The bill amends the County College Contracts Law in New Jersey to enhance the powers of county college boards of trustees regarding procurement processes. Key changes include raising the public bid threshold from $41,600 to $100,000 for contracts not subject to the New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act, while maintaining the existing threshold for those that are. The bill also expands the list of exemptions from public bidding requirements to include various services such as electronic media, IT, construction management, and medical testing. Additionally, it allows county colleges to utilize reverse auctions for utility purchases and extends the maximum contract duration from 24 to 36 months, with some contracts permitted for up to five years.

Moreover, the bill introduces provisions that enable boards of trustees to disqualify bidders based on prior negative experiences with public institutions of higher education within the last 15 years, ensuring accountability in the bidding process. It emphasizes the need for transparency by requiring advertisements for bids to be published in legal newspapers and potentially online. The criteria for awarding contracts are also modified, shifting from a strict lowest responsible bidder requirement to a more flexible approach that considers the most advantageous bid for the college. Overall, these amendments aim to streamline procurement processes while ensuring quality and accountability in the services procured by county colleges.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:64A-25.2, 18A:64A-25.3, 18A:64A-25.4, 18A:64A-25.5, 18A:64A-25.6, 18A:64A-25.8, 18A:64A-25.14, 18A:64A-25.19, 18A:64A-25.25, 18A:64A-25.27, 18A:64A-25.28