This bill expands the scope of contracts that educational research and service corporations can enter into on behalf of their member institutions. Specifically, it allows these corporations to act as lead agencies or contracting units for the procurement of a broader range of goods and services, including educational technology systems and related services. Additionally, the bill enables these corporations to enter into agreements with voting member institutions of higher education to provide various services, consulting, staffing, or goods related to educational technology. These agreements are classified as shared services agreements and are exempt from public bidding requirements under state law, including the County College Contracts Law and the State College Contracts Law.

The bill also clarifies that educational research and services corporations are considered local units under the "Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act," allowing them to procure goods and services on behalf of municipalities, fire districts, counties, local authorities, school districts, and other educational institutions. While the corporations must still adhere to applicable state and local procurement laws, the bill provides specific exemptions for the agreements made under the new provisions. Overall, this legislation aims to streamline the procurement process for educational institutions and enhance collaboration among them.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:3B-6.1