Ryan Golding, owner of Mastaler Cleaning Service, has contracts with the state to provide janitorial services at multiple properties. But for the last two months, since the state rolled out its new digital procurement system VTBuys, he says the state hasn’t paid about $12,000 it owes.

“That whole time, I’ve covered all my labor costs, all the equipment, all my supplies,” he said in an interview last week. “I can borrow from Peter and pay Paul basically until I get paid by the state.”

Golding is one of three small-business owners who told VTDigger they haven’t been paid or received payments late since Vermont adopted its new digital one-stop shop for state contracts, bidding and vendor payment . Two others spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear they’d lose future work with the

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