Section 31G-1-7 - Retention of outside expert consultant(a) In order to assist the council with the highly technical task of categorizing the areas of the state, the council may retain outside expert consultants to assist in the purposes of this article. The experts may assist the Council to map the state on the basis of broadband availability, to evaluate and categorize data, to assist in public outreach and education in order to stimulate demand and to provide other support and assistance as necessary to accomplish the purposes of this article.(b) The retention and contracting of all expert consultants shall be transparent, including specifically, making publicly available any contracts, retention agreements, payments and invoicing for services.Added by 2017 Acts, ch. 22 (HB 3093), eff. 7/7/2017.