HB423 Alabama 2021 Session

Under existing law, public awarding authorities may award multiple purchase contracts resulting from a single invitation-to-bid where the specifications of the items of personal property or services intended to be purchased by the requisitioning agency are determined, in whole or in part, by technical compatibility and operational requirements. Also under existing law, push-to-talk services may not be awarded in this manner, and must be purchased through a separate competitive bid process.

This bill would allow push-to-talk services to be awarded through multiple purchase contracts resulting from a single invitation-to-bid.

Under existing law, purchases of goods or services made as part of a governmental cooperative purchasing program and purchases of goods or services from vendors that have been awarded a current Government Services Administration contract, excluding voice or data wireless communications services, are exempt from the state competitive bidding requirements.

This bill would delete the exclusion of voice or data wireless communications services from the exemption.

Relating to public contracts; to amend Sections 41-16-27 and 41-16-51, Code of Alabama 1975, to further provide for the award of push-to-talk contracts by public entities.