AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The quality assurance team (QAT) and Contract Advisory Team (CAT) were both created to offer recommendations to improve different phases of contracting projects.  Currently, statute regulating each of these teams offers little guidance regarding how they might achieve their charge.  H.B. 1965 requires CAT and QAT to develop and recommend policies and procedures to improve state agency contracting practices and base decision-making in state agency contracting on best value determination.

 

H.B. 1965 amends current law relating to the state contracting duties of the quality assurance team and Contract Advisory Team.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 2054.158, Government Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 2054.158.  New heading: QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM; DUTIES.  (a)  Creates this subsection from existing text and makes no further change to this subsection.

 

(b) Requires the quality assurance team to:

 

(1) develop and recommend policies and procedures to improve state agency contract management practices;

 

(2) develop and recommend procedures to improve value-based decision making in state agency contracting practices; and

 

(3) monitor state agencies to determine whether the agencies are meeting the needs of the persons to whom the agencies provide services.

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 2262.101, Government Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 2262.101.  CREATION; DUTIES. Creates the Contract Advisory Team to assist state agencies in improving contract management practices by:

 

(1) Makes no change to this subdivision;

 

(2)-(3) Makes nonsubstantive changes;

 

(4) developing and recommending policies and procedures to improve state agency contract management practices;

 

(5) developing and recommending procedures to improve value-based decision making in state agency contracting practices; and

 

(6) monitoring state agencies to determine whether the agencies are meeting the needs of the persons to whom the agencies provide services.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2013.