The department shall contract with a non-governmental entity to operate a state veterans’ home or homes for the care and support of elderly or disabled veterans in the State of Alabama. Contracts for the procurement of services required to manage, administer, and operate a state veterans’ home shall be awarded on a competitive basis through the solicitation of proposals. The contract may be awarded to the vendor whose proposal is most advantageous to the state, taking into consideration cost factors, program suitability factors, management plan, excellence of program design, key personnel, corporate or company resources, financial condition of the vendor, corporate experience and past performance, and any other requirements deemed necessary by the State Board of Veterans’ Affairs and expressed in its solicitation for proposals. Any contract awarded under this section shall be for a period not to exceed five years. The State Board of Veterans’ Affairs is not required to select the vendor offering the lowest cost proposal but shall select the vendor who, in the board’s discretion, offers the proposal most advantageous to the State of Alabama. Sections 41-16-20, et seq., are not applicable to the award of contracts provided for herein.