SB 65 (Nelson/Geren) relating to oversight of and requirements applicable to state agency contracting and procurement. The bill streamlines the state contracting process and was sent to the Governor on 5/25. The bill would revise and expand the duties of the Quality Assurance Team (QAT) to include:
- recommending policies and procedures to improve the development, implementation, and return on investment for state agency information resources technology projects;
- reviewing a state agency’s business case prepared for a major information resources project under law and making recommendations to improve implementation of the project; and
- providing recommendations on the final negotiated terms of a contract for the development or implementation of a major information resources project with a value of at least $10 million.
The bill also requires a report each even numbered year that includes certain performance indicators and issues identified regarding major information resources projects and an appendix containing any justifications submitted to the QAT. The bill would increase from $1 million to $5 million the value of development costs that had to be exceeded for a project to classify as a major information resources project. The bill no longer would require in the report on the use of information resources technology under certain law to examine major information resources projects completed in the previous state fiscal biennium or after the second anniversary of the project’s completion.
The House adopted two amendments changed the language to address– 1) retained current law regarding the Teacher Retirement System to ensure they maintain fiduciary duty to make investments at the direction of the board and 2) required disclosure and itemization relating to lobbying activities of political subdivisions.
HB 2826 (Bonnen/Huffman) Relating to procurement of a contingent fee contract for legal services by a state agency or political subdivision was sent to the Governor on 5/24.
SB 1793 (Zaffirni/Longoria) Relating to purchasing and contracting by governmental entities was sent to the Governor on 5/25. The bill streamlines the procurement process within areas concerning attorney disclosures, contract schedule rebates, and the use of state travel services contracts.
SB 1092 (Nichols/Canales) Relating to certain contracts requiring competitive bidding by the Texas Department of Transportation was sent to the Governor to be signed on 05/21. The bill amends the Transportation Code to require TxDOT to submit for competitive bids each contract for traffic control or safety devices to be used on a state highway.
SB 943 (Watson/Capriglione) relating to the disclosure of certain contracting information under the public information law was sent to the Governor on 5/25. The bill makes certain state and local government contracting information public information that must be released under state public information law.
SB 124 (West/Sherman) Relating to the authority of a county to require electronic bids or proposals for competitive bidding was vetoed by the Governor on 5/27.