Powers and duties of department and office; association contracts and purchases.

(1) The office shall:

(a) Upon request of the board of directors, provide the association with a statement of the premiums in each of the appropriate states for each member insurer.

(b) When an impairment is declared and the amount of the impairment is determined, serve a demand upon the impaired insurer to make good the impairment within a reasonable time. Notice to the impaired insurer shall constitute notice to its shareholders, if any. The failure of the insurer to promptly comply with such demand shall not excuse the association from the performance of its powers and duties under this part.

(2) The department shall, in any liquidation or rehabilitation proceeding involving a domestic insurer, be appointed as the liquidator or rehabilitator. If a foreign or alien member insurer is subject to a liquidation proceeding in its domiciliary jurisdiction or state of entry, the department shall be appointed conservator.

(3) The office may suspend or revoke, after notice and hearing, the certificate of authority to transact insurance in this state of any member insurer that fails to pay an assessment when due or fails to comply with the approved plan of operation of the association. As an alternative, the office may levy a forfeiture on any member insurer that fails to pay an assessment when due. Such forfeiture shall not exceed 5 percent of the unpaid assessment per month, but no forfeiture shall be less than $100 per month.

(4) Any action of the board of directors or of the association may be appealed to the office by any member insurer if such appeal is taken within 30 days of the action being appealed. If a member company is appealing an assessment, the amount assessed shall be paid to the association and available to meet association obligations during the pendency of the appeal. If the appeal on the assessment is upheld, the amount paid in error or excess shall be returned to the member company. Any final action or order of the office shall be subject to judicial review in a court of competent jurisdiction.

(5) The liquidator, rehabilitator, or conservator of any impaired insurer may notify all interested persons of the effect of this part.

(6)(a) After July 1, 2024, all contracts entered into, and all purchases made by, the association pursuant to this section which are valued at or more than $100,000 must first be approved by the department. The department has 10 days to approve or deny the contract or purchase upon electronic receipt of the approval request. The contract or purchase is automatically approved if the department is nonresponsive.

(b) All contracts and purchases valued at or more than $100,000 require competition through a formal bid solicitation conducted by the association. The association must undergo a formal bid solicitation process. The formal bid solicitation process must include all of the following:

1. The time and date for the receipt of bids, the proposals, and whether the association contemplates renewal of the contract, including the price for each year for which the contract may be renewed.

2. All the contractual terms and conditions applicable to the procurement.

(c) Evaluation of bids by the association must include consideration of the total cost for each year of the contract, including renewal years, as submitted by the vendor. The association must award the contract to the most responsible and responsive vendor. Any formal bid solicitation conducted by the association must be made available, upon request, to the department via electronic delivery.