training; certification.

A. On or before January 1 of each year beginning in 2014, and every time a chief procurement officer is hired, each state agency and local public body shall provide to the state purchasing agent the name of the state agency’s or local public body’s chief procurement officer and information identifying the state agency’s or local public body’s central purchasing office, if applicable.

B. The state purchasing agent shall maintain a list of the names of the chief procurement officers reported to the state purchasing agent by state agencies and local public bodies. The state purchasing agent shall make the list of chief procurement officers available to the public through the web site of the purchasing division of the general services department and in any other appropriate form.

C. The state purchasing agent shall offer a certification training program for chief procurement officers each year.

D. On or before January 1, 2015, the state purchasing agent shall establish a certification program for chief procurement officers that includes initial certification and recertification every two years for all chief procurement officers. In order to be recertified, a chief procurement officer shall pass a recertification examination approved by the secretary of general services.

E. On and after July 1, 2015, only certified chief procurement officers may do the following, except that persons using procurement cards may continue to issue purchase orders and authorize small purchases:

(1)     make determinations, including determinations regarding exemptions, pursuant to the Procurement Code;

(2)     issue purchase orders and authorize small purchases pursuant to the Procurement Code; and

(3)     approve procurement pursuant to the Procurement Code.