§ 148-134. Preference for Department of Correction products. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 148‑134.  Preferencefor Department of Correction products.

All departments, institutions,and agencies of this State that are supported in whole or in part by the Stateshall give preference to Correction Enterprises products in purchasingarticles, products, and commodities that these departments, institutions, andagencies require and that are manufactured or produced within the State prisonsystem and offered for sale to them by Correction Enterprises. No article orcommodity available from Correction Enterprises shall be purchased by any Statedepartment, institution, or agency from any other source unless the prisonproduct does not meet the standard specifications and the reasonablerequirements of the department, institution, or agency as determined by theSecretary of Administration or the requisition cannot be complied with becauseof an insufficient supply of the articles or commodities required. Theprovisions of Article 3 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes respectingcontracting for the purchase of all supplies, materials, and equipment requiredby the State government or any of its departments, institutions, or agenciesunder competitive bidding shall not apply to articles or commodities availablefrom Correction Enterprises. The Division of Correction Enterprises shall berequired to keep the price of such articles or commodities substantially inaccord with that paid by governmental agencies for similar articles andcommodities of equivalent quality. (2007‑280, s. 1.)