BILL REQ. #:  S-4526.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/07/12.   

     AN ACT Relating to creating efficiencies for institutions of higher education; amending RCW 43.19.1906, 43.88.160, 41.06.157, and 41.04.240; and reenacting and amending RCW 39.29.011 and 28B.10.029.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 43.19.1906 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 43 s 210 are each amended to read as follows:
     Insofar as practicable, all purchases and sales shall be based on competitive bids, and a formal sealed, electronic, or web-based bid procedure, subject to RCW 43.19.1911, shall be used as standard procedure for all purchases and contracts for purchases and sales executed by the director and under the powers granted by RCW 43.19.190 through 43.19.1939. This requirement also applies to purchases and contracts for purchases and sales executed by agencies, including educational institutions, under delegated authority granted in accordance with provisions of RCW 43.19.190 or under RCW 28B.10.029. However, formal sealed, electronic, or web-based competitive bidding is not necessary for:
     (1) Emergency purchases made pursuant to RCW 43.19.200 if the sealed bidding procedure would prevent or hinder the emergency from being met appropriately;
     (2) Direct buy purchases and informal competitive bidding, as designated by the director of enterprise services. The director of enterprise services shall establish policies annually to define criteria and dollar thresholds for direct buy purchases and informal competitive bidding limits. These criteria may be adjusted to accommodate special market conditions and to promote market diversity for the benefit of the citizens of the state of Washington;
     (3) Purchases which are clearly and legitimately limited to a single source of supply and purchases involving special facilities, services, or market conditions, in which instances the purchase price may be best established by direct negotiation;
     (4) Purchases of insurance and bonds by the risk management office under RCW 43.19.769;
     (5) Purchases and contracts for vocational rehabilitation clients of the department of social and health services: PROVIDED, That this exemption is effective only when the director of enterprise services, after consultation with the director of the division of vocational rehabilitation and appropriate department of social and health services procurement personnel, declares that such purchases may be best executed through direct negotiation with one or more suppliers in order to expeditiously meet the special needs of the state's vocational rehabilitation clients;
     (6) Purchases by universities for hospital operation or biomedical teaching or research purposes and by the director of enterprise services, as the agent for state hospitals as defined in RCW 72.23.010, and for health care programs provided in state correctional institutions as defined in RCW 72.65.010(3) and veterans' institutions as defined in RCW 72.36.010 and 72.36.070, made by participating in contracts for materials, supplies, and equipment entered into by nonprofit cooperative hospital group purchasing organizations;
     (7) Purchases for resale by institutions of higher education to other than public agencies when such purchases are for the express purpose of supporting instructional programs and may best be executed through direct negotiation with one or more suppliers in order to meet the special needs of the institution;
     (8) Purchases by institutions of higher education under RCW 43.19.190(2), direct buy purchases, and informal competitive bidding, as designated by the director of enterprise services; ((and))
     (9) Purchases by institutions of higher education not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars. However, for purchases between ten thousand dollars and one hundred thousand dollars, quotations must be secured from at least three vendors to assure establishment of a competitive price and may be obtained by telephone or written quotations, or both. For purchases between ten thousand dollars and one hundred thousand dollars, each institution of higher education shall invite at least one quotation each from a certified minority and a certified woman-owned vendor that otherwise qualifies to perform the work. A record of competition for all such purchases made from ten thousand dollars to one hundred thousand dollars must be documented for audit purposes; and
     (10) Off-contract purchases of Washington grown food when such food is not available from Washington sources through an existing contract. However, Washington grown food purchased under this subsection must be of an equivalent or better quality than similar food available through the contract and be able to be paid from the agency's existing budget. This requirement also applies to purchases and contracts for purchases executed by state agencies, including institutions of higher education, under delegated authority granted in accordance with RCW 43.19.190 or under RCW 28B.10.029.
     Beginning on July 1, 1995, and on July 1st of each succeeding odd-numbered year, the dollar limits specified in this section shall be adjusted as follows: The office of financial management shall calculate such limits by adjusting the previous biennium's limits by the appropriate federal inflationary index reflecting the rate of inflation for the previous biennium. Such amounts shall be rounded to the nearest one hundred dollars.
     As used in this section, "Washington grown" has the definition in RCW 15.64.060.

