Topic: FL Dept. of Management Services

The House budget committee increased the amount of time for public employees to be vested in a pension system. The proposal also changes the "default" rule so that employees who don't make a pension choice would automatically go into the investment plan rather than the defined benefit plan as now provided.

Lawmakers demanded a state drug-purchasing contract be rebid in 2011 and when it was the Department of Management Services awarded the contract to the same vendor. The losing bidder protested, but the protest was dismissed this week.

There is renewed momentum for the measure this year, but differences between the House and Senate versions remain.

The House and Senate are getting closer to an agreement over a new information technology agency. House budget chief Seth McKeel used the bill Wednesday to signal his displeasure with the Department of Management Services for snubbing his committee last week.

Gov. Rick Scott has shed more than 6,000 state jobs in about three years. Florida continues to have, statistically, the smallest and least-costly state workforce in the nation. However, the State University System and the Justice Administration System have shown employee increases. ... Related Research: FY 2012-2013 State Personnel System Annual Workforce Report.

Two group purchasing organizations, the Cooperative Services of Florida and the Minnesota Multistate Contracting Alliance for Pharmacy, are waiting on an administrative court judge's order to decide which group will be awarded a state pharmaceutical purchasing contract. ... Related Research: Petition and Formal Written Protest from Cooperative Services of Florida to the Department of Management Services.

The sponsor of the Nativity scene welcomed as "free speech" the display inspired by a 1997 episode of the "Seinfeld" television show.

Organizers say they are celebrating freedom "of" religion, not "from" it, and that the group behind the display received permission from state officials. The ACLU commented that the state must allow other privately financed secular exhibits if requested.

Although they reached an impasse this year, lawmakers from both the House and Senate say they are hopeful they can reach a deal to consolidate the information technology functions of state agencies into one department.

A fight over the state term contract to provide pharmaceuticals to Florida agencies remains in administrative court. Lawmakers mandated the contract be bid out in a 2011 budget conforming bill. ... Related Research: Petition and Formal Written Protest from Cooperative Services of Florida (CFS) to the Department of Management Services.

The 25th installment of the Prudential-Davis Productivity Awards program credits 468 state workers and teams with saving $514 million. ... Related Research: 2013 Prudential-Davis Productivity Award Winners.

The Florida Current summarizes the 2013 legislative session as Democrats push Scott to call a special session for health care and environmental groups question whether the state can sell enough of its land to make the $70 million allocation for land acquisition to work.

With Gov. Rick Scott's signature, state employees will get a $1,400 or $1,000 annual raise -- depending on how much they make now. "This is the best day we've had in years -- about 6 1/2 years," said their lobbyist.

The House and the Senate are squabbling over a vision of a new state department of information technology.