1-1     By:  Zaffirini                                        S.B. No. 1066

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 1997; March 12, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;

 1-4     April 30, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable Committee

 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 30, 1997,

 1-6     sent to printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1066                  By:  Carona

 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-9                                   AN ACT

1-10     relating to procurement practices by health and human services

1-11     agencies, by certain other agencies with programs related to health

1-12     or human services, and by certain public and private local

1-13     providers of health or human services.

1-14           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-15           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2155, Government Code, is

1-16     amended by adding Section 2155.144 to read as follows:

1-17           Sec. 2155.144.  PROCUREMENTS BY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

1-18     AGENCIES AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION.  (a)  This section

1-19     applies only to the Health and Human Services Commission, to each

1-20     health and human services agency, and to the Texas Workers'

1-21     Compensation Commission.

1-22           (b)  An agency to which this section applies is delegated the

1-23     authority to procure its goods and services, except as provided by

1-24     this section.

1-25           (c)  An agency to which this section applies may acquire

1-26     goods or services by any procurement method that provides the best

1-27     value to the agency.  The agency shall document that it considered

1-28     all relevant factors under Subsection (d) in making the

1-29     acquisition.

1-30           (d)  Subject to Subsection (e), the agency may consider all

1-31     relevant factors in determining the best value, including:

1-32                 (1)  any installation costs;

1-33                 (2)  the delivery terms;

1-34                 (3)  the quality and reliability of the vendor's goods

1-35     or services;

1-36                 (4)  the extent to which the goods or services meet the

1-37     agency's needs;

1-38                 (5)  indicators of probable vendor performance under

1-39     the contract such as past vendor performance, the vendor's

1-40     financial resources and ability to perform, the vendor's experience

1-41     and responsibility, and the vendor's ability to provide reliable

1-42     maintenance agreements;

1-43                 (6)  the impact on the ability of the agency to comply

1-44     with laws and rules relating to historically underutilized

1-45     businesses;

1-46                 (7)  the total long-term cost to the agency of

1-47     acquiring the vendor's goods or services;

1-48                 (8)  the cost of any employee training associated with

1-49     the acquisition;

1-50                 (9)  the effect of an acquisition on agency

1-51     productivity;

1-52                 (10)  the acquisition price; and

1-53                 (11)  any other factor relevant to determining the best

1-54     value for the agency in the context of a particular acquisition.

1-55           (e)  If an agency to which this section applies acquires

1-56     goods or services with a value that exceeds $100,000, the agency

1-57     shall consult with and receive approval from the Health and Human

1-58     Services Commission before considering factors other than price and

1-59     meeting specifications.

1-60           (f)  The state auditor may audit the agency's acquisitions of

1-61     goods and services.

1-62           (g)  The agency may adopt rules and procedures for the

1-63     acquisition of goods and services under this section.

1-64           (h)  The Health and Human Services Commission shall adopt

 2-1     rules and procedures for the acquisition of goods and services

 2-2     under this section that apply to all health and human services

 2-3     agencies, including rules adopted with the commission's assistance

 2-4     that allow an agency to make purchases through a group purchasing

 2-5     program except when a better value is available through another

 2-6     procurement method.  The rules of the health and human services

 2-7     agencies must be consistent with the rules of the Health and Human

 2-8     Services Commission.

 2-9           (i)  The Health and Human Services Commission shall

2-10     coordinate the procurement practices of all health and human

2-11     services agencies and encourage those agencies to use efficient

2-12     procurement practices such as the use of a group purchasing

2-13     program, combining maintenance contracts into one contract, and

2-14     obtaining prompt payment discounts.  The Health and Human Services

2-15     Commission may transfer the procurement functions of a health and

2-16     human services agency to another appropriate state agency if it

2-17     determines that transferring those functions would be advantageous

2-18     to the state.  Other state agencies and institutions with

2-19     experience in acquiring goods and services using the procedures

2-20     allowed under Subsections (c) and (d) shall on request assist the

2-21     Health and Human Services Commission to perform its functions under

2-22     this section.

2-23           (j)  To the extent of any conflict, this section prevails

2-24     over any other state law relating to the procurement of goods and

2-25     services except a law relating to contracting with historically

2-26     underutilized businesses.

2-27           (k)  In this section, "health and human services agency" has

2-28     the meaning assigned by Section 531.001.

