WHEREAS, all individuals, businesses, associations, and other persons have a right to participate fully in the political process of New Jersey, including making and soliciting contributions to candidates, political parties and holders of public office; and

WHEREAS, when a person or business interest makes or solicits major contributions to obtain a contract awarded by a government agency or independent authority, this constitutes a violation of the public's trust in government and raises legitimate public concerns about whether the contract has been awarded on the basis of merit; and

WHEREAS, the growing infusion of funds donated by business entities into the political process at all levels of government has generated widespread cynicism among the public that special interest groups are "buying" favors from elected officeholders; and

WHEREAS, for the purposes of protecting the integrity of government contractual decisions and of improving the public's confidence in government, it is a compelling interest of this State to prohibit awarding government contracts to business entities which are also contributors to candidates, political parties and the holders of public office (see, e.g., McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, 540 U.S. 93, 124 S. Ct. 619 (2003); and

WHEREAS, there exists the perception that campaign contributions are often made to a State or county political party committee by an individual or business seeking favor with State elected officials, with the understanding that the money given to such a committee will be transmitted to other committees in other parts of the State, or is otherwise intended to circumvent legal restrictions on the making of political contributions or gifts directly to elected State officials, thus again making elected State officials beholden to those contributors; and

WHEREAS, county political party committees, through their powers of endorsement, fundraising, ballot slogan or party line designation, and other means, exert significant influence over the gubernatorial primary and general election process; and

WHEREAS, although the right of individuals and businesses to make campaign contributions is unequivocal, that right may be limited, even abrogated, when such contributions promote the actuality or appearance of public corruption; and

WHEREAS, it is essential that the public have confidence that the selection of State contractors is based on merit and not on the political contributions made by such contractors and it is essential that the public have trust in the processes by which taxpayer dollars are spent; and

WHEREAS, it has long been the public policy of this State to secure for the taxpayers the benefits of competition, to promote the public good by promoting the honesty and integrity of bidders for public contracts and the system, and to guard against favoritism, improvidence, extravagance and corruption in order to benefit the taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, in the procurement process, our public policy grants to the State broad discretion, taking into consideration all factors, to award a contract to a bidder whose proposal will be most advantageous to the State (see, e.g., N.J.S.A. 52:34-12, 13; Commercial Cleaning Corp v. Sullivan, 47 N.J. 539 (1966)); and

WHEREAS, the Constitution of this State requires me, as Governor, to manage the operations of State government effectively and fairly, to uphold the law to ensure public order and prosperity, and to confront and uproot malfeasance in whatever form it may take; and

WHEREAS, as Governor, I must safeguard the integrity of State government procurement by imposing restrictions on State agencies and independent authorities to insulate the negotiation and award of State contracts from political contributions that pose the risk of improper influence, purchase of access, or the appearance thereof;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES E. McGREEVEY, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. The State or any of its purchasing agents or agencies or those of its independent authorities, as the case may be, shall not enter into an agreement or otherwise contract to procure from any business entity services or any material, supplies or equipment, or to acquire, sell, or lease any land or building, where the value of the transaction exceeds $17,500, if that business entity has solicited or made any contribution of money, or pledge of contribution, including in-kind contributions to a candidate committee and/or election fund of any candidate or holder of the public office of Governor, or to any State or county political party committee: (i) within the eighteen months immediately preceding the commencement of negotiations for the contract or agreement; (ii) during the term of office of a Governor, in the case of contributions to a candidate committee and/or election fund of the holder of that office, or to any State or county political party committee of a political party nominating such Governor in the last gubernatorial election preceding the commencement of such term; or (iii) within the eighteen months immediately preceding the last day of the term of office of Governor, in which case such prohibition shall continue through the end of the next immediately following term of the office of Governor, in the case of contributions to a candidate committee and/or election fund of the holder of that office, or to any State or county political party committee of a political party nominating such Governor in the last gubernatorial election preceding the commencement of the latter term.

2. No business entity which agrees to any contract or agreement with the State or any department or agency thereof or its independent authorities either for the rendition of services or furnishing of any material, supplies or equipment or for the acquisition, sale, or lease of any land or building, if the value of the transaction exceeds $17,500, shall knowingly solicit or make any contribution of money, or pledge of a contribution, including in-kind contributions, to a candidate committee and/or election fund of any candidate or holder of the public office of Governor or to any State or county political party committee prior to the completion of the contract or agreement.

3. For purposes of this Order, a "contribution" means a contribution reportable by the recipient under "The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act," P. L. 1973, c. 83 (C.19:44A-1 et seq.) made on or after the effective date of this Order.

