Comptroller Stringer Announces New Transparency Tool for Checkbook NYC

New York, NY) — New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer today announced that for the first time ever, detailed sub-vendor spending will be displayed on Checkbook NYC – the award-winning online transparency resource for City contracting, payroll, spending, revenue, and budget data. The update will provide a new level of insight into how sub-vendors are used by City contractors.

“Checkbook NYC lets New Yorkers look under the hood of the agencies that represent them, and today’s update makes it better. It’s another step towards reinventing how we, as a government, interact with our constituents. With technology changing rapidly, we have an opportunity like never before to make government more accessible to everyday people. That’s exactly what this new tool aims to do,” New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer said. “Making more data public also encourages change. We want to see more M/WBE companies hired as sub-vendors. By publishing our performance today, we’re more likely to see better results tomorrow.”

Checkbook NYC is a first-of-its-kind online transparency tool that provides up-to-date information about the City’s finances. The updates announced today by Comptroller Stringer are the third update to Checkbook NYC since he took office. Previously, the Comptroller’s Office added data from the City’s Economic Development Corporation and included information about minority- and women-owned businesses.

Now, Checkbook NYC’s sub-vendor dashboard will include additional information such as:

• A widget outlining the number of contracts Citywide that require sub-vendor data to be reported and, if such a requirement exists, if the data has been submitted;
• A second widget showing how many proposed sub-vendors have been approved or rejected by agencies’ chief contracting officers, across the entire City;
• How many proposed sub-vendors are at each stage of the approval process at each agency; and
• How many sub-contracts have been entered into by prime vendors by agency.

Each specific contract page with reported sub-vendors will also outline if the proposed sub-vendor has been approved, is being reviewed, or has been rejected.

In addition, Checkbook NYC will note next to each contract whether the contractor is required by the City to report sub-vendor information. If that data is required, the website will show if it has been submitted. This new column is shown below in the red box. The City may not require contractors to submit sub-vendor information based on the contract’s size or type.

Two of the five largest DEP contracts are not required to submit sub-vendor data (#3 and #4). The other three do require sub-vendor reporting, and one — the second contractor — has submitted that information. Source.

In addition to allowing every interested party outside of government to view information on sub-vendors, this information will also enable:

• Prime vendors and Agency Chief Contracting Officers (ACCOs) to see which vendors have declared and entered sub-vendor information on prime contracts, as required by the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services;
• Prime vendors to review the status of all their contracts and sub-vendor data; and
• Sub-vendors to cross-reference information entered by prime vendors with their own accounts payable systems to ensure proper, prompt payment from prime vendors.

There is currently limited data available on sub-vendors because not every prime vendor and agency is in compliance with Citywide reporting rules. That information will be built up over time as contracts are renewed and as agencies hold their prime vendors accountable for sharing this information.

“This is the start of the process — not the end. Right now, there’s a small amount of sub-vendor information in Checkbook. It won’t be filled overnight. Over time, we know more information will be added and we know it will yield a more open government,” Comptroller Stringer said.

To view Checkbook NYC, visit www.CheckBookNYC.com.

To view the updated Checkbook NYC sub-vendor dashboard, click here

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