Why the Delay in Hiring a Procurement Office Chief?
The head of the Hawaii agency that handles construction contracts and the purchase of goods and services has retired, and Gov. Neil Abercrombie hasn’t yet picked a replacement.
Aaron Fujioka鈥檚 third term as administrator of the State Procurement Office ended Oct. 17. He had been seeking another four-year appointment, but the governor’s office confirmed Friday that he retired instead. An interim announcement is expected soon.
The Procurement Policy Board submitted four names to Gov. Neil Abercrombie Sept. 10, but he has yet to decide who he wants for the job.
As of last week, Fujioka was still in place as the governor’s office moved forward with the selection and decision-making process. It’s unclear why he stepped down this week. Messages seeking comments have not been returned.
In August, Fujioka raised concerns over the board manipulating the hiring process for a new administrator by withholding the names of two of the four applicants.
He told Civil Beat at the time that he didn鈥檛 think the board was trying to oust him. He just thought the process was less than transparent.
Abercrombie鈥檚 spokeswoman, Louise Kim McCoy, said last week that the names of the applicants are confidential. She cited from the state Office of Information Practices that says the names cannot be disclosed due to privacy reasons.
Abercrombie is supposed to select one name and send it to the Senate for approval.
“There will be an interim until the Governor makes a decision on a permanent administrator, which will be soon,” Keith DeMello, the governor’s communications manager, said in an email late Friday morning.
Greg King, who sits on the Policy Board, told Civil Beat last week that the board is not involved at all at this point.
The Legislature is in a special session, primarily to hear a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. There are up for decision-making to nominate people to various boards and commissions, but none regarding the State Procurement Office.
