This bill seeks to amend and enact various sections of the North Dakota Century Code concerning state purchasing practices, particularly the procurement processes for state officials and employees. It introduces new definitions, such as "information technology," and establishes a bidders list for government procurement opportunities. The bill clarifies that contracts for multiple state agencies must be designated as state contracts or cooperative purchasing contracts and outlines specific exemptions from competitive procurement requirements, including emergency purchases and certain services. Additionally, it modifies existing provisions regarding the confidentiality of bids and proposals, ensuring they remain exempt records until a notice of intent to award is issued, while promoting the use of environmentally preferable and biobased products in state purchasing.

Furthermore, the bill amends several sections related to the resolution of protested solicitations and awards, cooperative purchasing, and procurement information. Key changes include allowing electronic mail submissions for protests, requiring written notice of protest resolutions from procurement officers, and establishing a timeline for decisions on protests and appeals. It also introduces provisions for cooperative purchasing contracts among institutions of higher education and expands cooperative purchasing to include the International Peace Garden. New sections are created to outline rules for state officials and employees making personal purchases from state contracts and to establish guidelines for multiple award vendor pool contracts, enhancing transparency, efficiency, and collaboration in the state's procurement processes.

Statutes affected:
PREFILED: 12-48-03.1, 44-04-18.4, 54-44.4-01, 54-44.4-02, 54-44.4-05, 54-44.4-05.1, 54-44.4-07, 54-44.4-09, 54-44.4-09.1, 54-44.4-12, 54-44.4-13, 54-44.4-14
Adopted by the House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee: 44-04-18.4, 54-44.4-01, 54-44.4-02, 54-44.4-05, 54-44.4-07, 54-44.4-09, 54-44.4-09.1, 54-44.4-12, 54-44.4-13, 54-44.4-14
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 44-04-18.4, 54-44.4-01, 54-44.4-02, 54-44.4-05, 54-44.4-07, 54-44.4-09, 54-44.4-09.1, 54-44.4-12, 54-44.4-13, 54-44.4-14
Enrollment: 44-04-18.4, 54-44.4-01, 54-44.4-02, 54-44.4-05, 54-44.4-07, 54-44.4-09, 54-44.4-09.1, 54-44.4-12, 54-44.4-13, 54-44.4-14
INTRODUCED: 12-48-03.1, 44-04-18.4, 54-44.4-01, 54-44.4-02, 54-44.4-05, 54-44.4-05.1, 54-44.4-07, 54-44.4-09, 54-44.4-09.1, 54-44.4-12, 54-44.4-13, 54-44.4-14