§ 103-A — State information technology innovation center

* § 103-a. State information technology innovation center. 1. The\ndirector may establish a state information technology innovation center\nor "iCenter" to develop, pilot, and consider technology solutions to\nassist the state, state agencies, authorities, municipalities and other\ngovernmental entities find potential solutions to their technology needs\nor requirements. The director shall ensure the iCenter complies with all\nstate laws, rules, regulations, and policies. Vendor participation in\nthe iCenter shall not be construed to:\n (a) create preferred status for any vendor in any government\nprocurement, or\n (b) abrogate the requirement that technology procurements are awarded\npursuant to all applicable laws, including such laws requiring a\ncompetitive process.\n 2. The director shall implement guidelines to carry out the provisions\nof this section which shall not contravene any provision of the state\nfinance law. Such procedures shall include, but not be limited to:\n (a) establishing the process for selecting vendors for participation\nin the iCenter, which shall be a public process;\n (b) establishing a process to determine which technology needs or\nrequirements shall be iCenter initiatives; and\n (c) establishing safeguards to ensure the iCenter does not function in\na manner that results in the circumvention of competitive bidding,\nincluding but not limited to through single and sole source exemptions.\n 3. The director shall conduct an outreach campaign informing the\npublic of the iCenter and shall conduct specific outreach to minority\nand women-owned business enterprises certified pursuant to article\nfifteen-A of the executive law, small businesses as such term is defined\nin section one hundred thirty-one of the economic development law, and\nservice disabled veteran owned business enterprises certified pursuant\nto article three of the veterans' services law to inform such businesses\nof iCenter initiatives.\n 4. Every January first, beginning in two thousand nineteen, the\ndirector shall submit a report to the speaker of the assembly, the\ntemporary president of the senate, and the governor detailing iCenter\ninitiatives undertaken in the prior year. Such report shall include but\nnot be limited to: an identification of any state resources used to\nsupport the iCenter in the prior year; the number and nature of iCenter\ninitiatives undertaken in the prior year; the identity of vendors that\nparticipated in the iCenter in the prior year, any iCenter initiatives\npiloted in the prior year that were subsequently awarded a procurement\ncontract with any state agency to the extent the office of information\ntechnology services may be aware of such contracts; and an evaluation of\nthe effectiveness of the iCenter. Such report shall be publicly posted\non the office's website.\n * NB Repealed June 30, 2028\n