With certain exceptions, the Local Government Purchasing Act governs the purchasing of supplies, materials, equipment and services by local governments. (Chapter 332 of NRS) The State Purchasing Act, which is administered by the Purchasing Division of the Department of Administration, governs the purchasing of supplies, materials, equipment and services by agencies of the Executive Department of the State Government, with certain exceptions. (Chapter 333 of NRS) Sections 1.2 and 2 of this bill require the governing body of a local government and the Administrator of the Purchasing Division, respectively, to post prominently on their Internet websites: (1) information relating to the types of supplies, materials, equipment and services which are purchased by the local government or for state agencies, as applicable; and (2) procedures by which a person may request notice of solicitations or other methods of obtaining contracts for such purchases. Existing law requires the Commission to Study Governmental Purchasing to study practices in governmental purchasing and laws relating thereto and make recommendations with respect to those laws to the next regular session of the Legislature. (NRS 332.215) Section 1.8 of this bill provides instead that the Commission is required to: (1) review practices in governmental purchasing; and (2) make recommendations to improve efficiency and equity in governmental purchasing contracts. Section 1.4 of this bill requires the Commission to: (1) recommend policies, programs and procedures to encourage and promote purchasing from local businesses by local governments in this State; (2) create a supplier training program to educate local businesses on the public procurement process; and (3) create a support and outreach program that includes, without limitation, networking events and mentorship opportunities for local businesses. Section 1.6 of this bill requires each local government in a county that has a voting member on the Commission to prepare and deliver an annual written report to the Commission regarding their employees, purchasing expenditures and activities undertaken relating to specified businesses during a fiscal year. Existing law creates the Regional Business Development Advisory Council for Clark County and requires the Council to propose and implement policies, programs and procedures to encourage and promote the use of local businesses owned and operated by disadvantaged persons, particularly in the area of contracting and procurement by public agencies in Clark County. (Sections 15 and 20 of chapter 7, Statutes of Nevada 2003, 20th Special Session, at pages 268 and 269) Section 15 of this bill abolishes the Regional Business Development Advisory Council for Clark County. Section 12 of this bill makes a conforming change as a result of the abolishment of the Regional Business Development Advisory Council for Clark County and the expansion of the duties of the Commission to Study Governmental Purchasing. Existing law requires Centers, which is defined to mean all institutions of the Nevada System of Higher Education, to mentor businesses participating in the NV Grow Program as to the optimum use of certain data relative to the making of business decisions. (Section 3 of the NV Grow Act, chapter 459, Statutes of Nevada 2015, as last amended by chapter 570, Statutes of Nevada 2019, at page 3668) Section 12 eliminates this requirement.

Statutes affected:
Reprint 1: 332.215
Reprint 2: 332.215
As Enrolled: 332.215