Sec 41-712. Telecommunications program office; state contractor; cost of operation; employees; report; exception

A. The director shall establish a telecommunications program office within the department to enter into a primary contract with a corporation authorized to do business in this state for the contractor to provide for the installation and maintenance of telecommunication systems and to act as the state's agent for telecommunication carrier services to the offices, departments and agencies of this state. Each office, department and agency of this state shall contract with the primary contractor through the telecommunications program office and make payment to the primary contractor for its telecommunications needs.

B. With the approval of the director, the telecommunications program office may enter into more than one contract for each statewide telecommunications product or service not provided by the primary contractor.

C. The director shall pay administrative costs of the telecommunications program office, and each office, department or other state agency shall pay from available monies the proportionate cost of administration of the office as determined by the director. In carrying out this subsection, the director shall only employ those contract managers, telephone operators, help desk personnel and forensic investigators required to oversee the primary contract and administer efficiently the telecommunications program office.

D. The department shall prepare and submit an annual consolidated telecommunications budget report to the joint legislative budget committee in connection with its annual budget request showing the previous fiscal year's actual payments and the next fiscal year's anticipated payments charged and received by the primary contractor from state offices, departments and agencies for telecommunications services.

E. All procurement pursuant to this section shall be as prescribed in chapter 23 of this title unless otherwise provided by law.

F. Any contract involving the use of a state highway right-of-way is subject to approval pursuant to sections 28-304, 28-363, 28-7045, 28-7048 and 28-7209.

G. This section does not apply to the cotton research and protection council established by section 3-1082.