2005 North Carolina Code - General Statutes § 147-33.95. Procurement of information technology.

Part 4. Procurement of Information Technology.

§ 147‑33.95.  Procurement of information technology.

(a)       Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Office of Information Technology Services shall procure all information technology for State agencies. The Office shall integrate technological review, cost analysis, and procurement for all information technology needs of those State agencies in order to make procurement and implementation of technology more responsive, efficient, and cost‑effective. All contract information shall be made a matter of public record after the award of contract. Trade secrets, test data, similar proprietary information, and security information protected under G.S. 132‑6.1(c) may remain confidential.

(b)       The Office shall have the authority and responsibility, subject to the provisions of this Part, to:

(1)       Purchase or contract for all information technology in the State government, or any of its departments, institutions, or agencies covered by this Part. The Office may authorize any State agency covered by this Part to purchase or contract for information technology. The Office or a State agency may use any authorized means, including negotiations, reverse auctions, and the solicitation, offer, and acceptance of electronic bids. G.S. 143‑135.9 shall apply to these procedures.

(2)       Establish processes, specifications, and standards that shall apply to all information technology to be purchased, licensed, or leased in the State government or any of its departments, institutions, or agencies covered by this Part.

(3)       Comply with the State government‑wide technical architecture, as required by the State CIO.

(c)       For purposes of this section, "reverse auction" means a real‑time purchasing process in which vendors compete to provide goods or services at the lowest selling price in an open and interactive electronic environment. The vendor's price may be revealed during the reverse auction. The Office may contract with a third‑party vendor to conduct the reverse auction.

(d)       For purposes of this section, "electronic bidding" means the electronic solicitation and receipt of offers to contract. Offers may be accepted and contracts may be entered by use of electronic bidding.

(e)       The Office may use the electronic procurement system established by G.S. 143‑48.3 to conduct reverse auctions and electronic bidding. All requirements relating to formal and competitive bids, including advertisement, seal, and signature, are satisfied when a procurement is conducted or a contract is entered in compliance with the reverse auction or electronic bidding requirements established by the Office.

(f)        The Office shall adopt rules consistent with this section. (1999‑434, s. 10; 2000‑174, s. 2; 2002‑107, s. 4; 2002‑159, s. 64(a); 2004‑129, s. 24.)