2014 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 39 - Public Finance
RS 39:200 - General provisions

§200. General provisions

            The following general provisions shall apply to all procurements under this Part:

            A. Used equipment. Used information technology equipment is defined to include all equipment which cannot be certified as new by the vendor. Used equipment may be acquired through rental or purchase when the vendor or manufacturer certify that:

            (1) The equipment has been properly maintained and used.

            (2) Maintenance acceptable to the state is available by contract at a cost which shall not increase the total cost to the state to that level which would exist should the state acquire the same equipment new.

            (3) The equipment is warranted by the manufacturer or vendor under the same terms and conditions as those offered by the manufacturer for that equipment when new.

            B. Purchase of equipment being leased or rented. Equipment being leased or rented by a state agency may be purchased without the need for competitive sealed bidding. When the contract under which the equipment is being leased or rented provides for any credit of rental or lease payments toward purchase, the leasing or renting vendor shall be required to deduct such credits from the purchase price. A written analysis of the contract must be made by the using agency and filed with the state central purchasing agency. Such analysis shall at a minimum include the current market value of the equipment, the total amount paid to the vendor as lease or rental payments credited to the purchase price, the total time the equipment was leased or rented, and the amount of and contractor for related prior and subsequent contracts, including but not limited to maintenance contracts. Such purchases shall have the written advance approval of the state central purchasing agency, and the legislature shall have provided a specific appropriation for such purchase.

            C. Disposition of information technology equipment no longer required by state agencies. The state central purchasing agency shall have the authority to dispose of information technology equipment no longer required by a state agency in accordance with regulations which shall be developed and published by the state central purchasing agency. Such dispositions may be through trade-in, assignment to another state agency, or sale. Dispositions other than by assignment to another agency shall be on a competitive basis.

            D. Effective date of contracts. Any contracts entered into under the provisions of this Part may have an effective starting date at any point during a fiscal year. No contract entered into hereunder shall have an initial effective date earlier than the date on which such contract receives the final statutorily required approval. However, with the approval of the state central purchasing agency, a state agency shall make payments to a vendor in those circumstances where it has utilized the information technology equipment to be contracted prior to the actual receipt of the final statutorily required approval. The state central purchasing agency shall determine the size of the payments in accordance with the number of such days of utilization.

            E. Contract amendments. All changes, modifications, and amendments to any contract hereunder shall be approved in advance by the state central purchasing agency, in addition to any other statutorily required approvals. This Subsection shall not apply to contracts for maintenance or software, but amendments to such contracts may not increase the rates specified in such contracts to a figure greater than the vendor's published standard rates.

            F. Contract form. No contracts entered into hereunder shall be on preprinted contract forms supplied by a vendor, unless otherwise approved by the state chief procurement officer.

            G. Proposal or bid incorporated into contract. Where written proposals or bids are submitted by vendors, the proposal or bid of the successful vendor shall be incorporated into the final contract consummated with that vendor.

            H. Letters of intent. Letters of intent may be issued by an agency to a vendor solely for the purpose of obtaining a delivery schedule with that vendor. All such letters must be clearly identified as such, and must be filed on issuance with the office of technology services and the attorney general.

            I. Procurement support. All contracts covered under the provisions of this Chapter, in an amount greater than one hundred thousand dollars, whether for purchase or rental payments or fiscal intermediary services in processing claims of health care providers, or master agreements, but excluding taxes, transportation, and other related services, shall be entered into with the assistance of a procurement support team as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection and in accordance with guidelines to be published by the state central purchasing agency.

            (1) Procurement support team participation must include, as a minimum, assistance in evaluation of bids and negotiation of contracts.

            (2) A procurement support team shall consist of a person chosen jointly by the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the Senate from among the attorneys on the legislative services staff of the House of Representatives or the staff of the Senate and one or more representatives from each of the following: the Division of Administration, central purchasing agency; the using agency initiating the procurement action; and the Legislative Fiscal Office. At least two members of the team shall have received formal training in computer contract negotiations. At least four members, one from each office or agency designated, must be present to constitute a quorum.

            J. Contract specifications. (1) A specification may be drafted which describes a product which is proprietary to one company only when no other kind of specification is reasonably available for the state to describe its requirements; or where there is a requirement for specifying a particular design or make of product due to factors of compatibility, standardization, or maintainability; and, when such specification includes language which specifically permits an equivalent to be supplied. Such specification shall include a description of the essential characteristics of the product.

            (2) Whenever proprietary specifications are used, the specifications shall clearly state that the proprietary characteristics are used only to denote the quality standard of the equipment desired and that such specifications do not restrict vendors to the specific brand, make, or manufacture; that they are used only to set forth and convey to prospective bidders the general style, type, character, and quality of equipment desired; and that equivalents will be acceptable.

            (3) The specifications in an invitation for bids shall contain a list of the factors to be considered in evaluating the responses to the invitation, and any weights assigned to those factors. No other basis of evaluation shall be used with respect to bids received. When relevant, the following factors shall be included in the specifications: cost of transportation, installation, and conversion of operations; taxes; or cost of conversion to different equipment architecture.

            K. The provisions of this Part shall, with respect to the procurement of information technology systems or information technology services, supersede specifications of any contradictory or conflicting provisions of the following statutes: R.S. 38:2211 et seq. with respect to awarding of public contracts and R.S. 39:1551 through 1736, but all other provisions in Chapter 17 of Title 39 apply to all procurements under this Part. The provisions of this Part do not relate to the procurement of services covered by R.S. 39:1481 through 1526 except as provided in R.S. 39:198. The Louisiana Lease of Movables Act, R.S. 9:3301 through 3342, shall not apply to the provisions of this Part.

            L. In addition to specific authorizations contained in this Part, and pursuant to R.S. 39:15.2(C), the state chief information officer, with the approval of the commissioner of administration or his designee, shall have the power and authority to make necessary and reasonable regulations and orders to carry out the provisions of this Part in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.

            M. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 712, §2, eff. July 1, 2014.

            N. Repealed by Acts 2011, No. 343, §5.

            Acts 1981, No. 628, §1, eff. July 20, 1981. Amended by Acts 1982, No. 855, §3; Acts 1983, No. 478, §2, eff. July 6, 1983; Acts 1984, No. 754, §3, eff. July 13, 1984; Acts 1987, No. 442, §1; Acts 2010, No. 868, §2, eff. July 1, 2010; Acts 2011, No. 343, §5; Acts 2012, No. 185, §1; Acts 2014, No. 712, §2, eff. July 1, 2014.