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1999 SESSION

993189384
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 596
Offered January 20, 1999
Expressing the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia that state agencies and institutions take such steps as are necessary to ensure that the Commonwealth is fully engaged in electronic commerce by July 1, 2002.
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Patrons-- Nixon, May and Plum; Senators: Howell and Schrock
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, one of the most significant changes in the history of commerce is presently underway across the United States and, to a somewhat lesser degree, worldwide; and

WHEREAS, within both the public and private sectors, the use of electronic technology is reshaping traditional business practices; and

WHEREAS, this business revolution, most commonly referred to as “electronic commerce,” is beginning to influence the very nature of how organizations interact with their customers; and

WHEREAS, governments are beginning to engage in electronic commerce through electronic contracting and electronic procurement; and

WHEREAS, at the federal, state and local levels, such things as online bidding systems and vendor registration are being used to automate the procurement process; and

WHEREAS, as is typical with state and local governments across the nation, Virginia's implementation of electronic commerce to date has been as varied as the many agencies and institutions that comprise state government; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Transportation is presently converting to new enterprise software that will give them significant electronic contracting and electronic procurement capability; and

WHEREAS, the University of Virginia and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, along with the Department of General Services and the Department of Motor Vehicles, have each taken steps to utilize electronic technology in the automation of the procurement process; and

WHEREAS, almost all state agencies, universities, and many local governments are using some form of procurement card (or “P-card”) and electronic data interchange (EDI) as part of their routine purchasing and payment functions; and

WHEREAS, government is continually asked to do more with less; and

WHEREAS, the challenge to reduce paper, increase productivity, improve operations, provide more and better services at lower costs, and make efficient use of technology are just some of the reasons why federal, state, and local governments are looking to electronic commerce to help achieve these objectives; and

WHEREAS, many governments are already using the basic computer technologies associated with electronic commerce, including electronic mail, EDI, and electronic funds transfer to lower costs and improve performance; and

WHEREAS, among the many benefits of electronic commerce to state government are increased productivity, expanded supplier base, lower prices, better management information, increased small and minority business opportunities, reduced processing time, “just-in-time” inventories, better inventory control, improved payment processes, and wider availability of catalogs and contracts, and

WHEREAS, among the many benefits of electronic commerce to vendors and contractors are increased operating efficiencies and business opportunities, quicker and more dependable payments, leveling of the competitive playing field, reduced direct costs, better problem-solving, elimination of invoices and associated paperwork, and improved cash flow and management; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That it is the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia that state agencies and institutions take such steps as are necessary to ensure that the Commonwealth is fully engaged in electronic commerce by July 1, 2002; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to His Excellency, the Governor of the Commonwealth, and the Secretaries of Administration, Commerce and Trade, Education, Finance, Health and Human Resources, Natural Resources, Public Safety, Technology, and Transportation that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.