State contracting requirements amended, advanced

Lawmakers gave second-round approval March 27 to a bill that seeks to improve the procedure by which state agencies contract for services.

Introduced by Lincoln Sen. Bill Avery, LB858 as amended would apply to contracts valued at more than $15 million and would require the involvement of the state Department of Administrative Services (DAS).

The bill would require a state agency to submit a copy of a proposed contract and a proof-of-need analysis to DAS, which would certify a submitted analysis as complete before an agency could proceed with contracting services.

The bill also would remove a current exemption from state bidding requirements for state contracts over $15 million with direct providers of medical, behavioral or developmental health services, child care or child welfare service to an individual.

Lincoln Sen. Tony Fulton offered an amendment containing provisions of LB1006, a bill he introduced this session dealing with state contracts to operate vending facilities in state- or federally-owned buildings in Nebraska.

The amendment, adopted 32-0, would give priority to blind or visually impaired bidders if the product price in a submitted bid is comparable in price to the other bids for products sold in similar buildings or on similar property and the qualifications and capabilities of the vendors bidding the contract are similar to other bidders.

Fulton said the amendment was based on federal law and would give special consideration to a blind or visually impaired vendor if his or her bid otherwise is equal to other bids.

Avery supported the amendment, saying it would address a recent change in the DAS bidding process that took into account the cost of renting space for vending machines, which resulted in a visually impaired bidder losing the vending contract at the Nebraska State Office Building.

He said the amendment would reaffirm the state’s traditional special consideration provisions for blind and visually impaired vendors and provide them with valuable economic opportunities.

Following adoption of the Fulton amendment, senators advanced the bill from select file by voice vote.