The bill SB36 amends the Code of Alabama 1975 to enhance public procurement processes by transferring procurement authority to the Chief Procurement Officer and specifying which governmental bodies are subject to state competitive bid laws. It mandates the Alabama Department of Transportation to adopt rules for purchasing professional services that prioritize fairness, competition, and transparency. The bill expands the definition of entities involved in procurement to include volunteer fire departments and rescue squads, while clarifying that legislative and judicial agencies will follow their own established procurement procedures. Key provisions include the introduction of electronic bid submissions, the establishment of procedures for protesting competitive bid contracts, and revisions to disclosure statement requirements, all aimed at promoting responsible use of public funds and ensuring transparency.

Additionally, the bill allows for emergency procurements under specific conditions related to public health, welfare, or safety, with the authority to delegate this power to the Chief Procurement Officer's staff. It revises the protest process for aggrieved bidders by reducing the notice of intent to protest from 14 days to five days and establishes a structured timeline for formal protests. The bill raises the threshold for required disclosure statements from contracts exceeding $5,000 to those meeting the threshold for formal solicitations, while exempting certain contracts from this requirement. It also allows for electronic submission of disclosure statements and mandates that they be certified by the vendor or grant recipient. The act is set to take effect on June 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41-4-124, 41-4-132, 41-4-136, 41-4-161, 41-4-164, 41-16-82, 41-16-83, 41-16-85, 41-16-87
Enrolled: 41-4-124, 41-4-132, 41-4-136, 41-4-161, 41-4-164, 41-16-82, 41-16-83, 41-16-85, 41-16-87