§ 5 §1816-B — Privatization of agency services

Maine § 5 §1816-B

• Jurisdiction: Maine
• Title 5: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND SERVICES
• Part 4: FINANCE
• Ch. 155: PURCHASES

Text

1.
Definitions.
As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
2.
Privatization of services.
Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or chapter 156 to the contrary, an agency seeking to enter into a privatization contract shall, in consultation with the commissioner, comply with the requirements of this section.
3.
Employee organization request for review; final agency action.
An employee organization representing agency employees may file a written request for review with the commissioner regarding the contents of the written statement required in subsection 2, paragraph A within 10 business days of the date the statement was filed. The commissioner shall issue a written decision on the request for review within 15 business days of receiving the request for review. The commissioner's decision under this subsection constitutes final agency action for the purposes of judicial review under chapter 375, subchapter 7.
4.
Collective bargaining agreement amendment.
An employee organization representing agency employees may at any time before the final day for the agency to receive sealed bids pursuant to subsection 5 propose an amendment to any relevant collective bargaining agreement to which the employee organization is a party, but such a proposed amendment may take effect only if the effect of the proposed amendment is to reduce the agency cost estimate below the contract cost. A proposed amendment under this subsection is confidential and not a public record until the day after the final day for the agency to receive sealed bids for the privatization contract pursuant to subsection 5, at which time the proposed amendment becomes a public record and must be filed with the agency, the commissioner and the Attorney General.
5.
Request for proposals.
An agency seeking to enter into a privatization contract shall solicit competitive sealed bids for the privatization contract through the request for proposals process. The day designated by the agency upon which it will accept sealed bids must be the same for all parties.
6.
Employee organization bids.
Agency employees who are represented by an employee organization may organize and request that the employee organization submit a bid on their behalf to provide the services to be privatized.
7.
Review of bids; designation of winning bidder.
After soliciting and receiving the submitted bids, an agency shall:
8.
Negotiation of privatization contract.
If the contract cost calculated pursuant to subsection 7, paragraph B is less than the agency cost estimate, the agency may begin negotiating the terms of the privatization contract except that, if an employee organization bid is awarded the privatization contract pursuant to subsection 7, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Human Resources shall negotiate the terms of the privatization contract with the employee organization. If the contract cost is equal to or more than the agency cost estimate, the agency may not enter into a privatization contract. The privatization contract must be filed with the commissioner and the Attorney General prior to execution.
9.
Attorney General authority.
The authority of the Attorney General over the privatization of services is governed by this subsection.
10.
Rules; forms.
The Department of Administrative and Financial Services may prescribe forms and adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this section and to ensure that the competitive bidding process under this section is consistent with the provisions of competitive bids under subchapter 1‑A. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.

Legislative History

PL 2021, c. 332, §3 (NEW).