HOUSE BILL No. 6257

 

June 22, 2006, Introduced by Reps. Hildenbrand, Mortimer, Proos, David Law, Huizenga, Emmons, Pearce, Nitz, Moore, Pavlov and Farhat and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

 

     A bill to amend 1984 PA 431, entitled

 

"The management and budget act,"

 

by amending section 261 (MCL 18.1261), as amended by 2005 PA 91.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 261. (1) The department shall provide for the purchase

 

of, the contracting for, and the providing of supplies, materials,

 

services, insurance, utilities, third party financing, equipment,

 

printing, and all other items as needed by state agencies for which

 

the legislature has not otherwise expressly provided. In all

 

purchases made by the department,  all other things being equal,

 

preference shall be given to products manufactured or services

 

offered by Michigan-based firms, if consistent with federal

 


statutes. The department shall solicit competitive bids from the

 

private sector whenever practicable to efficiently and effectively

 

meet the state's needs. The department shall first determine that

 

competitive solicitation of bids in the private sector is not

 

appropriate before it shall use any other procurement method for an

 

acquisition.

 

     (2) The department shall make all discretionary decisions

 

concerning the solicitation, award, amendment, cancellation, and

 

appeal of state contracts.

 

     (3) The department shall utilize competitive bidding for all

 

purchases authorized pursuant to subsection (1) unless the

 

department has determined that another procurement method is in the

 

state's best interests.

 

     (4) The department may delegate its procurement authority to

 

other state agencies within dollar limitations and for designated

 

types of procurements. The department may withdraw delegated

 

authority upon a finding that a state agency did not comply with

 

departmental procurement directives.

 

     (5) The department may enter into lease purchases or

 

installment purchases for periods not exceeding the anticipated

 

useful life of the items purchased unless otherwise prohibited by

 

law.

 

     (6) The department shall issue directives for the procurement,

 

receipt, inspection, and storage of supplies, materials, and

 

equipment, and for printing and services needed by state agencies.

 

The department shall provide standard specifications and standards

 

of performance applicable to purchases.

 


     (7) The department may enter into a cooperative purchasing

 

agreement with 1 or more other states or public entities for the

 

purchase of goods, including, but not limited to, recycled goods,

 

and services necessary for state programs.

 

     (8) In awarding a contract under this section, the department

 

shall give a preference of up to 10% of the amount of the contract

 

to a qualified disabled veteran. If the qualified disabled veteran

 

otherwise meets the requirements of the contract solicitation and

 

with the preference is the lowest bidder, the department shall

 

enter into a procurement contract with the qualified disabled

 

veteran under this act. If 2 or more qualified disabled veterans

 

are the lowest bidders on a contract, all other things being equal,

 

the qualified disabled veteran with the lowest bid shall be awarded

 

the contract under this act.

 

     (9) It is the goal of the department to award each year not

 

less than 3% of its total expenditures for construction, goods, and

 

services to qualified disabled veterans. The department may count

 

toward its 3% yearly goal described in this subsection that portion

 

of all procurement contracts in which the business entity that

 

received the procurement contract subcontracts with a qualified

 

disabled veteran. Each year, the department shall report to each

 

house of the legislature on all of the following for the

 

immediately preceding 12-month period:

 

     (a) The number of qualified disabled veterans who submitted a

 

bid for a state procurement contract.

 

     (b) The number of qualified disabled veterans who entered into

 

procurement contracts with this state and the total value of those

 


procurement contracts.

 

     (c) Whether the department achieved the goal described in this

 

subsection.

 

     (d) The recommendations described in subsection (10).

 

     (10) Each year, the department shall review the progress of

 

all state agencies in meeting the 3% goal with input from statewide

 

veterans service organizations and from the business community,

 

including businesses owned by qualified disabled veterans, and

 

shall make recommendations to each house of the legislature

 

regarding continuation, increases, or decreases in the percentage

 

goal. The recommendations shall be based upon the number of

 

businesses that are owned by qualified disabled veterans and on the

 

continued need to encourage and promote businesses owned by

 

qualified disabled veterans.

 

     (11) To assist the department in reaching the goal described

 

in subsection (9), the governor shall recommend to the legislature

 

changes in programs to assist businesses owned by qualified

 

disabled veterans.

 

     (12) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Qualified disabled veteran" means a business entity that

 

is 51% or more owned by 1 or more veterans with a service-connected

 

disability.

 

     (b) "Service-connected disability" means a disability incurred

 

or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, or

 

air service as described in 38 USC 101(16).

 

     (c) "Veteran" means a person who served in the active

 

military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released

 


from his or her service under conditions other than dishonorable.