2-29           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,

2-30     is amended by adding Sections 32.043 and 32.044 to read as follows:

2-31           Sec. 32.043.  PROCUREMENT RULES FOR PUBLIC DISPROPORTIONATE

2-32     SHARE HOSPITALS.  (a)  A public hospital that is designated as a

2-33     disproportionate share hospital during a fiscal year may acquire

2-34     goods and services in accordance with this section during the

2-35     succeeding fiscal year.  A procurement of goods or services made in

2-36     accordance with this section is considered to satisfy any state law

2-37     requiring purchases by competitive bidding or competitive

2-38     proposals.

2-39           (b)  The public hospital may acquire goods or services by any

2-40     procurement method that provides the best value to the public

2-41     hospital.  The public hospital shall document that it considered

2-42     all relevant factors under Subsection (c) in making the

2-43     acquisition.

2-44           (c)  Subject to Subsection (d), the public hospital may

2-45     consider all relevant factors in determining the best value,

2-46     including:

2-47                 (1)  any installation costs;

2-48                 (2)  the delivery terms;

2-49                 (3)  the quality and reliability of the vendor's goods

2-50     or services;

2-51                 (4)  the extent to which the goods or services meet the

2-52     public hospital's needs;

2-53                 (5)  indicators of probable vendor performance under

2-54     the contract such as past vendor performance, the vendor's

2-55     financial resources and ability to perform, the vendor's experience

2-56     and responsibility, and the vendor's ability to provide reliable

2-57     maintenance agreements;

2-58                 (6)  the impact on the ability of the public hospital

2-59     to comply with laws and rules relating to historically

2-60     underutilized businesses;

2-61                 (7)  the total long-term cost to the public hospital of

2-62     acquiring the vendor's goods or services;

2-63                 (8)  the cost of any employee training associated with

2-64     the acquisition;

2-65                 (9)  the effect of an acquisition on the public

2-66     hospital's productivity;

2-67                 (10)  the acquisition price; and

2-68                 (11)  any other factor relevant to determining the best

2-69     value for the public hospital in the context of a particular

 3-1     acquisition.

 3-2           (d)  If the public hospital acquires goods or services with a

 3-3     value that exceeds $100,000, the public hospital shall consult with

 3-4     and receive approval from the Health and Human Services Commission

 3-5     before considering factors other than price and meeting

 3-6     specifications.

 3-7           (e)  The state auditor or the department may audit the public

 3-8     hospital's acquisitions of goods and services to the extent that

 3-9     state money or federal money appropriated by the state is used to

3-10     acquire the goods and services.

3-11           (f)  The public hospital may adopt rules and procedures for

3-12     the acquisition of goods and services under this section.

3-13           Sec. 32.044.  GROUP PURCHASING FOR DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE

3-14     HOSPITALS.  (a)  A public or private hospital that is designated as

3-15     a disproportionate share hospital during a fiscal year may purchase

3-16     goods and services in accordance with this section during the

3-17     succeeding fiscal year.  A purchase of goods or services made in

3-18     accordance with this section is considered to satisfy any state law

3-19     requiring purchases by competitive bidding or competitive

3-20     proposals.

3-21           (b)  A state or local governmental entity may allow the

3-22     public or private hospital to purchase goods or services by

3-23     participating in one or more of the entity's contracts for the

3-24     purchase of goods or services.

3-25           (c)  The public or private hospital may purchase goods or

3-26     services in accordance with this section through a group purchasing

3-27     program that offers discount prices to hospitals or other providers

3-28     of health care services.

3-29           (d)  The department with the assistance of the Health and

3-30     Human Services Commission and the General Services Commission shall

3-31     adopt rules under this section that allow the public or private

3-32     hospital to make purchases through group purchasing programs except

3-33     when the department has reason to believe that a better value is

3-34     available through another procurement method.

3-35           (e)  This section applies to private hospitals only to the

3-36     extent it authorizes private hospitals to participate in purchasing

3-37     contracts with governmental entities or to satisfy any state law

3-38     that may require goods and services the hospital purchases to be

3-39     competitively procured.  This section does not impose new

3-40     purchasing requirements on a private hospital, except to the extent

3-41     that the private hospital agrees to be bound by the terms of a

3-42     contract that is authorized by this section and that it chooses to

3-43     enter.  This section does not affect any explicit or implicit

3-44     authority that a private hospital has under other law to

3-45     participate in a group purchasing program or to participate in a

3-46     purchasing contract with a public entity.

