Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 221 amends the Government Code to allow the General Services Commission (GSC) to use a reverse auction procedure on the Internet as a method of purchasing. It amends the Development Corporation Act of 1979 and Water Code to allow development corporations and water districts, including groundwater conservation districts, to use that procedure also. The bill amends the Local Government Code to allow local governments to participate in the GSC program, or to use Internet reverse auction procedures, subject to certain conditions, in place of any other method that applies to a purchase. It revises provisions relating to required competitive bidding or competitive proposals for municipal and county contracts over $15,000 and $25,000, respectively, to authorize reverse auctions as an alternative means of satisfying those competitiveness requirements. A change to the Education Code authorizes a school district to use a reverse auction to comply with statutory requirements for contracts of $25,000 or more.