4. For purposes of this Order, a "business entity" means any natural or legal person, business corporation, professional services corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership, business trust, association or any other legal commercial entity organized under the laws of this State or any other state or foreign jurisdiction. The definition of a business entity includes: (i) all principals who own or control more than 10 percent of the profits or assets of a business entity or 10 percent of the stock in the case of a business entity that is a corporation for profit, as appropriate; (ii) any subsidiaries directly or indirectly controlled by the business entity; (iii) any political organization organized under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code that is directly or indirectly controlled by the business entity, other than a candidate committee, election fund, or political party committee; and (iv) if a business entity is a natural person, that person's spouse or child, residing therewith, are also included within this definition.

5. Prior to awarding any contract or agreement to procure services or any material, supplies or equipment from, or for the acquisition, sale, or lease of any land or building from or to, any business entity, the State or any of its purchasing agents or agencies, as the case may be, shall require, as part of the procurement process, the business entity to report all contributions the business entity made during the preceding four years to any political organization organized under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code that also meets the definition of a "continuing political committee" within the meaning of N.J.S.A. 19:44A-3(n) and N.J.A.C. 19:25-1.7. Such reporting shall be made in a manner and form to be developed by the Office of the State Treasurer with the advice of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, which agencies shall promulgate regulations to effect and implement this disclosure obligation. Such reports shall be subject to review by the Office of State Treasurer. If the State Treasurer determines that any such contribution, or any other act that would constitute a breach of contract pursuant to section 8 of this Order, poses a conflict of interest in the awarding of any contract or agreement, the State Treasurer shall disqualify such business entity from bidding on or being awarded such contract or agreement.

6. Prior to awarding any contract or agreement to procure services or any material, supplies or equipment from, or for the acquisition, sale, or lease of any land or building from or to, any business entity, the State or any of its purchasing agents or agencies or independent authorities, as the case may be, shall require the business entity to provide a written certification that it has not made a contribution that would bar the award of the contract pursuant to this Order. The business entity shall have a continuing duty to report any contribution it makes during the term of the contract. Such reports shall be subject to review by the Office of State Treasurer. If the State Treasurer determines that any such contribution poses a conflict of interest, such contribution shall be deemed a material breach of such contract or agreement.

7. If a business entity inadvertently makes a contribution that would otherwise bar it from receiving a contract or makes a contribution during the term of a contract in violation of this Order, the entity may request a full reimbursement from the recipient and, if such reimbursement is received within 30 days after the date on which the contribution was made, the business entity would again be eligible to receive a contract or would no longer be in violation, as appropriate. It shall be presumed that contributions made within 60 days of a gubernatorial primary or general election were not made inadvertently.

8. It shall be a breach of the terms of the government contract for a business entity to: (i) make or solicit a contribution in violation of this Order; (ii) knowingly conceal or misrepresent a contribution given or received; (iii) make or solicit contributions through intermediaries for the purpose of concealing or misrepresenting the source of the contribution; (iv) make or solicit any contribution on the condition or with the agreement that it will be contributed to a campaign committee of any candidate or holder of the public office of Governor, or to any State or county party committee; (v) engage or employ a lobbyist or consultant with the intent or understanding that such lobbyist or consultant would make or solicit any contribution, which if made or solicited by the business entity itself, would subject that entity to the restrictions of this Order; (vi) fund contributions made by third parties, including consultants, attorneys, family members, and employees; (vii) engage in any exchange of contributions to circumvent the intent of this Order; or (viii) directly or indirectly, through or by any other person or means, do any act which would subject that entity to the restrictions of this Order.

9. This Order shall not prohibit the awarding of a contract when the public exigency requires the immediate delivery of goods or performance of services as determined by the State Treasurer.

10. This Order shall apply to all State agencies including any of the principal departments in the Executive Branch, and any division, board, bureau, office, commission or other instrumentality within or created by such department and any independent State authority, board, commission, instrumentality or agency.

11. Every contract and bid application and specifications promulgated in connection therewith covered by this Order shall contain a provision describing the requirements of this Order and a statement that compliance with this Order shall be a material term and condition of said contract and/or bid application and binding upon the parties thereto upon the entry of all applicable contracts.

12. To the extent any term contained herein requires interpretation or definition resort shall be made to the relevant definition of said term contained in the "New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act." PL 1973, c.83 (C:19:44A-1, et seq.) which definition shall be dispositive.

13. This Order shall take effect October 15, 2004, and is intended to have prospective effect only. This Order shall not affect any solicitation or contribution of money, or pledge of contribution, including in-kind contributions to a candidate committee and/or election fund of any candidate or holder of the public office of Governor, or to any State or county political party committee, that occurs prior to the effective date of this Order. The provisions of this Order shall supersede all prior Orders the provisions of which are inconsistent with this Order.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 22nd day
of September in the Year of Our Lord, Two
Thousand and Four, and of the Independence
of the United States, the Two Hundred and Twenty-Ninth.

/s/ James E. McGreevey
Governor
[seal]

Attest: