Section 4-51-126 - Procurement contracts - Competitive bidding(a)(1) All major procurement contracts shall be competitively bid pursuant to policies and procedures adopted by the board pursuant to § 4-51-104(c)(5) and approved by the procurement commission pursuant to subdivision (a)(2). Such policies and procedures shall be designed to allow the selection of proposals that provide the greatest long-term benefit to the state, the greatest integrity for the corporation and the best service and products for the public. The requirement for competitive bidding does not apply in the case of a single vendor having exclusive rights to offer a particular service or product.(2)(A) Policies and procedures concerning competitive bidding of major procurement contracts for on-line and instant ticket lottery vendors and for advertising contracts estimated to be valued in excess of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) shall be filed with the procurement commission for review in accordance with subdivision (a)(2)(B).(B)(i) Notwithstanding title 12, chapter 3, part 4 to the contrary, the procurement commission shall review and approve, or disapprove, such policies and procedures within five (5) working days after submission.(ii) Upon approval, such policies and procedures shall become effective immediately and shall remain effective until amended, altered, or repealed.(iii) If not approved, the procurement commission shall file a statement with the corporation stating its basis for nonapproval. The corporation shall make any necessary revisions and file such revised policies and procedures with the procurement commission for review and approval in a manner consistent with this subdivision (a)(2).(iv) If the procurement commission neither approves nor disapproves of such policies and procedures within five (5) working days, such policies and procedures shall become effective after the tenth calendar day and shall remain effective until amended, altered, or repealed.(C) Any amendment to such policies and procedures shall be filed with the procurement commission for review and approval in a manner consistent with this subdivision (a)(2).(b) In any bidding process, the corporation may administer its own bidding and procurement or may utilize the services of the department of general services or other state agency or subdivision thereof.(c)(1) There shall be a lottery procurement panel consisting of the secretary of state, state treasurer and the commissioner of finance and administration. The commissioner of finance and administration shall serve as chair of the panel, and the department of finance and administration shall provide staff support to the panel as needed.(2) Prior to issuance of procurement documents for major procurement contracts regarding on-line and instant ticket lottery vendors, and any advertising contract estimated to be valued in excess of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), the corporation shall file such procurement documents with the lottery procurement panel. Such panel may individually, or collectively, review the procurement document and submit comments, if any, to the corporation within five (5) working days after submission to the panel for review. After receiving comments from the panel and, in any event, after the tenth calendar day after submission to the panel for review, the corporation may: (A) Revise such procurement document based on the comments of the panel. Any revised procurement document based on the comments of the panel shall be filed with the panel prior to issuance; or(B) Revise such procurement document in a manner not based on the comments of the panel. Any revised procurement document not based on the comments of the panel shall be filed with the panel and reviewed by the panel in accordance with this subsection (c) prior to issuance; or(C) Issue the procurement document without revision. Notwithstanding this subdivision (c)(2) to the contrary, the corporation may revise such procurement document prior to the fifth working day provided that the revised procurement document is filed with the panel and reviewed in accordance with this subsection (c) prior to issuance.(3) Comments of the procurement panel, or failure of the corporation to modify procurement documents based on such comments, shall not confer any rights or constitute a basis for a challenge by a vendor to the procurement process.(d) If the corporation determines that the requirement for competitive bidding does not apply to a major procurement contract regarding an on-line or instant ticket lottery vendor because such vendor is a single vendor having exclusive rights to offer a particular service or product, then, immediately upon making such a determination, the corporation shall file with the panel a notice of its intent not to require competitive bidding and a statement of reasons supporting that determination.(e) Executed copies of major procurement contracts regarding on-line and instant ticket lottery vendors, and any advertising contract valued in excess of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), shall be filed with the lottery procurement panel within five (5) working days of execution.(f) Procurement documents, contracts, and any other documentation, or portions thereof, filed with the lottery procurement panel by the corporation shall be subject to § 4-51-124. Such information shall retain its confidentiality, if any, and shall only be used by the panel in the performance of its official duties.(g)(1) Except for information deemed confidential pursuant to § 4-51-124, major procurement contracts entered into by the corporation regarding on-line and instant ticket lottery vendors, and any advertising contract valued in excess of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), shall be posted, via link to "Major Procurement Contracts," on the website of the Tennessee education lottery corporation. The corporation may post additional major procurement contracts.(2) The corporation shall post all major procurement contract procurement documents, via link to "Major Procurement Opportunities," on the website of the Tennessee education lottery corporation. Acts 2003 , ch. 297, § 2; 2011 , ch. 295, § 19.