§ 19-11-221 - Agency procurement official for Department of Correction. - Arkansas Statutes

19-11-221. Agency procurement official for Department of Correction.

(a) In addition to those agencies, institutions, and departments of state government enumerated in 19-11-220 which may elect to have agency procurement officials for commodities, technical and general services, and professional and consultant services which are not within the exclusive jurisdiction of the State Procurement Director, which are not under state contract, and which are not procured in accordance with 19-11-230, the Department of Correction and the Department of Community Correction may have such officials for the sole purpose of procuring perishable food items, who shall possess all powers, functions, and duties as authorized for agency procurement officials under this subchapter with respect to perishable food items only.

(b) (1) The officials of the Department of Correction and the Department of Community Correction shall have exclusive authority to procure perishable food items in accordance with applicable administrative procedures and controls established pursuant to this subchapter and the procurement regulations.

(2) Except as noted in this subsection and in subsection (c) of this section, the officials of the departments shall be subject to all other provisions and requirements of this subchapter and administrative procedures controls and procurement regulations provided in or promulgated pursuant to it.

(c) (1) (A) The Board of Corrections, annually, and at more frequent intervals if deemed necessary, shall make studies and determine whether it would be in the best interest of the management of the farm croplands at the farm units or at each of the separate farm units of the Department of Correction to provide for the lease of farm machinery and equipment, or certain items thereof, required for the production of farm crops, or whether it would be in the better interest of the Department of Correction to acquire such items of farm machinery and equipment by purchase.

(B) (i) Upon conclusion of the study, the board, by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board at a regular or special meeting, may authorize the agency procurement official for the Department of Correction to advertise for bids for the leasing of farm equipment or for the purchase of the items of farm equipment noted in the resolution.

(ii) (a) No lease of farm equipment shall be for more than two (2) years nor extend beyond June 30 of the fiscal biennium for which current funds have been appropriated for the operation of the Department of Correction.

(b) However, nothing in this section shall prohibit the lease from including provisions, terms, or conditions upon which the lease may be renewed for an additional period of time, not exceeding two (2) years, at the option of the board.

(2) (A) In the event the board determines to provide for the leasing of farm machinery or equipment necessary in the farming operations of the Department of Correction, the official of the Department of Correction shall be the exclusive purchasing agent for advertising of bids and awarding of contracts for the leases, subject to the approval of the Director of the Department of Correction and the board.

(B) In the advertising for bids and the awarding of contracts, the state laws, procurement procedures, and rules and regulations shall be complied with in awarding the contracts.

(C) (i) It shall not be mandatory upon the board to award the contract for the furnishing of farm machinery and equipment under a lease agreement to the lowest bidder, unless the board shall determine that the awarding of the contract to such bidder would be in the best interest of the farming operations of the Department of Correction.

(ii) In that event, the board may award the contract to the bidder whose bid proposal is deemed by the board to be in the better interest of the farming operations of the Department of Correction.

(D) In making this determination the board shall consider, but not be limited by, the following factors:

(i) The type of equipment to be furnished;

(ii) Compatibility of the equipment with the training and experience of the farm managers and employees of the Department of Correction and the experience and skills of the inmates who will be using the equipment;

(iii) Provisions contained in the bid proposal providing for maintenance, repair, and service and upkeep of the equipment during the lease period, availability of the service and repair facilities, and source of replacement or repair parts;

(iv) The age and condition of the equipment to be leased; and

(v) Such other factors as the board deems essential to performance under the contract and dependability and reliability of the equipment to be furnished during the period of the lease.

(3) (A) (i) In determining the items of farm machinery and equipment to be acquired by purchase, the board may designate, if the board determines it to be within the better interest of the management of farm croplands of the Department of Correction, those items of farm machinery and equipment to be purchased.

(ii) The board may restrict the bid to equipment produced by no fewer than two (2) manufacturers of each item of equipment.

(B) In making this determination, the board shall include, but not be limited to, a consideration of the following factors:

(i) The types of farm machinery equipment now being used by the Department of Correction and the experience gained by the Department of Correction in the use of the equipment for the purposes for which it is being purchased;

(ii) Availability of service and replacement and spare parts for the equipment;

(iii) Familiarity with the equipment of the employees or inmates responsible for the maintenance, repair, and upkeep thereof;

(iv) Compatibility of the farm machinery and equipment with repair and maintenance shop facilities available at the Department of Correction;

(v) Access to the dealer responsible for warranty service; and

(vi) Such additional factors as the board deems pertinent to the better interests of the management and operation of the farm crop lands of the Department of Correction.

(C) (i) All purchases of farm machinery and equipment shall be in accordance with the applicable state procurement laws and rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(ii) Contracts for the providing or furnishing of service, repair, and replacement parts of farm machinery and equipment may include provision for the furnishing of a stated quantity of replacement and spare parts to be stored at the Department of Correction or may include contract prices for major or standard items of service or for the furnishing of replacement and spare parts at stated prices, which shall be at a discount from the published dealer price list, as the board may deem in the best interest of the department.

(iii) As an alternative, the board may elect to authorize the official to acquire replacement and spare parts on a need basis by following the applicable state procurement procedure in the acquisition of each item thereof as needed.

(4) (A) The official of the Department of Correction acting under the instruction and direction of the board and the Director of the Department of Correction shall be the sole and exclusive purchasing agent for the acquisition of farm machinery and equipment, whether by lease or purchase, and for the acquisition of repair services for farm machinery and equipment and repair and replacement parts therefor in the manner set forth in this section, and for the acquisition of those items covered in subsection (b) of this section.

(B) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Department of Correction from requesting the State Procurement Director to make available the services of the Office of State Procurement in the acquisition of any item for which the official of the Department of Correction is exclusive purchasing agent under this section.