The duties of the department as it relates to the physical resources of state government shall include but not necessarily be limited to the following:
 1. Providing a system of uniform standards and specifications for purchasing. When the system is developed, all items of general use shall be purchased by state agencies through the department, except items provided for under section 904.808 or items used by the state board of regents and institutions under the control of the state board of regents. However, the department may authorize the department of transportation, the department for the blind, and any other agencies otherwise exempted by law from centralized purchasing, to directly purchase items used by those agencies without going through the department, if the department of administrative services determines such purchasing is in the best interests of the state. However, items of general use may be purchased through the department by any governmental entity.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 8A.302

  • Department: means the department of administrative services. See Iowa Code 8A.101
  • Director: means the director of the department of administrative services or the director's designee. See Iowa Code 8A.101
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Governmental entity: means any unit of government in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of government; an agency or political subdivision; any unit of another state government, including its political subdivisions; any unit of the United States government; or any association or other organization whose membership consists primarily of one or more of any of the foregoing. See Iowa Code 8A.101
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. Providing for the proper maintenance of the state laboratories facility in Ankeny and of the state capitol, grounds, and equipment, and all other state buildings, grounds, and equipment at the seat of government, except those referred to in section 216B.3, subsection 6.
 3. Providing for mail services for all state officials, agencies, and departments located at the seat of government. However, postage shall not be furnished to the general assembly, its members, officers, employees, or committees.
 4. Providing architectural services, contracting for construction and construction oversight for state agencies except for the state board of regents, state department of transportation, national guard, natural resource commission, and the Iowa public employees’ retirement system. Capital funding appropriated to state agencies, except to the state board of regents, state department of transportation, national guard, natural resource commission, and the Iowa public employees’ retirement system, for property management shall be transferred for administration to the director of the department of administrative services.
 5. Developing and implementing procedures to conduct transactions, including purchasing, authorized by this subchapter in an electronic format to the extent determined appropriate by the department. The director shall adopt rules establishing criteria for competitive bidding procedures involving transactions in an electronic format, including criteria for accepting or rejecting bids which are electronically transmitted to the department, and for establishing with reasonable assurance the authenticity of the bid and the bidder’s identity.
 6. Providing insurance for motor vehicles owned by the state.