Powers, duties, and functions.

The department shall have the following powers, duties, and functions:

(1)(a) To canvass all sources of supply and contract for the purchase, lease, or acquisition, including purchase by installment sales or lease-purchase contracts which may provide for the payment of interest on unpaid portions of the purchase price of all commodities and contractual services required by any agency under this chapter. Any contract providing for deferred payments and the payment of interest is subject to specific rules adopted by the department.

(b) The department may remove from its vendor list any source of supply which fails to fulfill any of its duties specified in a contract with the state. It may reinstate any such source of supply when it is satisfied that further instances of default will not occur.

(c) In order to promote cost-effective procurement of commodities and contractual services, the department or an agency may enter into contracts that limit the liability of a vendor consistent with s. 672.719.

(d) The department shall issue commodity numbers for all products of the corporation operating the correctional industry program which meet or exceed department specifications.

(e) The department shall include the products offered by the corporation on any listing prepared by the department which lists state term contracts executed by the department. The products or services shall be placed on such list in a category based upon specification criteria developed through a joint effort of the department and the corporation and approved by the department.

(f) The corporation may submit products and services to the department for testing, analysis, and review relating to the quality and cost comparability. If, after review and testing, the department approves of the products and services, the department shall give written notice thereof to the corporation. The corporation shall pay a reasonable fee charged for testing its products by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

(g) The department shall include products and services that are offered by a qualified nonprofit agency for the blind or for the other severely handicapped organized pursuant to chapter 413 and that have been determined to be suitable for purchase pursuant to s. 413.035 on any department listing of state term contracts. The products and services shall be placed on such list in a category based upon specification criteria developed by the department in consultation with the qualified nonprofit agency.

(h)1. The department may collect fees for the use of its electronic information services. The fees may be imposed on an individual transaction basis or as a fixed subscription for a designated period of time. At a minimum, the fees shall be determined in an amount sufficient to cover the department’s projected costs of the services, including overhead in accordance with the policies of the department for computing its administrative assessment. All fees collected under this paragraph shall be deposited in the Operating Trust Fund for disbursement as provided by law.

2. The department shall transfer funds generated by fees collected for the use of the department’s electronic information services from the Purchasing Oversight Account in the Operating Trust Fund to the Administrative Trust Fund in the Department of Financial Services to support statewide purchasing operations. Unless provided for in the General Appropriations Act, the amount of transfer shall be established each year in the department’s nonoperating budget based upon the estimated cost of statewide purchasing operations provided by the Department of Financial Services and may not exceed $500,000.

(2)(a) To establish purchasing agreements and procure state term contracts for commodities and contractual services, pursuant to s. 287.057, under which state agencies shall, and eligible users may, make purchases pursuant to s. 287.056. The department may restrict purchases from some term contracts to state agencies only for those term contracts where the inclusion of other governmental entities will have an adverse effect on competition or to those federal facilities located in this state. In such planning or purchasing the Office of Supplier Diversity may monitor to ensure that opportunities are afforded for contracting with minority business enterprises. The department, for state term contracts, and all agencies, for multiyear contractual services or term contracts, shall explore reasonable and economical means to utilize certified minority business enterprises. Purchases by any county, municipality, private nonprofit community transportation coordinator designated pursuant to chapter 427, while conducting business related solely to the Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged, or other local public agency under the provisions in the state purchasing contracts, and purchases, from the corporation operating the correctional work programs, of products or services that are subject to paragraph (1)(f), are exempt from the competitive solicitation requirements otherwise applying to their purchases.

(b) As an alternative to any provision in s. 120.57(3)(c), the department may proceed with the competitive solicitation or contract award process of a term contract when the Secretary of Management Services or his or her designee sets forth in writing particular facts and circumstances that demonstrate that the delay incident to staying the solicitation or contract award process would be detrimental to the interests of the state. After the award of a contract resulting from a competitive solicitation in which a timely protest was received and in which the state did not prevail, the contract may be canceled and reawarded.

