About the Revision

Overview

 

The Model Procurement Code (MPC) Revision Project is a national collaboration to modernize the legal and ethical foundation for public purchasing by state and local governments in the United States. Led by the American Bar Association’s Public Contract Law Section, the National Association of State Procurement Officials, and Partners for Public Good, the nonpartisan project aims to ensure that the Model Procurement Code continues to serve as a clear, practical, and forward-looking guide for state and local governments.

First adopted in 1979, the Model Procurement Code has guided public procurement laws for nearly half a century. More than 20 states, from New Mexico to South Carolina, have enacted legislation based on the MPC, and many others rely on it as a guiding standard to promote best‑value procurement and the ethical stewardship of taxpayer dollars. While the Model Procurement Code has stood the test of time, today’s procurement landscape has evolved dramatically. New priorities, new markets, and new technologies require a modernized approach.

The Revision Project brings together practitioners, attorneys, academics, and policymakers to update the MPC for the realities of contemporary public purchasing—advancing core principles of transparency, efficiency, fairness, accountability, and strategic value.

Why Update the Model Procurement Code?

 

Public procurement has evolved dramatically since the last model code revision in 2000. New technologies, procurement methods, and ethical expectations demand clearer and more flexible guidance.

The 2026 Model Procurement Code revision will:

  • Simplify and clarify statutory language to improve usability.

  • Address modern procurement tools such as cooperative contracts, electronic sourcing, and data-driven decision-making.

  • Strengthen ethics and conflict-of-interest standards.

  • Improve the commentary interspersed within the Model Procurement Code to distinguish between model law, practical guidance, and policy options.

  • Reinforce the code’s role as a model which is adaptable for diverse jurisdictions.

Project Structure

The Model Procurement Code Revision Project brings together leaders from law, government, and public procurement to modernize one of the nation’s most influential frameworks for fair and transparent purchasing. Guided by a clear governance structure, the project ensures that every revision is thoughtfully researched, collaboratively developed, and aligned with the Code’s enduring principles of integrity, competition, and accountability.

Steering Committee

The Model Procurement Code Revisions Project’s Steering Committee provides strategic direction and final approval for all revisions. The Committee includes representatives from the ABA’s Public Contract Law Section, NASPO, Partners for Public Good, and expert advisors from academia and public procurement. Its role is to guide the project’s vision, set priorities, appoint key personnel, and ensure that every proposed change upholds the Code’s foundational values of fairness, integrity, and competition.

Steering Committee Members:

  • Eric Whytsell (Chair), Stinson LLP
  • Diana Mendez (Vice Chair), Bilzin Sumberg
  • Melissa Copeland (Vice Chair), Graves & Davis LLC
  • Jennifer Dauer, Diepenbrock Elkin Dauer McCandless LLP
  • Justin Kaufman, NASPO
  • Megan Smyth, NASPO
  • Keith McCook, South Carolina State Fiscal Accountability Authority
  • Christopher Yukins (Academic Advisor), George Washington University Law
  • Emma Ritz (Research Associate), Partners for Public Good
  • Micaela Fischer (Project Manager), Partners for Public Good
  • Reporters

Reporters

The Reporters are the project’s principal collators and editors. They synthesize and translate recommendations from the Drafting Committees into precise legal language and guiding commentary. As part of the Steering Committee, they ensure that the updated Code is clear, consistent, and aligned with both long-standing procurement principles and today’s evolving practices.

Reporters: 

  • Paul Krivacka, Tennessee Central Procurement Office
  • Daniel Schoeni, University of Dayton School of Law
  • Eric Weisenburger, Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Drafting Committees

Volunteer Drafting Committees form the working engine of the project. Each committee focuses on one or more topics or Articles of the Model Procurement Code—such as ethics, source selection, or IT procurement—and includes state and local procurement officials, attorneys, and subject-matter experts. Drafting Committees often work in smaller subcommittees to research emerging issues, develop proposed revisions, and build consensus around practical solutions. Committee Chairs coordinate this work and ensure that all recommendations are well-reasoned, clearly documented, and ready for integration into the Code.

Drafting Committee Leadership: 

  • Article 12 (Ethics): Melissa Copeland, Graves & Davis LLC and Ellen Daley, Illinois General Services
  • Article 5 (Infrastructure): Jamey Tesler, Mass Mobility Hub
  • Article 4 (Specifications): Kate Rotella, Eastern Connecticut State University, NIGP Board Chair
  • Special IT: Justin Kaufman, NASPO and Chris Bowen, Google