3-47           SECTION 3.  Subsections (a) and (b), Section 12.052, Health

3-48     and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:

3-49           (a)  The expenditure of funds received by local units of

3-50     government from the department is governed by Chapter 783,

3-51     Government Code, [the Uniform Grant and Contract Management Act of

3-52     1981 (Article 4413(32g), Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes)] and the

3-53     rules adopted under that law, except as provided by Section 12.055

3-54     [Act].

3-55           (b)  The expenditure of funds received by other state

3-56     agencies from the department is governed by Subtitle D, Title 10,

3-57     Government Code, [the State Purchasing and General Services Act

3-58     (Article 601b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes)] and the rules

3-59     adopted under that law, except as provided by Section 12.055 [Act].

3-60           SECTION 4.  Subchapter E, Chapter 12, Health and Safety Code,

3-61     is amended by adding Sections 12.055 and 12.056 to read as follows:

3-62           Sec. 12.055.  CERTAIN PROCUREMENTS MADE WITH DEPARTMENT

3-63     FUNDS.  (a)  A state agency or local unit of government that

3-64     expends funds received from the department for the acquisition of

3-65     goods and services may satisfy the requirements of Section 12.052

3-66     or of another state law requiring procurements by competitive

3-67     bidding or competitive sealed proposals by procuring goods or

3-68     services with those funds in accordance with Section 12.056 or in

3-69     accordance with:

 4-1                 (1)  Section 2155.144, Government Code, if the entity

 4-2     is a state agency subject to that law;

 4-3                 (2)  Section 32.043 or 32.044, Human Resources Code, if

 4-4     the entity is a public hospital subject to those laws; or

 4-5                 (3)  this section, if the entity is not covered by

 4-6     Subdivision (1) or (2).

 4-7           (b)  A state agency or local unit of government under

 4-8     Subsection (a)(3) may acquire goods or services by any procurement

 4-9     method that provides the best value to the state agency or local

4-10     unit of government.  The state agency or local unit of government

4-11     shall document that the state agency or local unit of government

4-12     considered all relevant factors under Subsection (c) in making the

4-13     acquisition.

4-14           (c)  Subject to Subsection (d), the state agency or local

4-15     unit of government may consider all relevant factors in determining

4-16     the best value, including:

4-17                 (1)  any installation costs;

4-18                 (2)  the delivery terms;

4-19                 (3)  the quality and reliability of the vendor's goods

4-20     or services;

4-21                 (4)  the extent to which the goods or services meet the

4-22     state agency's or local unit of government's needs;

4-23                 (5)  indicators of probable vendor performance under

4-24     the contract such as past vendor performance, the vendor's

4-25     financial resources and ability to perform, the vendor's experience

4-26     and responsibility, and the vendor's ability to provide reliable

4-27     maintenance agreements;

4-28                 (6)  the impact on the ability of the state agency or

4-29     local unit of government to comply with laws and rules relating to

4-30     historically underutilized businesses;

4-31                 (7)  the total long-term cost to the state agency or

4-32     local unit of government of acquiring the vendor's goods or

4-33     services;

4-34                 (8)  the cost of any employee training associated with

4-35     the acquisition;

4-36                 (9)  the effect of an acquisition on the state agency's

4-37     or local unit of government's productivity;

4-38                 (10)  the acquisition price; and

4-39                 (11)  any other factor relevant to determining the best

4-40     value for the state agency or local unit of government in the

4-41     context of a particular acquisition.

4-42           (d)  If a state agency to which this section applies acquires

4-43     goods or services with a value that exceeds $100,000, the state

4-44     agency shall consult with and receive approval from the Health and

4-45     Human Services Commission before considering factors other than

4-46     price and meeting specifications.

4-47           (e)  The state auditor or the department may audit the state

4-48     agency's or local unit of government's acquisitions of goods and

4-49     services under this section.

4-50           (f)  The state agency or local unit of government may adopt

4-51     rules and procedures for the acquisition of goods and services

4-52     under this section.

