SB15 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Andrew JonesSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Competitive bids by co. and city bds of ed and gov't entities, exclusion for purchases through cooperative purchasing agreements to include leases and lease/purchase agreements, Secs. 16-13B-2, 41-16-51 am'd.

Summary

SB15 adds leases and lease/purchase agreements to the cooperative purchasing exclusions from competitive bidding for Alabama city and county boards of education and other government entities.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends the competitive bid laws to explicitly exclude purchases made through national or regional cooperative purchasing agreements from bidding requirements, and it includes leases and lease/purchase agreements in that exclusion. It applies to city and county boards of education and other governmental entities in Alabama, allowing them to use cooperative purchasing for leases if specific conditions are met (such as ADEPA-approved bid processes, price or availability considerations, and Alabama vendor participation). Violations of these rules can render contracts void and may subject violators to a Class C felony.

Who It Affects

• City and county boards of education and other Alabama governmental entities, who could use cooperative purchasing programs for leases and lease/purchase agreements if the conditions are satisfied.
• Alabama vendors (especially those with Alabama business licenses) and procurement oversight bodies (e.g., Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and related reporting requirements) that participate in or monitor cooperative purchasing arrangements.

Key Provisions

• Leases and lease/purchase agreements are added to the exclusions from competitive bidding when purchases are made through national or regional cooperative purchasing agreements.
• Conditions for using cooperative purchasing: (a) the bid process is approved by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts; (b) the goods/services are unavailable on the state purchasing program or are available at a price equal to or less than the state program; (c) the purchase is through an Alabama vendor with a business license if available; (d) the purchasing entity has been notified by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts that the bid complies, and vendors may be asked to report sales/leases over $15,000 in the prior 12 months.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Competitive Bids