Sec. 2   RCW 39.29.011 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 43 s 522 and 2011 c 358 s 4 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     All personal service contracts shall be entered into pursuant to competitive solicitation, except for:
     (1) Emergency contracts;
     (2) Sole source contracts;
     (3) Contract amendments;
     (4) Contracts between a consultant and an agency of less than twenty thousand dollars. However, contracts of five thousand dollars or greater but less than ten thousand dollars shall have documented evidence of competition. Contracts of ten thousand dollars or greater, but less than twenty thousand dollars, shall have documented evidence of competition, which must include agency posting of the contract opportunity on the state's common vendor registration and bid notification system except for institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016. For institutions of higher education, the limit shall be one hundred thousand dollars, however, for contracts of ten thousand dollars or greater but less than one hundred thousand dollars, institutions of higher education must document evidence of competition. Agencies shall not structure contracts to evade these requirements; and
     (5) Other specific contracts or classes or groups of contracts exempted from the competitive solicitation process by the director of the department of enterprise services when it has been determined that a competitive solicitation process is not appropriate or cost-effective.

Sec. 3   RCW 43.88.160 and 2006 c 1 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     This section sets forth the major fiscal duties and responsibilities of officers and agencies of the executive branch. The regulations issued by the governor pursuant to this chapter shall provide for a comprehensive, orderly basis for fiscal management and control, including efficient accounting and reporting therefor, for the executive branch of the state government and may include, in addition, such requirements as will generally promote more efficient public management in the state.
     (1) Governor; director of financial management. The governor, through the director of financial management, shall devise and supervise a modern and complete accounting system for each agency to the end that all revenues, expenditures, receipts, disbursements, resources, and obligations of the state shall be properly and systematically accounted for. The accounting system shall include the development of accurate, timely records and reports of all financial affairs of the state. The system shall also provide for central accounts in the office of financial management at the level of detail deemed necessary by the director to perform central financial management. The director of financial management shall adopt and periodically update an accounting procedures manual. Any agency maintaining its own accounting and reporting system shall comply with the updated accounting procedures manual and the rules of the director adopted under this chapter. An agency may receive a waiver from complying with this requirement if the waiver is approved by the director. Waivers expire at the end of the fiscal biennium for which they are granted. The director shall forward notice of waivers granted to the appropriate legislative fiscal committees. The director of financial management may require such financial, statistical, and other reports as the director deems necessary from all agencies covering any period.
     (2) Except as provided in chapter 43.88C RCW, the director of financial management is responsible for quarterly reporting of primary operating budget drivers such as applicable workloads, caseload estimates, and appropriate unit cost data. These reports shall be transmitted to the legislative fiscal committees or by electronic means to the legislative evaluation and accountability program committee. Quarterly reports shall include actual monthly data and the variance between actual and estimated data to date. The reports shall also include estimates of these items for the remainder of the budget period.
     (3) The director of financial management shall report at least annually to the appropriate legislative committees regarding the status of all appropriated capital projects, including transportation projects, showing significant cost overruns or underruns. If funds are shifted from one project to another, the office of financial management shall also reflect this in the annual variance report. Once a project is complete, the report shall provide a final summary showing estimated start and completion dates of each project phase compared to actual dates, estimated costs of each project phase compared to actual costs, and whether or not there are any outstanding liabilities or unsettled claims at the time of completion.
     (4) In addition, the director of financial management, as agent of the governor, shall:
     (a) Develop and maintain a system of internal controls and internal audits comprising methods and procedures to be adopted by each agency that will safeguard its assets, check the accuracy and reliability of its accounting data, promote operational efficiency, and encourage adherence to prescribed managerial policies for accounting and financial controls. The system developed by the director shall include criteria for determining the scope and comprehensiveness of internal controls required by classes of agencies, depending on the level of resources at risk.
     Each agency head or authorized designee shall be assigned the responsibility and authority for establishing and maintaining internal audits following the standards of internal auditing of the institute of internal auditors;
     (b) Make surveys and analyses of agencies with the object of determining better methods and increased effectiveness in the use of manpower and materials; and the director shall authorize expenditures for employee training to the end that the state may benefit from training facilities made available to state employees;
     (c) Establish policies for allowing the contracting of child care services;
     (d) Report to the governor with regard to duplication of effort or lack of coordination among agencies;
     (e) Review any pay and classification plans, and changes thereunder, developed by any agency for their fiscal impact: PROVIDED, That none of the provisions of this subsection shall affect merit systems of personnel management now existing or hereafter established by statute relating to the fixing of qualifications requirements for recruitment, appointment, or promotion of employees of any agency. The director shall advise and confer with agencies including appropriate standing committees of the legislature as may be designated by the speaker of the house and the president of the senate regarding the fiscal impact of such plans and may amend or alter the plans, except that for the following agencies no amendment or alteration of the plans may be made without the approval of the agency concerned: Agencies headed by elective officials;
     (f) Fix the number and classes of positions or authorized employee years of employment for each agency and during the fiscal period amend the determinations previously fixed by the director except that the director shall not be empowered to fix the number or the classes for the following: Agencies headed by elective officials;
     (g) Adopt rules to effectuate provisions contained in (a) through (f) of this subsection.
