HB988 • 2026

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify exact timelines for requesting debriefings or filing protests, only that they must be done promptly and within five working days respectively.

Rules for Procurement in Hawaii

This bill restricts procurement officers from sharing details about other companies' bids during debriefings, except summary scores, until after disputes are resolved and contracts are signed.

What This Bill Does

It prohibits procurement officers from disclosing competing offerors' proposals or evaluation scores, except the summary of scores, during a debriefing requested by a non-selected offeror.
It allows procurement officers to disclose detailed information about competing offers after any protest is resolved and the contract is executed.

Who It Names or Affects

Procurement officers in Hawaii
Companies that submit bids for contracts

Terms To Know

debriefing: A meeting where a procurement officer explains to an unsuccessful bidder why their bid was not accepted.
protest: An objection filed by a company that did not win a contract, claiming unfair treatment or errors in the bidding process.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens to existing rights and duties before its effective date.
It is unclear when this act will actually be put into use since it has an unusual future effective date of January 1, 2491.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment changes the rules about when a procurement officer can disclose information to non-selected offerors during debriefings after contract awards.

Non-selected offerors can request a debriefing within three working days after the contract award is posted.
The procurement officer must provide a prompt debriefing but cannot share detailed information about competing proposals or scores until after any protest is resolved and the contract is signed.

The amendment text does not specify what constitutes 'summary of scores'.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment changes the rules about when a procurement officer can disclose information to non-selected offerors during debriefings after contract awards.

Non-selected offerors can request a debriefing within three working days after a contract award is posted.
The procurement officer must provide a prompt debriefing but cannot share detailed information about competing proposals until the protest process is complete and the contract is signed.

The amendment specifies future effective date of January 1, 2491, which seems unrealistic for practical implementation.

Bill History

2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-15 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 732).
2025-04-14 H
House Conferees Appointed: Takenouchi Chair; Holt, Reyes Oda.
2025-04-11 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 704).
2025-04-10 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2025-04-08 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 700) in amended form (SD 1).
2025-04-08 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2025-04-04 S
One Day Notice 04-08-25.
2025-04-04 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1828) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2025-04-04 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-04-02 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-04-25 10:46AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2025-03-21 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2025-03-21 S
Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1259) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2025-03-18 S
The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-03-14 S
The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-25 3:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2025-03-06 S
Referred to GVO, WAM.
2025-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 315).
2025-03-04 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kapela, Pierick, Ward excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-28 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-28 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 991) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2025-02-26 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.
2025-02-24 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Wednesday, 02-26-25 10:50AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO PROCUREMENT.
Hawaii Public Procurement Code; Protest; Debriefing; Disclosure of Competing Proposals
Prohibits a procurement officer from disclosing a competing offeror's proposal or evaluation scores, except the summary of scores, during a debriefing requested by a non-selected offeror. Authorizes the disclosure of a competing offeror's proposal or evaluation scores after a protest is resolved and the contract is executed. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB988

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

988

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO PROCUREMENT
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
Section 103D-303, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (h) to read as follows:

����
"(h)
�
In cases of awards made under this section,
non-selected offerors may submit a written request for debriefing to the
procurement officer within three working days after the posting of the award of
the contract.
�
Thereafter, the
procurement officer shall provide the non-selected offeror a prompt debriefing[
.
]
,
but shall not disclose any competing offeror's proposal or evaluation scores,
except the summary of scores, until after any protest is resolved and the
contract is executed.
�
Any protest by
the non-selected offeror pursuant to section 103D-701 following debriefing
shall be filed in writing with the procurement officer within five working days
after the date upon which the debriefing is completed."

����
SECTION
2.
�
This Act does not affect rights and
duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were
begun before its effective date.

����
SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Hawaii
Public Procurement Code; Protest; Debriefing; Disclosure of Competing Proposals

Description:

Prohibits
a procurement officer from disclosing a competing offeror's proposal or
evaluation score, except the summary of scores, during a debriefing requested
by a non-selected offeror.
�
Authorizes
the disclosure of a competing offeror's proposal or evaluation score after a
protest is resolved and the contract is executed.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.