Maryland?s top purchasing official is facing allegations of ethical violations for heading a nonprofit association that recently asked state vendors to fund a trade show, according to a state report released Tuesday.
The state?s Department of Legislative Services report does not identify the official or the association, but strongly implicates Mark Pemberton, assistant secretary of procurement. Pemberton also is president of the Maryland Public Purchasing Association Inc.
The report claims the official encouraged current and potential state vendors to sponsor a trade show hosted by a coalition of procurement professionals. At a minimum, the official gave the appearance that certain vendors could receive “preferential treatment” on state contracts for sponsoring the association?s show, the report says.
Pemberton oversees an office that last year awarded $349 million in contracts for state agencies. The report describes a senior General Services official “responsible for the oversight of the centralized procurement of goods and services for most state agencies,” which is Pemberton?s job.
DGS refused to confirm Pemberton is the subject of the report. However, the report calls attention to a “reverse” trade show held Oct. 16, and a logo on the association?s Web site depicting the State House and a miniature map of Maryland. The MPPA held a reverse trade show on that date, according to DGS literature, and its Web site prominently displays a matching logo near a photo of Pemberton.
The site lists state business addressees, phone numbers and e-mail accounts for Pemberton and other state employees. Pemberton and others used their state e-mail accounts to solicit show sponsors, it says.
In a written response to the report, Secretary Alvin Collins said, “these officials acted in good faith for the good of the state and without personal gain. Such efforts should be encouraged.”
Many state employees are members of nonprofit associations that solicit money from private sources to fund conferences related to state business, he said. However, he said the ethics commission should review the issue.
Collins said the report will have a “chilling effect” on the willingness of state employees to put in “extra effort for the greater good.”
DGS officials declined additional comment.
