2001 Minnesota Statutes

     136F.581 Purchases and contracts. 

    Subdivision 1.    Conditions.  The board and the 
 colleges and universities are subject to the provisions of 
 section 471.345. 

    Subd. 2.    Policies and procedures.  The board shall 
 develop policies, and each college and university shall develop 
 procedures, for purchases and contracts that are consistent with 
 subdivision 1.  The policies and procedures shall be developed 
 through the system and campus labor management committees and 
 shall include provisions requiring the system and campuses to 
 determine that they cannot use available staff before 
 contracting with additional outside consultants or services.  In 
 addition, each college and university, in consultation with the 
 system office, shall develop procedures for those purchases and 
 contracts that can be accomplished by a college and university 
 without board approval.  The board policies must allow each 
 college and university the local authority to enter into 
 contracts for construction projects of up to $250,000 and to 
 make other purchases of up to $50,000, without receiving board 
 approval.  The board may allow a college or university local 
 authority to make purchases over $50,000 without receiving board 
 approval. 

    Subd. 3.    Procurement from designated businesses.  The 
 policies and procedures must include provisions for procurement, 
 including construction, from small targeted group businesses and 
 businesses from economically disadvantaged areas designated 
 under section 16C.16.  The board, colleges, and universities 
 shall use the methods contained in section 471.345, subdivision 
 8, for such purchasing, or may develop additional methods in 
 which the cost percentage preferences are consistent with the 
 provision of section 16C.16, subdivisions 6, paragraph (a), and 
 7, or consistent with the provisions of the University of 
 Minnesota's targeted group business purchasing program. 

    Subd. 4.    Professional or technical services.  (a) The 
 board shall develop policies for entering into contracts for 
 professional or technical services, other than instructional 
 services.  The policies must allow each college and university 
 the authority to enter into contracts for professional or 
 technical services up to $15,000 without board approval.  The 
 board may allow a college or university authority to enter into 
 contracts for professional or technical services over $15,000 
 without receiving board approval. 

    (b) Each college and university, in consultation with the 
 system office, shall develop procedures to enter into contracts 
 for professional or technical services. 

    (c) The policies and procedures developed by the board and 
 by each college and university for professional or technical 
 service contracts must be done in consultation with employees 
 and their exclusive bargaining representatives and must address 
 topics such as employee protections, information availability 
 and reporting, conflict of interest, and renewal restrictions. 

    HIST: 1996 c 398 s 47; 1997 c 183 art 3 s 22; 1998 c 386 art 2 
 s 48