The State Board of Education is authorized to provide eligible employees of local school administrative units a program of dependent care assistance as available under Section 129 and related sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The State Board may authorize local school administrative units to enter into annual agreements with employees who elect to participate in the program to provide for a reduction in salary. Should the State Board decide to contract with a third party to administer the terms and conditions of a program of dependent care assistance, it may select a contractor only upon a thorough and completely competitive procurement process. (1989, c. 458, s. 1; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 1044, s. 14(b); 1993, c. 561, s. 42; 1993 (Reg. Sess, 1994), c. 769, s. 7.28A; 1997-443, s. 33.20(a); 1999-237, s. 28.27(a).)