A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT providing that public agencies may purchase information technology goods and services through convenience contracts approved by the state chief information officer.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The following definitions apply in this act:
(1)	Convenience contract. – An agreement between two or more states providing that the states will enter into purchase orders jointly for information technology goods and services in order to increase economies of scale and reduce costs.
(2)	Public agency. – Includes all of the following entities:
a.	An agency, department, or institutions in the executive, judicial, or legislative branches of State government.
b.	A city, county, or other local political subdivision of the State.
c.	A local board of education, community college, or The University of North Carolina.
SECTION 2.  In additional to other procurement methods and procedures allowed by law, public agency purchasing entities may elect to purchase information technology goods and services through a convenience contract awarded pursuant to a nationally recognized and accepted cooperative purchasing agreement in which other states participate; provided that the agreement was developed using a competitive bidding process and the agreement has been approved by the State Chief Information Officer (State CIO).
SECTION 3.  The State CIO shall review the specifications and terms and conditions of information technology convenience contracts before the contracts may be utilized by public agencies. Upon approval by the State CIO, a public agency may use the nationally cooperative purchasing agreement without further State CIO approval. Public agencies shall report to the State CIO periodically on the utilization of convenience contracts.
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.