Information technology; vendor disqualification.

(1) Any competitive solicitation issued by the department for a state term contract for information technology commodities must include a term that does not exceed 48 months.

(2) Any competitive solicitation issued by the department for a state term contract for information technology consultant services or information technology staff augmentation contractual services must include a term that does not exceed 48 months.

(3) The department may execute a state term contract for information technology commodities, consultant services, or staff augmentation contractual services that exceeds the 48-month requirement if the Secretary of Management Services and the state chief information officer certify in writing to the Executive Office of the Governor that a longer contract term is in the best interest of the state.

(4) If the department issues a competitive solicitation for information technology commodities, consultant services, or staff augmentation contractual services, the Florida Digital Service within the department shall participate in such solicitations.

(5) If an agency issues a request for quote to purchase information technology commodities, information technology consultant services, or information technology staff augmentation contractual services from the state term contract, for any contract with 25 approved vendors or fewer, the agency must issue a request for quote to all vendors approved to provide such commodity or service. For any contract with more than 25 approved vendors, the agency must issue a request for quote to at least 25 of the vendors approved to provide such commodity or contractual service. Use of a request for quote does not constitute a decision or intended decision that is subject to protest under s. 120.57(3).

(6) Beginning October 1, 2021, and each October 1 thereafter, the department shall prequalify firms and individuals to provide information technology staff augmentation contractual services on state term contract. In order to prequalify a firm or individual for participation on the state term contract, the department must consider, at a minimum, the capability, experience, and past performance record of the firm or individual. A firm or individual removed from the source of supply pursuant to s. 287.042(1)(b) or placed on a disqualified vendor list pursuant to s. 287.133 or s. 287.134 is immediately disqualified from state term contract eligibility. Once a firm or individual has been prequalified to provide information technology staff augmentation contractual services on state term contract, the firm or individual may respond to requests for quotes from an agency to provide such services.