HB286 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Marcus ParamoreRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Competitive bidding; contract protest procedures revised; requirements for submitting disclosure statements revised

Summary

HB286 updates Alabama's procurement rules by adding volunteer fire departments to local bid laws, tightening protest timelines, and revising disclosure statement requirements and exemptions.

What This Bill Does

It extends local competitive bid oversight to volunteer fire departments and rescue squads. It shortens the protest filing window from 14 days to 5 days and keeps protest procedures outside the Administrative Procedure Act, with a defined process for resolution and possible appeals. It revises disclosure statements by adjusting when they are required, allowing alternative forms and annual disclosures for multiple proposals to the same agency, and permitting electronic certification and submission. It also clarifies exemptions from disclosure requirements (such as contracts with publicly traded companies and certain incentives), and expands or clarifies how electronic bidding and certain Port Authority procedures interact with state procurement laws.

Who It Affects

• Volunteer fire departments and rescue squads would be governed by local competitive bid laws for their purchases, instead of the state procurement code.
• Bidders, offerors, contractors, and state agencies would face a revised disclosure statement regime (new thresholds, forms, annual statements for multiple proposals, and electronic certification/submission), along with a shorter protest window and a clarified protest process with avenues for settlement and appeal.

Key Provisions

• Volunteer fire departments and rescue squads become subject to local competitive bid laws.
• Protest deadline shortened from 14 days to 5 days; protest procedures are not subject to the Administrative Procedure Act, with a process for settlement, administrative review, and final decisions, including potential stays on procurement during protest.
• Disclosure statements: threshold for requiring disclosure is revised; alternative disclosure forms allowed; single annual disclosure may cover multiple proposals to the same agency; electronic certification and submission permitted.
• Exemptions from disclosure: contracts with publicly traded companies, gas/water/electric contracts with no competition or fixed rates, and awards of economic development incentives are exempt from disclosure requirements.
• Electronic bidding and shared electronic systems may be established by state agencies and departments to satisfy disclosure and bidding requirements; the Alabama State Port Authority may adopt all or part of the article but must align with public disclosure and records laws.
• Effective date: the act takes effect June 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Competitive Bidding