Governor Phil Scott today announced that Secretary of Administration Susanne Young has updated Vermont’s procurement requirements, per Executive Order No. 02-18, to ensure net neutrality protections are included in the State’s internet service contracts.
Bulletin 3.5 governs the State’s contracting and procurement procedures and has now been updated with guidance on contracts with internet service providers. Changes to the bulletin, bidding and contract templates incorporate the provisions of the Executive Order and direct that internet service providers to the State of Vermont shall not:
- Block lawful content, applications, services, or nonharmful devices;
- Throttle, impair or degrade lawful internet traffic based on internet content, application, or service, or use of a nonharmful device;
- Engage in paid prioritization or providing preferential treatment of some internet traffic to any internet customer; or
- Unreasonably interfere with a customer’s ability to select, access and use broadband internet access service or the lawful internet content, applications, services, or devices of their choice; or with a providers’ ability to make lawful content, applications, services, or devices available to a customer.
“I want to thank Secretary Young and her team for moving swiftly to update Bulletin 3.5 to include these protections,” said Scott. “I believe an open internet is an important tool to growing Vermont’s economy, and this is a positive step to ensure Vermont’s position and commitment to protecting access to the internet are clear.”
These new procurement provisions apply to all state agencies, departments, commissions, boards or other administrative units within the executive branch that have the authority to enter into contracts.
“These updates are important to ensure open access to internet services as we conduct State business, as well to make it clear that we support the principles of net neutrality here in Vermont,” said Young.
Updated procurement requirements may be found on the Agency of Administration, Department of Building and General Services website under Purchasing and Contracting Publications and Forms links. The Governor’s executive order can be found by clicking here.
###