     (5) The treasurer shall:
     (a) Receive, keep, and disburse all public funds of the state not expressly required by law to be received, kept, and disbursed by some other persons: PROVIDED, That this subsection shall not apply to those public funds of the institutions of higher learning which are not subject to appropriation;
     (b) Receive, disburse, or transfer public funds under the treasurer's supervision or custody;
     (c) Keep a correct and current account of all moneys received and disbursed by the treasurer, classified by fund or account;
     (d) Coordinate agencies' acceptance and use of credit cards and other payment methods, if the agencies have received authorization under RCW 43.41.180;
     (e) Perform such other duties as may be required by law or by regulations issued pursuant to this law.
     It shall be unlawful for the treasurer to disburse public funds in the treasury except upon forms or by alternative means duly prescribed by the director of financial management. These forms or alternative means shall provide for authentication and certification by the agency head or the agency head's designee that the services have been rendered or the materials have been furnished; or, in the case of loans or grants, that the loans or grants are authorized by law; or, in the case of payments for periodic maintenance services to be performed on state owned equipment, that a written contract for such periodic maintenance services is currently in effect; and the treasurer shall not be liable under the treasurer's surety bond for erroneous or improper payments so made. When services are lawfully paid for in advance of full performance by any private individual or business entity other than equipment maintenance providers or as provided for by RCW 42.24.035, such individual or entity other than central stores rendering such services shall make a cash deposit or furnish surety bond coverage to the state as shall be fixed in an amount by law, or if not fixed by law, then in such amounts as shall be fixed by the director of the department of ((general administration)) enterprise services but in no case shall such required cash deposit or surety bond be less than an amount which will fully indemnify the state against any and all losses on account of breach of promise to fully perform such services. No payments shall be made in advance for any equipment maintenance services to be performed more than twelve months after such payment except that institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016 may make payments in advance for equipment maintenance services to be performed up to sixty months after such payment. Any such bond so furnished shall be conditioned that the person, firm or corporation receiving the advance payment will apply it toward performance of the contract. The responsibility for recovery of erroneous or improper payments made under this section shall lie with the agency head or the agency head's designee in accordance with ((regulations)) rules issued pursuant to this chapter. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit a public body to advance funds to a private service provider pursuant to a grant or loan before services have been rendered or material furnished.
     (6) The state auditor shall:
     (a) Report to the legislature the results of current post audits that have been made of the financial transactions of each agency; to this end the auditor may, in the auditor's discretion, examine the books and accounts of any agency, official, or employee charged with the receipt, custody, or safekeeping of public funds. Where feasible in conducting examinations, the auditor shall utilize data and findings from the internal control system prescribed by the office of financial management. The current post audit of each agency may include a section on recommendations to the legislature as provided in (c) of this subsection.
     (b) Give information to the legislature, whenever required, upon any subject relating to the financial affairs of the state.
     (c) Make the auditor's official report on or before the thirty-first of December which precedes the meeting of the legislature. The report shall be for the last complete fiscal period and shall include determinations as to whether agencies, in making expenditures, complied with the laws of this state. The state auditor is authorized to perform or participate in performance verifications and performance audits as expressly authorized by the legislature in the omnibus biennial appropriations acts or in the performance audit work plan approved by the joint legislative audit and review committee. The state auditor, upon completing an audit for legal and financial compliance under chapter 43.09 RCW or a performance verification, may report to the joint legislative audit and review committee or other appropriate committees of the legislature, in a manner prescribed by the joint legislative audit and review committee, on facts relating to the management or performance of governmental programs where such facts are discovered incidental to the legal and financial audit or performance verification. The auditor may make such a report to a legislative committee only if the auditor has determined that the agency has been given an opportunity and has failed to resolve the management or performance issues raised by the auditor. If the auditor makes a report to a legislative committee, the agency may submit to the committee a response to the report. This subsection (6) shall not be construed to authorize the auditor to allocate other than de minimis resources to performance audits except as expressly authorized in the appropriations acts or in the performance audit work plan. The results of a performance audit conducted by the state auditor that has been requested by the joint legislative audit and review committee must only be transmitted to the joint legislative audit and review committee.