(c) Any person who files an action protesting a decision or intended decision pertaining to contracts administered by the department, a water management district, or an agency pursuant to s. 120.57(3)(b) shall post with the department, the water management district, or the agency at the time of filing the formal written protest a bond payable to the department, the water management district, or agency in an amount equal to 1 percent of the estimated contract amount. For protests of decisions or intended decisions pertaining to exceptional purchases, the bond shall be in an amount equal to 1 percent of the estimated contract amount for the exceptional purchase. The estimated contract amount shall be based upon the contract price submitted by the protester or, if no contract price was submitted, the department, water management district, or agency shall estimate the contract amount based on factors including, but not limited to, the price of previous or existing contracts for similar commodities or contractual services, the amount appropriated by the Legislature for the contract, or the fair market value of similar commodities or contractual services. The agency shall provide the estimated contract amount to the vendor within 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, after the filing of the notice of protest by the vendor. The estimated contract amount is not subject to protest pursuant to s. 120.57(3). The bond shall be conditioned upon the payment of all costs and charges that are adjudged against the protester in the administrative hearing in which the action is brought and in any subsequent appellate court proceeding. In lieu of a bond, the department, the water management district, or agency may, in either case, accept a cashier’s check, official bank check, or money order in the amount of the bond. If, after completion of the administrative hearing process and any appellate court proceedings, the department, water management district, or agency prevails, it shall recover all costs and charges which shall be included in the final order or judgment, excluding attorney’s fees. This section shall not apply to protests filed by the Office of Supplier Diversity. Upon payment of such costs and charges by the protester, the bond, cashier’s check, official bank check, or money order shall be returned to the protester. If, after the completion of the administrative hearing process and any appellate court proceedings, the protester prevails, the protester shall recover from the department, water management district, or agency all costs and charges which shall be included in the final order or judgment, excluding attorney’s fees.

(3) To establish a system of coordinated, uniform procurement policies, procedures, and practices to be used by agencies in acquiring commodities and contractual services, which shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) Development of a list of interested vendors to be maintained by classes of commodities and contractual services. This list shall not be used to prequalify vendors or to exclude any interested vendor from bidding.

(b)1. Development of procedures for advertising solicitations. These procedures must provide for electronic posting of solicitations for at least 10 days before the date set for receipt of bids, proposals, or replies, unless the department or other agency determines in writing that a shorter period of time is necessary to avoid harming the interests of the state. The Office of Supplier Diversity may consult with the department regarding the development of solicitation distribution procedures to ensure that maximum distribution is afforded to certified minority business enterprises as defined in s. 288.703.

2. Development of procedures for electronic posting. The department shall designate a centralized website on the Internet for the department and other agencies to electronically post solicitations, decisions or intended decisions, and other matters relating to procurement.

(c) Development of procedures for the receipt and opening of bids, proposals, or replies by an agency. Such procedures shall provide the Office of Supplier Diversity an opportunity to monitor and ensure that the contract award is consistent with the requirements of s. 287.09451.

(d) Development of procedures to be used by an agency in deciding to contract, including, but not limited to, identifying and assessing in writing project needs and requirements, availability of agency employees, budgetary constraints or availability, facility equipment availability, current and projected agency workload capabilities, and the ability of any other state agency to perform the services.

(e) Development of procedures to be used by an agency in maintaining a contract file for each contract which shall include, but not be limited to, all pertinent information relating to the contract during the preparatory stages; a copy of the solicitation; documentation relating to the solicitation process; opening of bids, proposals, or replies; evaluation and tabulation of bids, proposals, or replies; and determination and notice of award of contract.

(f) Development of procedures to be used by an agency for issuing solicitations that include requirements to describe commodities, services, scope of work, and deliverables in a manner that promotes competition.

(g) Development of procedures to be used by an agency when issuing requests for information and requests for quotes.

(h) Development of procedures to be used by state agencies when procuring information technology commodities and contractual services that ensure compliance with public records requirements and records retention and archiving requirements.

