(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 58, and sections 4-98, 4a-4, 4a-5, 4a-6, 4d-2, and 4d-5 to the contrary, a chief executive officer may purchase equipment, supplies and contractual services, execute personal service agreements, as defined in § 4-212, or lease personal property compatible, where relevant, with standards for computer architecture established by the Department of Administrative Services, without the approval of the Comptroller, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management or the Commissioner of Administrative Services, provided the chief executive officer consults with the commissioner and such purchases are made in accordance with this section and in accordance with policies which are (1) adopted by the board of trustees of the constituent unit after reasonable opportunity for interested persons to present their views, and (2) subject to § 4-175. For purposes of this section, “chief executive officer” means the chief executive officer of a constituent unit of the state system of higher education or the chief executive officer of an institution within the jurisdiction of such a constituent unit. The provisions of sections 4-212 to 4-219, inclusive, and section 9 of public act 93-336* shall not apply to personal service agreements executed pursuant to this section.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, purchases made pursuant to this section shall be based, when possible, on competitive bids or competitive negotiation. Such chief executive officer shall solicit competitive bids or proposals by sending notice to prospective suppliers and by posting notice on a public bulletin board in such officer’s office. Such notice shall contain a notice of state contract requirements pursuant to § 4a-60. Each bid or proposal shall be kept sealed until opened publicly at the time stated in the notice soliciting such bid or proposal. Sealed bids or proposals shall include bids or proposals sealed within an envelope or maintained within a safe and secure electronic environment until such time as they are publicly opened. If the amount of the expenditure is estimated to exceed fifty thousand dollars, not later than five calendar days before the final date of submitting competitive bids or proposals, competitive bids or proposals shall be solicited by public notice posted on the Internet. All purchases fifty thousand dollars or less in amount shall be made in the open market, but shall, when possible, be based on at least three competitive quotations. If desired by the constituent unit, competitive quotations may include quotations submitted to the constituent unit within a safe and secure electronic environment. The constituent unit shall not refuse to consider a bid, proposal or quotation because it is not submitted electronically.

(c) Competitive bidding or competitive negotiation is not required in the case of (1) minor purchases of ten thousand dollars or less in amount, (2) purchases made pursuant to subsection (k) of this section, (3) emergency purchases, (4) agricultural purchases of dairy products, poultry, farm-raised seafood, beef, pork, lamb, eggs, fruits, vegetables or other farm products in an amount of fifty thousand dollars or less, or (5) a qualified contract, as described in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of § 10a-151f, that is entered into pursuant to the policies adopted by either the Board of Trustees of The University of Connecticut or the Board of Regents for Higher Education pursuant to § 10a-151g. Whenever an emergency exists by reason of extraordinary conditions or contingencies that could not reasonably be foreseen and guarded against, or because of unusual trade or market conditions, the chief executive officer may, if it is for the best interest of the state, make purchases without competitive bidding. A statement of all emergency purchases made under the provisions of this subsection shall be set forth in the annual report of the chief executive officer. The chief executive officer, when making an agricultural purchase in accordance with subdivision (4) of this subsection, shall give preference to dairy products, poultry, farm-raised seafood, beef, pork, lamb, eggs, fruits, vegetables or other farm products grown or produced in this state when such products, poultry, farm-raised seafood, beef, pork, lamb, eggs, fruits or vegetables are comparable in cost to other dairy products, poultry, eggs, fruits or vegetables being considered for purchase by the chief executive officer that have not been grown or produced in this state.

(d) Nothing in this section shall exempt a constituent unit or chief executive officer from complying with the provisions of sections 4a-60 and 4a-61.

(e) No person, firm or corporation disqualified pursuant to § 4a-52a, or by the Commissioner of Administrative Services pursuant to § 4a-63 from bidding on contracts with the Department of Administrative Services may bid pursuant to this section.

(f) A chief executive officer who enters into a contract under this section that fails to meet the requirements of this section shall be personally liable for the costs of such contract and such contract shall be void and of no effect. Any amount paid under such contract may be recovered from such chief executive officer by the state in a civil action.

(g) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a chief executive officer from participating in a contract for the purchase of equipment, supplies or services with the Department of Administrative Services pursuant to chapter 58.

(h) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a constituent unit from entering into a corporate sponsorship agreement which contains provisions for the barter of goods and services, provided such agreement is entered into in accordance with policies and procedures governing such agreements adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

(i) For the period from July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2006, inclusive, any funds or revenues collected from ticket sales by the contractor hired by Western Connecticut State University to operate and manage its O’Neill Center, shall not be deemed to be state funds for the purposes of sections 4-32 and 4-33 and may be deposited in the contractor’s account for a period of time not to exceed forty days, during which time the contractor shall pay all expenses related to the event for which the tickets were sold and make an accounting of the portion of the funds to be remitted to the university, and then remit such funds to the university pursuant to the terms of the contract. Upon receipt of such funds, the university shall deposit such funds in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-32 and 4-33.

(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, a chief executive officer may not extend a contract with a value of fifty thousand dollars or more per year to perform janitorial, building maintenance, security or food and beverage services unless: (1) Such contract is in effect on May 1, 2005; (2) such extension is for a period of one year from the date such contract would otherwise expire; and (3) any such extension includes any applicable increase in the standard wage and the payroll burden to administer the standard wage, as established by the Labor Department.

(k) The chief executive officer of a constituent unit may purchase, or make expenditures related to the development of, any technology, product or process for the purpose of testing such technology, product or process in the operation of the constituent unit on a trial basis, if (1) such technology, product or process (A) is part of or related to a research program at the constituent unit, (B) has the potential, as determined by the chief executive officer, to provide economic benefit to the state, (C) will not adversely affect the safety of any individual, and (D) has potential for commercialization, and (2) the chief executive officer has received a recommendation to test such technology, product or process from a constituent unit committee whose membership includes the chief purchasing official, the chief academic officer and the chief economic development officer for the constituent unit, or their designees.

(l) The chief executive officer of a constituent unit that purchases or makes expenditures related to the development of any technology, product or process for the purpose of testing such technology, product or process in the operation of the constituent unit on a trial basis, pursuant to subsection (k) of this section, shall, not later than January first of the year following such purchase or expenditure, submit a report, on the number of times such constituent unit tested such technology, product or process during the last twelve months, or if such tests are not complete, will test such technology, product or process in the next twelve months, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and commerce, in accordance with § 11-4a.

(m) The chief executive officer of a constituent unit may join with a federal agency, another state government, political subdivision of this state or private or nonprofit organization in a cooperative purchasing plan when the best interests of the state would be served by such plan.

(n) The state, through the chief executive officer of a constituent unit, may purchase equipment, supplies, materials and services from a person who has a contract to sell such property or services to another state government, political subdivision of this state, nonprofit organization or private or public purchasing consortium, in accordance with the terms and conditions of such contract.