The bill amends the Code of Alabama 1975 to improve the procedures for protesting competitive bid contracts. Key changes include the introduction of a "notice of intent to protest," which must be filed with the Chief Procurement Officer within five calendar days of a solicitation or its amendment. Following this notice, the aggrieved party has seven calendar days to submit a formal written protest. If the protest is not resolved within ten days, the Chief Procurement Officer is required to conduct an administrative review and issue a decision within fourteen days. The bill also allows the state to proceed with the solicitation or award of a protested contract if necessary to protect the state's best interests.

Additionally, the bill introduces new requirements for disclosure statements from individuals submitting proposals or bids, including the certification of information by the vendor or grant recipient, which can now be done electronically. It mandates that disclosure statements include details about any family relationships with public officials that could financially benefit from the contract. The bill also specifies that these statements must be available for audit by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. Notably, it deletes the previous requirement for disclosure statements to be made under oath and the stipulations regarding filing with the awarding entity. The act is set to take effect on June 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41-4-161, 41-4-164, 41-16-82, 41-16-83, 41-16-85, 41-16-87
Engrossed: 41-4-161, 41-4-164, 41-16-82, 41-16-83, 41-16-85, 41-16-87