4-53           Sec. 12.056.  PARTICIPATION IN DEPARTMENT PURCHASING

4-54     CONTRACTS OR GROUP PURCHASING PROGRAM.  The department may allow a

4-55     state agency, local unit of government, or private entity that

4-56     expends funds received by the department to purchase goods or

4-57     services using those funds by participating in:

4-58                 (1)  a contract the department has made to purchase

4-59     goods or services; or

4-60                 (2)  a group purchasing program established or

4-61     designated by the department that offers discounts to providers of

4-62     health services.

4-63           SECTION 5.  Subchapter A, Chapter 533, Health and Safety

4-64     Code, is amended by adding Sections 533.016 and 533.017 to read as

4-65     follows:

4-66           Sec. 533.016.  CERTAIN PROCUREMENTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES BY

4-67     SERVICE PROVIDERS.  (a)  A state agency, local agency, local mental

4-68     health authority, or local mental retardation authority that

4-69     expends public money to acquire goods or services in connection

 5-1     with providing or coordinating the provision of mental health or

 5-2     mental retardation services may satisfy the requirements of any

 5-3     state law requiring procurements by competitive bidding or

 5-4     competitive sealed proposals by procuring goods or services with

 5-5     the public money in accordance with Section 533.017 or in

 5-6     accordance with:

 5-7                 (1)  Section 2155.144, Government Code, if the entity

 5-8     is a state agency subject to that law;

 5-9                 (2)  Section 32.043 or 32.044, Human Resources Code, if

5-10     the entity is a public hospital subject to those laws; or

5-11                 (3)  this section, if the entity is not covered by

5-12     Subdivision (1) or (2).

5-13           (b)  An agency or authority under Subsection (a)(3) may

5-14     acquire goods or services by any procurement method that provides

5-15     the best value to the agency or authority.  The agency or authority

5-16     shall document that the agency or authority considered all relevant

5-17     factors under Subsection (c) in making the acquisition.

5-18           (c)  Subject to Subsection (d), the agency or authority may

5-19     consider all relevant factors in determining the best value,

5-20     including:

5-21                 (1)  any installation costs;

5-22                 (2)  the delivery terms;

5-23                 (3)  the quality and reliability of the vendor's goods

5-24     or services;

5-25                 (4)  the extent to which the goods or services meet the

5-26     agency's or authority's needs;

5-27                 (5)  indicators of probable vendor performance under

5-28     the contract such as past vendor performance, the vendor's

5-29     financial resources and ability to perform, the vendor's experience

5-30     and responsibility, and the vendor's ability to provide reliable

5-31     maintenance agreements;

5-32                 (6)  the impact on the ability of the agency or

5-33     authority to comply with laws and rules relating to historically

5-34     underutilized businesses;

5-35                 (7)  the total long-term cost to the agency or

5-36     authority of acquiring the vendor's goods or services;

5-37                 (8)  the cost of any employee training associated with

5-38     the acquisition;

5-39                 (9)  the effect of an acquisition on the agency's or

5-40     authority's productivity;

5-41                 (10)  the acquisition price; and

5-42                 (11)  any other factor relevant to determining the best

5-43     value for the agency or authority in the context of a particular

5-44     acquisition.

5-45           (d)  If a state agency to which this section applies acquires

5-46     goods or services with a value that exceeds $100,000, the state

5-47     agency shall consult with and receive approval from the Health and

5-48     Human Services Commission before considering factors other than

5-49     price and meeting specifications.

5-50           (e)  The state auditor or the department may audit the

5-51     agency's or authority's acquisitions of goods and services under

5-52     this section to the extent state money or federal money

5-53     appropriated by the state is used to make the acquisitions.

5-54           (f)  The agency or authority may adopt rules and procedures

5-55     for the acquisition of goods and services under this section.

5-56           Sec. 533.017.  PARTICIPATION IN DEPARTMENT PURCHASING

5-57     CONTRACTS OR GROUP PURCHASING PROGRAM.  The department may allow a

5-58     state agency, local agency, local mental health authority, or local

5-59     mental retardation authority that expends public money to purchase

5-60     goods or services in connection with providing or coordinating the

5-61     provision of mental health or mental retardation services to

5-62     purchase goods or services with the public money by participating

5-63     in:

5-64                 (1)  a contract the department has made to purchase

5-65     goods or services; or

5-66                 (2)  a group purchasing program established or

5-67     designated by the department that offers discounts to providers of

5-68     mental health or mental retardation services.

5-69           SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 6-1           SECTION 7.  The importance of this legislation and the

 6-2     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 6-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 6-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 6-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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