for local companies. He says politicians have no input in the assessment of the bids, and the process will be even more transparent than the current process.

The PC critic for Service NL, MHA Loyola O’Driscoll says the devil is in the detail, but he is concerned that things won’t be done as promised.

He hopes it will be fair and that taxpayers will get the best price.