A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT providing that a vendor is qualified for purposes of state furniture contracts if the vendor's Products are included on a united states general services administration (gsa) furniture schedule system, the vendor is a federally qualified vendor within the GSA schedule system, and the vendor submits a responsive bid.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 143‑57.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143‑57.1.  Furniture requirements contracts.
(a)	To ensure agencies access to sufficient sources of furniture supply and service, to provide agencies the necessary flexibility to obtain furniture that is compatible with interior architectural design and needs, to provide small and disadvantaged businesses additional opportunities to participate on State requirements contracts, and to restore the traditional use of multiple award contracts for purchasing furniture requirements, each State furniture requirements contract shall be awarded on a multiple award basis, subject to the following conditions:
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(3)	For each category of goods under each State requirements furniture contract, awards shall be made to at least three qualified vendors unless three qualified vendors are not available. Additionally, if the State Purchasing Officer determines that there are no qualified vendors within the three best qualified vendors who offer furniture manufactured or produced in North Carolina or who are incorporated in the State, the State Purchasing Officer shall expand the number of qualified vendors awarded contracts to as many qualified vendors as is necessary to include a qualified vendor who offers furniture manufactured or produced in North Carolina or who is incorporated in the State, but the State Purchasing Officer shall not be required to expand the number of qualified vendors to more than six qualified vendors. A vendor is qualified under this section if the vendor's products conform to the term contract specifications or the vendor's products are included on a United States General Services Administration (GSA) Furniture Schedule, the vendor is listed on the State's qualified products list or the vendor is a federally qualified vendor within the GSA Schedule System, and the vendor submits a responsive bid.
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SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.