Senate Bill No. by Senator Cloud amends the Louisiana Procurement Code to enhance cooperative purchasing specifically for information technology systems. The bill modifies R.S. 39:1702(A)(1) to allow public procurement units, particularly those within the executive branch under the Office of Technology Services, to engage in cooperative purchasing agreements for acquiring various supplies and services, including information technology systems. The new language clarifies that these procurement units can utilize joint contracts, open-ended state contracts, and access existing information technology systems from external procurement activities without the need for a competitive procurement process, provided the external entity originally acquired the system through competitive means.

Additionally, the bill enacts R.S. 39:1702(D), which permits procurement units within the executive branch to procure information technology systems and services from the General Services Administration supply schedules without adhering to the competitive bidding requirements typically mandated by the Procurement Code. This legislation, titled the "Interstate Technology Collaboration Act," aims to streamline the procurement process for technology-related services and systems, thereby enhancing efficiency and collaboration among public procurement units in Louisiana. The act will take effect upon the governor's signature or after the designated period for bills to become law without signature.

Statutes affected:
SB303 Original: 39:1702(A)(1)
SB303 Engrossed: 39:1702(A)(1)
SB303 Reengrossed: 39:1702(A)(1)
SB303 Enrolled: 39:1702(A)(1)