SB77 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Co-Sponsor

Greg Albritton

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

State government, Office of Chief Procurement Officer, established, Division of Purchasing within the Dept. of Finance, abolished, Secs. 41-4-110 to 41-4-161, inclusive, 41-16-20 to 41-16-32, incl., 41-16-70 to 41-16-79, incl., repealed; Secs. 41-4-110 to 41-4-116, incl., 41-4-120 to 41-4-151, incl., 41-4-155, 41-4-160 to 41-4-168, incl., 41-4-170 to 41-4-178, incl., added; Sec. 41-4-66, 41-16-50 am'd.

Summary

SB77 creates the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer in the Department of Finance to centralize state purchases and modernize Alabama's procurement laws by replacing several old divisions.

What This Bill Does

It replaces the old purchasing divisions with a centralized Chief Procurement Officer who can make or supervise most state purchases. It requires a statewide database of every request for proposal and sets rules to promote fair competition, transparency, and value in spending. It also updates procurement methods (bids, proposals, small purchases, emergencies, sole source, etc.), allows cooperative purchasing, and adjusts coverage for educational institutions and certain agencies.

Who It Affects

• State agencies, boards, commissions, and other governmental bodies will come under the new Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, which will procure or supervise purchases and require reporting of procurement activity.
• Public colleges, universities, and the Alabama Community College System will be governed by the new rules, must establish procurement offices, and face changes to how some procurements are covered by public bid rules, with exceptions for professional services and certain agencies.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer within the Department of Finance and transfers procurement authority to the Chief Procurement Officer.
• Requires the Chief Procurement Officer to procure or supervise all state purchases (except alcoholic beverages) and to adopt rules, monitor compliance, and report on county procurement activity.
• Creates a statewide public database of every request for proposal (RFP) and requires public access, with specific protections for confidential information.
• Replaces repealed divisions with a new Article 5 and allows delegation of authority to designees while standardizing procurement procedures across agencies.
• Provides multiple procurement methods (competitive sealed bids, competitive sealed proposals, small purchases, sole source, emergency, and special procurement) and establishes rules for price adjustments, audits, and disputes, including a formal protest process and debarment.
• Allows cooperative purchasing among public procurement units and local governments, and expands local preference provisions and joint purchasing opportunities.
• Permits and governs credit-card use for purchases under controlled rules and establishes a State Procurement Fund to manage related fees and finances.

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

Subjects

State Government