The Jan. 19 letter “Why are we sending money out of state?” suggests that the Amherst School Committee was wrong to contract with an executive search firm from “red state” Nebraska. As someone who has signed over 60 contracts with public agencies throughout the United States, I know that this type of argument is contrary to how public procurement works — or should work.

Procurement rules require agencies to publicly post their solicitations, set minimum qualifications and criteria for evaluation, and then hire the firm that offers the best value. There are of course cases where local familiarity or ability to attend a lot of meetings would legitimately add to the perceived value of a local firm. The political tilt of the bidder’s home state, however, seems invariably irrelevant. It is also a violation of interstate commerce laws, and any agency that sought to make this a criterion for the job would face challenges from the aggrieved out-of-state bidder and from local residents who are now getting less value for their taxes.

The letter writer should also consider the likely backlash. If public agencies in Massachusetts seek not to hire firms from red state Nebraska, it won’t be long before Nebraska agencies seek not to hire firms from blue state Massachusetts. No thanks — this political protectionism would be an overall net loss.

Marc Warner

Northampton