Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 25 - PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; PUBLIC RECORDS (§§ 25-1-1 — 25-65-33) › Chapter 53 - MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (MDITS) › ACQUISITION, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS (§§ 25-53-101 — 25-53-125) › Section 25-53-121 - Equipment support contracts

(1)
The types of contracts permitted in the procurement of telecommunications equipment, systems and related services are defined herein, and the provisions in Sections
25-53-101
through
25-53-125
supplement the provisions of Chapter 7, Title 31, Mississippi Code of 1972.
(2)
The Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services may, on behalf of any state agency, enter into an equipment support contract with a vendor of telecommunications equipment or services for the purchase or lease of such equipment or services in accordance with the following provisions:
(a)
Specifications for equipment support contracts shall be developed in advance and shall conform to the following requirements:
(i)
Specifications for equipment support contracts shall cover a specific class or classes of equipment and service and may include all features associated with that class or classes.
(ii)
Specifications in the request for proposals for equipment support contracts shall be developed by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services.
(iii)
Specifications shall be based on the projected needs of user agencies.
(iv)
Specifications for equipment support contracts for purchase or lease of telecommunications equipment may include specifications for the maintenance of the equipment desired.
(b)
The initial procurement of an equipment support contract, and procurement of equipment and services to be utilized by agencies under an equipment support contract, shall be as follows:
(i)
Equipment support contracts shall be awarded by competitive sealed bidding.
(ii)
A using agency may procure required telecommunications equipment and service available under an equipment support contract through release of a purchase order for the required equipment and service to the vendor holding an equipment support contract. However, such procurement by purchase order shall be accomplished in accordance with the procedures and regulations prescribed by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services, and shall be subject to all other statutory requirements including approval by the bureau.
(c)
The final authority for entering into equipment support contracts shall rest with the bureau, and such contracts shall be executed by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services in accordance with the procedures and regulations defined by said authority.
(d)
Equipment support contracts shall include the following terms and conditions:
(i)
Equipment support contracts shall be valid for not more than one (1) fiscal year with the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services having an option to renew for two (2) additional fiscal years. The vendor may vary lease or purchase prices for the optional renewal period(s) by an amount equal to the lesser of the lease or purchase price permitted by that vendor's contract with the General Services Administration of the United States Government for such equipment and services, or any variance in that vendor's published list prices for such equipment and services during that fiscal year, provided that any increase may not exceed five percent (5%) and the variance must have been authorized by the initial equipment and service order contract.
(ii)
The prices stated in such contract shall not change for the period of the contract.
(iii)
Individual items of telecommunications equipment and service which may be included under an equipment support contract may not have a purchase price greater than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) or a monthly lease price greater than Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00). Such price shall not include costs of maintenance, taxes or transportation.
(iv)
Equipment support contracts shall include the following annual appropriation dependency clause:
"The continuation of this contract is contingent upon the appropriation of funds to fulfill the requirements of the contract by the Legislature. If the Legislature fails to appropriate sufficient monies to provide for the continuance of the contract, the contract shall terminate on the date of the beginning of the first fiscal year for which funds are not appropriated."
(3)
The Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services may on behalf of any state agency enter into contracts for the lease or purchase of telecommunications equipment systems or services in accordance with the following provisions:
(a)
The bureau may directly contract for or approve contracts for regulated or tariffed telecommunications services upon determination by the bureau that the application of such service is in the best interests of the State of Mississippi.
(b)
All other contracts of this type shall be entered into through request for proposals as defined in Sections
25-53-101
through
25-53-125
.
(c)
The justification of such contracts must be presented to the bureau prior to issuance of a request for proposals. Such justification shall identify and consider all cost factors relevant to that contract.
(d)
The term of a lease contract shall not exceed sixty (60) months for a system lease valued less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) and shall not exceed one hundred twenty (120) months for a system lease valued One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) or more.
(e)
All lease contracts must contain the following annual appropriation dependency clause:
"The continuation of this contract is contingent upon the appropriation of funds to fulfill the requirements of the contract by the Legislature. If the Legislature fails to appropriate sufficient monies to provide for the continuation of a contract, the contract shall terminate on the date of the beginning of the first fiscal year for which funds are not appropriated."
(f)
The Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services shall maintain a list of all such contracts. This list shall show as a minimum the name of the vendor, the annual cost of each contract and the term of the contract or the purchase cost.
(g)
Upon the advance written approval of the bureau, state agencies may extend contracts for the lease of telecommunications equipment, systems and related services on a month-to-month basis for a period not to extend more than one (1) calendar year for the stated lease prices.
Laws, 1995, ch. 622, § 20, eff. 7/1/1995.