     (d) Be empowered to take exception to specific expenditures that have been incurred by any agency or to take exception to other practices related in any way to the agency's financial transactions and to cause such exceptions to be made a matter of public record, including disclosure to the agency concerned and to the director of financial management. It shall be the duty of the director of financial management to cause corrective action to be taken within six months, such action to include, as appropriate, the withholding of funds as provided in RCW 43.88.110. The director of financial management shall annually report by December 31st the status of audit resolution to the appropriate committees of the legislature, the state auditor, and the attorney general. The director of financial management shall include in the audit resolution report actions taken as a result of an audit including, but not limited to, types of personnel actions, costs and types of litigation, and value of recouped goods or services.
     (e) Promptly report any irregularities to the attorney general.
     (f) Investigate improper governmental activity under chapter 42.40 RCW.
     (((g))) In addition to the authority given to the state auditor in this subsection (6), the state auditor is authorized to conduct performance audits identified in RCW 43.09.470. Nothing in this subsection (6) shall limit, impede, or restrict the state auditor from conducting performance audits identified in RCW 43.09.470.
     (7) The joint legislative audit and review committee may:
     (a) Make post audits of the financial transactions of any agency and management surveys and program reviews as provided for in chapter 44.28 RCW as well as performance audits and program evaluations. To this end the joint committee may in its discretion examine the books, accounts, and other records of any agency, official, or employee.
     (b) Give information to the legislature or any legislative committee whenever required upon any subject relating to the performance and management of state agencies.
     (c) Make a report to the legislature which shall include at least the following:
     (i) Determinations as to the extent to which agencies in making expenditures have complied with the will of the legislature and in this connection, may take exception to specific expenditures or financial practices of any agencies; and
     (ii) Such plans as it deems expedient for the support of the state's credit, for lessening expenditures, for promoting frugality and economy in agency affairs, and generally for an improved level of fiscal management.

Sec. 4   RCW 41.06.157 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 43 s 411 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) To promote the most effective use of the state's workforce and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the delivery of services to the citizens of the state, the director shall adopt and maintain a comprehensive classification plan for all positions in the classified service. The classification plan must:
     (a) Be simple and streamlined;
     (b) Support state agencies in responding to changing technologies, economic and social conditions, and the needs of its citizens;
     (c) Value workplace diversity;
     (d) Facilitate the reorganization and decentralization of governmental services;
     (e) Enhance mobility and career advancement opportunities; and
     (f) Consider rates in other public employment and private employment in the state.
     (2) An appointing authority and an employee organization representing classified employees of the appointing authority for collective bargaining purposes may jointly request the human resources director to initiate a classification study.
     (3) For institutions of higher education and related boards, the director may adopt special salary ranges to be competitive with positions of a similar nature in the state or the locality in which the institution of higher education or related board is located.
     (4) For health care classifications, institutions of higher education may implement higher education health care special pay plans to be competitive with positions of a similar nature in the locality in which the institution of higher education is located. In administering a special pay plan, institutions may authorize compensation changes including but not limited to increases in salary ranges, new top steps in salary ranges, premium pay, and adjustments for community practice. Such special pay plans are not subject to director approval or adoption; however, institutions of higher education shall report annually to the director actions they have taken under the provisions of this section.
     (5) The director may undertake salary surveys of positions in other public and private employment to establish market rates. Any salary survey information collected from private employers which identifies a specific employer with salary rates which the employer pays to its employees shall not be subject to public disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW.

Sec. 5   RCW 41.04.240 and 1977 ex.s. c 269 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except with regard to institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, any official of the state or of any political subdivision, municipal corporation, or quasi-municipal corporation authorized to disburse funds in payment of salaries and wages of employees is authorized upon written request of at least twenty-five employees to pay all or part of such salaries or wages to any financial institution for either: (((1))) (a) Credit to the employees' accounts in such financial institution; or (((2))) (b) immediate transfer therefrom to the employees' accounts in any other financial institutions((: PROVIDED, That)).
     (2) In disbursing funds for payment of salaries and wages of employees, institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016 are authorized to pay such salaries or wages to any financial institution for either: (a) Credit to the employees' accounts in such financial institution; or (b) immediate transfer therefrom to the employees' accounts in any other financial institutions. Institutions of higher education may also require alternate payment methods such as payroll cards for employees who do not have an account in a financial institution.