(4)(a) To prescribe the methods of securing competitive sealed bids, proposals, and replies. Such methods may include, but are not limited to, procedures for identifying vendors; setting qualifications; conducting conferences or written question and answer periods for purposes of responding to vendor questions; evaluating bids, proposals, and replies; ranking and selecting vendors; and conducting negotiations.

(b) To prescribe procedures for procuring information technology and information technology consultant services that provide for public announcement and qualification, competitive solicitations, contract award, and prohibition against contingent fees. Such procedures are limited to information technology consultant contracts for which the total project costs, or planning or study activities, are estimated to exceed the threshold amount provided in s. 287.017, for CATEGORY TWO.

(5) To prescribe specific commodities and quantities to be purchased locally.

(6)(a) To govern the purchase by any agency of any commodity or contractual service and to establish standards and specifications for any commodity.

(b) Except for the purchase of insurance, the department may delegate to agencies the authority for the procurement of and contracting for commodities or contractual services.

(7) To establish definitions and classes of commodities and contractual services. Agencies shall follow the definitions and classes of commodities and contractual services established by the department in acquiring or purchasing commodities or contractual services. The authority of the department under this section shall not be construed to impair or interfere with the determination by state agencies of their need for, or their use of, services including particular specifications.

(8) To provide any commodity and contractual service purchasing rules to the Chief Financial Officer and all agencies electronically or through other means. Agencies may not approve an account or request any payment of an account for the purchase of any commodity or the procurement of any contractual service covered by a purchasing or contractual service rule except as authorized therein. The department shall furnish copies of rules adopted by the department to any county, municipality, or other local public agency requesting them.

(9) To require that every agency furnish information relative to its commodity and contractual services purchases and methods of purchasing commodities and contractual services to the department when so requested.

(10) To prepare statistical data concerning the method of procurement, terms, usage, and disposition of commodities and contractual services by agencies. All agencies shall furnish such information for this purpose to the office and to the department, as the department or office may call for, but no less frequently than annually, on such forms or in such manner as the department may prescribe.

(11) To establish and maintain programs for the purpose of disseminating information to government, industry, educational institutions, and the general public concerning policies, procedures, rules, and forms for the procurement of commodities and contractual services.

(12) Except as otherwise provided herein, to adopt rules necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, including the authority to delegate to any agency any and all of the responsibility conferred by this section, retaining to the department any and all authority for supervision thereof. Such purchasing of commodities and procurement of contractual services by state agencies shall be in strict accordance with the rules and procedures prescribed by the department.

(13) If the department determines in writing that it is in the best interest of the state, to award to multiple suppliers contracts for commodities and contractual services established by the department for use by all agencies. Such awards may be on a statewide or regional basis. If regional contracts are established by the department, multiple supplier awards may be based upon multiple awards for regions. Agencies may award contracts to a responsible and responsive vendor on a statewide or regional basis.

(14) To procure and distribute federal surplus tangible personal property allocated to the state by the Federal Government.

(15) To lead or enter into joint agreements with governmental entities for the purchase of commodities or contractual services that can be used by multiple agencies.

(a) Each agency that has been appropriated or has existing funds for such purchase, shall, upon contract award by the department, transfer its portion of the funds into the department’s Operating Trust Fund for payment by the department. The funds shall be transferred by the Executive Office of the Governor pursuant to the agency budget amendment request provisions under chapter 216.

(b) Agencies that sign the joint agreements are financially obligated for their portion of the agreed-upon funds. If an agency becomes more than 90 days delinquent in paying the funds, the department shall certify to the Chief Financial Officer the amount due, and the Chief Financial Officer shall transfer the amount due to the Operating Trust Fund of the department from any of the agency’s available funds. The Chief Financial Officer shall report these transfers and the reasons for the transfers to the Executive Office of the Governor and the legislative appropriations committees.

(16) To evaluate contracts let by the Federal Government, another state, or a political subdivision for the provision of commodities and contract services, and, if it is determined by the Secretary of Management Services in writing to be cost-effective and the best value to the state, to enter into a written agreement authorizing an agency to make purchases under such contract.