EXCEPTION: CONFIDENTIALITY OF PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

(a) Except as provided by Section 552.0222, information submitted to a governmental body by a vendor, contractor, potential vendor, or potential contractor in response to a request for a bid, proposal, or qualification is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021 if the vendor, contractor, potential vendor, or potential contractor that the information relates to demonstrates based on specific factual evidence that disclosure of the information would: (1) reveal an individual approach to: (A) work; (B) organizational structure; (C) staffing; (D) internal operations; (E) processes; or (F) discounts, pricing methodology, pricing per kilowatt hour, cost data, or other pricing information that will be used in future solicitation or bid documents; and (2) give advantage to a competitor. (b) The exception to disclosure provided by Subsection (a) does not apply to: (1) information in a voucher or contract relating to the receipt or expenditure of public funds by a governmental body; or (2) communications and other information sent between a governmental body and a vendor or contractor related to the performance of a final contract with the governmental body or work performed on behalf of the governmental body. (c) The exception to disclosure provided by Subsection (a) may be asserted only by a vendor, contractor, potential vendor, or potential contractor in the manner described by Section 552.305(b) for the purpose of protecting the interests of the vendor, contractor, potential vendor, or potential contractor. A governmental body shall decline to release information as provided by Section 552.305(a) to the extent necessary to allow a vendor, contractor, potential vendor, or potential contractor to assert the exception to disclosure provided by Subsection (a).