     (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing any employer to require the employees to have an account in any particular financial institution or type of financial institution. A single warrant may be drawn in favor of such financial institution, for the total amount due the employees involved, and written directions provided to such financial institution of the amount to be credited to the account of an employee or to be transferred to an account in another financial institution for such employee. The issuance and delivery by the disbursing officer of a warrant in accordance with the procedure set forth herein and proper indorsement thereof by the financial institution shall have the same legal effect as payment directly to the employee.
     For the purposes of this section "financial institution" means any bank or trust company established in this state pursuant to chapter 2, Title 12, United States Code, or Title 30 RCW, and any credit union established in this state pursuant to chapter 14, Title 12, United States Code, or chapter 31.12 RCW, and any mutual savings bank established in this state pursuant to Title 32 RCW, and any savings and loan association established in this state pursuant to chapter 12, Title 12, United States Code, or Title 33 RCW.

Sec. 6   RCW 28B.10.029 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 43 s 303 and 2011 c 198 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) An institution of higher education may exercise independently those powers otherwise granted to the director of enterprise services in chapter 43.19 RCW in connection with the purchase and disposition of all material, supplies, services, and equipment needed for the support, maintenance, and use of the respective institution of higher education.
     (b) Property disposition policies followed by institutions of higher education shall be consistent with policies followed by the department of enterprise services.
     (c)(i) Except as provided in (c)(ii) of this subsection, purchasing policies and procedures followed by institutions of higher education shall be in compliance with chapters 39.19, 39.29, and 43.03 RCW, and RCW 43.19.1901, 43.19.1906, 43.19.1911, 43.19.1917, 43.19.1937, 43.19.685, 43.19.700 through 43.19.704, and 43.19.560 through 43.19.637.
     (ii) Institutions of higher education may use all appropriate means for making and paying for travel arrangements including, but not limited to, electronic booking and reservations, advance payment and deposits for tours, lodging, and other necessary expenses, and other travel transactions based on standard industry practices and federal accountable plan requirements. Such arrangements shall support student, faculty, staff, and other participants' travel, by groups and individuals, both domestic and international, in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible, regardless of the source of funds.
     (d) Purchases under chapter 39.29, 43.19, or 43.105 RCW by institutions of higher education may be made by using contracts for materials, supplies, services, or equipment negotiated or entered into by, for, or through group purchasing organizations.
     (e) The community and technical colleges shall comply with RCW 43.19.450.
     (f) Except for the University of Washington, institutions of higher education shall comply with RCW 43.19.769, 43.19.763, and 43.19.781.
     (g) If an institution of higher education can satisfactorily demonstrate to the director of the office of financial management that the cost of compliance is greater than the value of benefits from any of the following statutes, then it shall be exempt from them: RCW 43.19.685 and 43.19.637.
     (h) Any institution of higher education that chooses to exercise independent purchasing authority for a commodity or group of commodities shall notify the director of enterprise services. Thereafter the director of enterprise services shall not be required to provide those services for that institution for the duration of the enterprise services contract term for that commodity or group of commodities.
     (2) The council of presidents and the state board for community and technical colleges shall convene its correctional industries business development advisory committee, and work collaboratively with correctional industries, to:
     (a) Reaffirm purchasing criteria and ensure that quality, service, and timely delivery result in the best value for expenditure of state dollars;
     (b) Update the approved list of correctional industries products from which higher education shall purchase; and
     (c) Develop recommendations on ways to continue to build correctional industries' business with institutions of higher education.
     (3) Higher education and correctional industries shall develop a plan to build higher education business with correctional industries to increase higher education purchases of correctional industries products, based upon the criteria established in subsection (2) of this section. The plan shall include the correctional industries' production and sales goals for higher education and an approved list of products from which higher education institutions shall purchase, based on the criteria established in subsection (2) of this section. Higher education and correctional industries shall report to the legislature regarding the plan and its implementation no later than January 30, 2005.
     (4)(a) Institutions of higher education shall set as a target to contract, beginning not later than June 30, 2006, to purchase one percent of the total goods and services required by the institutions each year produced or provided in whole or in part from class II inmate work programs operated by the department of corrections. Institutions of higher education shall set as a target to contract, beginning not later than June 30, 2008, to purchase two percent of the total goods and services required by the institutions each year produced or provided in whole or in part from class II inmate work programs operated by the department of corrections.
     (b) Institutions of higher education shall endeavor to assure the department of corrections has notifications of bid opportunities with the goal of meeting or exceeding the purchasing target in (a) of this subsection.