# Rob Sand Favors Competitive Iowa Procurement

Iowa gubernatorial candidate and State Auditor Rob Sand says he would favor traditional competitive procurement and be hesitant, but not categorically opposed, to no-bid exceptions if elected governor. He questioned whether multijurisdictional bids reflect Iowa’s needs or remain current and expressed support for Iowa-based bidders. The related procurement record includes a $21 million Iowa accounting and human resources system contract selected through a no-bid process in 2021 and terminated in 2023, underscoring the potential scrutiny of exceptions and contract fit.

- Companies pursuing Iowa state work should be prepared to show how their proposals address Iowa-specific requirements; Sand’s comments suggest that out-of-state or multijurisdictional bids may face questions about relevance and currency.
- Iowa-based businesses may find greater emphasis on local bidder participation if this approach informs procurement decisions, though Sand has not ruled out no-bid exceptions.
- The historical accounting and HR system contract illustrates the importance of documenting the rationale, suitability, and outcomes of noncompetitive awards.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Published:** October 27, 2026

### Government Entities
- State of Iowa

### Vendors
- Workday (No-bid awardee; contract later terminated)

### Sources
- [Rob Sand says he’d be ‘hesitant’ to use no-bid procurement contracts](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/rob-sand-says-d-hesitant-205518444.html) - Yahoo