Nebraska Auditor Mike Foley is calling for increased transparency and oversight after learning of a more than two-million-dollar emergency no-bid contract arranged between the Department of Economic Development and a bioeconomy consultant. Foley said he was alerted to the contract through informal channels and later found issues serious enough to refer evidence to the Nebraska State Patrol and the Attorney General’s Office. In response, Senator Bob Andersen of Sarpy County introduced Legislative Bill 997 on Foley’s behalf, which would require state agencies to notify the auditor whenever an emergency no-bid contract is issued. Under current law, agencies only report those contracts to the Department of Administrative Services.
Foley testified that the contract in question, approved in 2024 and facilitated under Governor Jim Pillen’s administration, raised immediate red flags due to incomplete paperwork and a lack of clear justification for declaring an emergency. Foley has publicly questioned whether the situation met the legal threshold to bypass competitive bidding and has alleged that staff attempted to mislead him about submission timelines. The Governor’s Office has denied any favoritism, stating the consultant’s work helped secure more than three-hundred-million dollars in federal funding for Nebraska. Supporters of the bill, including the state’s administrative services director, say LB 997 would strengthen accountability and ensure agency leaders carefully justify and fully document emergency contracts. Foley says if the bill becomes law, it could prevent similar situations in the future by ensuring earlier review and greater public confidence in state contracting practices.
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