In addition to directing agencies to place less reliance on contracts, Governor Doyle recently signed important legislation and an order to increase the transparency and accountability of state contracting:
• Cost Benefit Legislation. On January 5, 2006, Governor Doyle signed
2005 Wisconsin Act 89 requiring agencies and the UW to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of each proposed contractual service procurement over $25,000. On July 1, 2006, DOA implemented an emergency rule specifying uniform procedures for determining whether services are appropriate for contracting. The permanent Act 89 rule is pending final approval.
• Executive Order 137. On February 2, 2006, Governor Doyle signed Executive Order 137 directing that no employee of the Office of the Governor, and any unclassified agency head, commissioner, deputy agency head, executive assistant or division administrator may serve on a Request for Proposals evaluation committee. This Order ensures that all contract proposals are evaluated by career civil servants and other disinterested evaluators.
• Contract Sunshine Act. On May 19, 2006, Governor Doyle signed
2005 Wisconsin Act 410 requiring every State executive, legislative and judicial agency to post on the Internet all bids, proposals, orders or contracts of $10,000 or more. This legislation provides for greater transparency of contracting across all of State government.
If you have questions about this report, please contact Patrick Farley, Administrator, DOA Division of Enterprise Operations, at 266-0779.
Sincerely,
Stephen E. Bablitch
Secretary
Referred to joint committee on Finance.
State of Wisconsin
College Savings Program Board
November 7, 2006
The Honorable, The Senate:
We are pleased to submit the 2005-2006 College Savings Program Annual Report. This ninth annual report covers the EdVest and tomorrow's scholar plans, highlighting the key developments in the program over the past fiscal year, with summaries of the financial statements. The program experienced significant growth and success in FY06. As of June 30, we were helping to meet the college savings needs of over 214,000 current and future students and families nationwide with over $1.7 billion in assets under management.
Highlights for the year:
• In a nationwide competitive procurement, the program's administrative contracts were re-bid and Wells Fargo was selected as program manager for a five-year term.
• Account owners now enjoy lower fees, as the annual account fee payable to the Board and the annual account maintenance fee payable to Wells Fargo are now waived for Wisconsin residents.
• Total program fees now include some of the lowest among all "529" college savings plans nationally.
The College Savings Program Board and staff look forward to continued growth with quality service to participants in this exciting program. We're sending a cover letter regarding this report to all state legislators and will post the report on our website
www.ost.state.wi.us/home/edvest.htm If you have any questions regarding the Annual Report, please contact Marty Olle at 264-7886.
Sincerely,
Senator Alberta darling
Chair, College Savings Program Board
STATE TREASUREr JACk C. Voight
Vice-Chair, College Savings Program Board
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
November 14, 2006
The Honorable, The Senate:
The following lobbyists have been authorized to act on behalf of the organizations set opposite their names.
S941
For more detailed information about these lobbyists and organizations and a complete list of organizations and people authorized to lobby the 2005-2006 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us
Blumenfeld, Michael Wisconsin Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects
Also available from the Wisconsin Ethics Board are reports identifying the amount and value of time state agencies have spent to affect legislative action and reports of expenditures for lobbying activities filed by organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
R. Roth Judd
Executive Director
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
November 14, 2006
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed a best practices review of local government operations, as directed by s.
13.94(8), Wis. Stats. This report focuses on the emergency management activities of Wisconsin's counties, which have primary local responsibility for emergency planning and response and for coordinating the emergency management efforts of municipalities within their borders. The Department of Military Affairs (DMA) is the lead state agency in planning for and responding to emergencies, and its Division of Emergency Management coordinates federal, state, local, and private emergency management efforts statewide. The Office of Justice Assistance (OJA) administers some federal emergency management grants.
In fiscal year 2005-06, counties received 48.6 percent, or $19.4 million, of the $39.9 million in emergency management funds available through DMA and OJA. Municipalities and school districts, state agencies, technical colleges, the University of Wisconsin System, and Native American tribes received the remaining funds. Federal grants funded 90.0 percent of these awards.
Through a survey of the 72 county emergency management directors and an analysis of ten county emergency management plans, we identified best practices related to preparing for and responding to emergencies. Other units of government and individuals may find them useful in carrying out their own emergency management responsibilities.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by DMA, OJA, and the many local government officials who responded to our survey and our additional requests for information.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
