AUTHORITY OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ENTER CERTAIN CONTRACTS

(a) The executive director may negotiate with and award a contract for goods or services to any qualified vendor if the executive director: (1) solicits bids for the goods or services through a competitive process in compliance with all applicable laws, including Chapters 2155, 2254, and 2269, that fails to result in competitive responsive bids; (2) makes a written determination that resoliciting bids for the goods or services would: (A) be unlikely to result in responsive bids; (B) increase costs to the commission; or (C) delay the ability of the commission to address a critical need; and (3) determines that the vendor meets the requirements of the original solicitation. (b) To the extent practicable, the executive director may combine the procurement of multiple goods or services into a single competitively bid contract to enhance the contract's attraction for potential vendors.