2023 Tennessee Code › Title 12 - PUBLIC PROPERTY, PRINTING AND CONTRACTS (§§ 12-1-101 — 12-12-113) › Chapter 3 - PUBLIC PURCHASES (§§ 12-3-101 — 12-3-1213) › Part 5 - SPECIFICATIONS (§§ 12-3-501 — 12-3-515) › Section 12-3-502 - Solicitations - Responses - Rejection of responses - Correction or withdrawal of responses - Cancellation of awards or contracts - Filing of notices of intent to award - Procurement and performance bonds or other security

(a)
The central procurement office shall publicly advertise a copy of the solicitation. All responses received by the central procurement office shall be opened and examined at the time and place specified in the solicitation. Any and all responses may be rejected pursuant to subsection (b).
(b)
Whenever the chief procurement officer approves the rejection of all responses for a certain solicitation, the chief procurement officer shall file a notice of such action with the comptroller of the treasury and shall take such action only for one (1) or more of the following reasons:
(1)
Unreasonably high prices;
(2)
Error in the solicitation;
(3)
Cessation of need;
(4)
Unavailability of funds; or
(5)
Any other reason determined to be in the best interest of the state.
(c)
Submission of a response shall not create rights, interests, or claims of entitlement in any respondent, including the lowest apparent respondent in terms of cost.
(d)
(1)
Correction or withdrawal of inadvertently erroneous responses, before or after award, or cancellation of awards or contracts based on such mistakes, shall be permitted with approval of the chief procurement officer. All cancellation of awards or contracts shall be filed with the comptroller of the treasury.
(2)
After response opening, no changes in prices or other provisions of responses prejudicial to the interest of the state or fair competition shall be permitted.
(3)
Except as otherwise provided by regulation or policy of the procurement commission, all decisions to permit the correction or withdrawal of responses, or cancel awards or contracts based on response mistakes, shall be supported by a written determination made by the chief procurement officer and such determination shall be filed with the comptroller of the treasury.
(e)
Only criteria or factors set forth in the solicitation may be used in evaluating a response.
(f)
After response evaluation and prior to award of the contract, the chief procurement officer shall issue a notice of intent to award to all respondents to the solicitation. Notification by the state of intent to award shall not create rights, interests, or claims of entitlement in any respondent.
(g)
Upon issuance of the intent to award, the procurement file relating to the procurement shall be made available for inspection to each respondent of the solicitation, upon request. No contract shall be awarded by the chief procurement officer without providing respondents a reasonable opportunity for inspection. The chief procurement officer shall establish procedures for providing inspection by respondents to solicitations. Such procedures shall be approved by the procurement commission. Notification by the state of intent to award shall not create rights, interests, or claims of entitlement in any respondent.
(h)
Each contract shall be awarded in the name of the state, with reasonable promptness by written notice to the respondent to whom a contract will be awarded in accordance with the criteria for award as set forth in the solicitation.
(i)
Procurement and performance bonds or other security may be required for any contract. Any such requirement shall be set forth in the solicitation. The chief procurement officer shall promulgate rules establishing the requirements for the use and appropriate amount of such bonds or other security with approval by the procurement commission.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 634,s 2, eff. 4/2/2024.
Amended by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 403, s 21, eff. 7/1/2013.
Acts 1953, ch. 163, § 27 (Williams, § 370.36); T.C.A. (orig. ed.), §§ 12-305, 12-3-205; Acts 1981, ch. 332, § 3; 1987, ch. 337, § 19; 2010 , ch. 1098, § 2; 2011 , ch. 295, §§ 5, 19.