The Florida Senate

287.012  Definitions.--As used in this part, the term:

(1)  "Agency" means any of the various state officers, departments, boards, commissions, divisions, bureaus, and councils and any other unit of organization, however designated, of the executive branch of state government. "Agency" does not include the university and college boards of trustees or the state universities and colleges.

(2)  "Agency head" means, with respect to an agency headed by a collegial body, the executive director or chief administrative officer of the agency.

(3)  "Artist" means an individual or group of individuals who profess and practice a demonstrated creative talent and skill in the area of music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing, painting, sculpture, photography, graphic arts, craft arts, industrial design, costume design, fashion design, motion pictures, television, radio, or tape and sound recording or in any other related field.

(4)  "Best value" means the highest overall value to the state based on objective factors that include, but are not limited to, price, quality, design, and workmanship.

(5)  "Commodity" means any of the various supplies, materials, goods, merchandise, food, equipment, information technology, and other personal property, including a mobile home, trailer, or other portable structure with floor space of less than 5,000 square feet, purchased, leased, or otherwise contracted for by the state and its agencies. "Commodity" also includes interest on deferred-payment commodity contracts approved pursuant to s. 287.063 entered into by an agency for the purchase of other commodities. However, commodities purchased for resale are excluded from this definition. Further, a prescribed drug, medical supply, or device required by a licensed health care provider as a part of providing health services involving examination, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, medical consultation, or administration for clients at the time the service is provided is not considered to be a "commodity." Printing of publications shall be considered a commodity when let upon contract pursuant to s. 283.33, whether purchased for resale or not.

(6)  "Competitive sealed bids," "competitive sealed proposals," or "competitive sealed replies" means the process of receiving two or more sealed bids, proposals, or replies submitted by responsive vendors and includes bids, proposals, or replies transmitted by electronic means in lieu of or in addition to written bids, proposals, or replies.

(7)  "Competitive solicitation" or "solicitation" means an invitation to bid, a request for proposals, or an invitation to negotiate.

(8)  "Contractor" means a person who contracts to sell commodities or contractual services to an agency.

(9)  "Contractual service" means the rendering by a contractor of its time and effort rather than the furnishing of specific commodities. The term applies only to those services rendered by individuals and firms who are independent contractors, and such services may include, but are not limited to, evaluations; consultations; maintenance; accounting; security; management systems; management consulting; educational training programs; research and development studies or reports on the findings of consultants engaged thereunder; and professional, technical, and social services. "Contractual service" does not include any contract for the furnishing of labor or materials for the construction, renovation, repair, modification, or demolition of any facility, building, portion of building, utility, park, parking lot, or structure or other improvement to real property entered into pursuant to chapter 255 and rules adopted thereunder.

(10)  "Department" means the Department of Management Services.

(11)  "Electronic posting" or "electronically post" means the posting of solicitations, agency decisions or intended decisions, or other matters relating to procurement on a centralized Internet website designated by the department for this purpose.

(12)  "Eligible user" means any person or entity authorized by the department pursuant to rule to purchase from state term contracts or to use the online procurement system.

(13)  "Exceptional purchase" means any purchase of commodities or contractual services excepted by law or rule from the requirements for competitive solicitation, including, but not limited to, purchases from a single source; purchases upon receipt of less than two responsive bids, proposals, or replies; purchases made by an agency, after receiving approval from the department, from a contract procured, pursuant to s. 287.057(1), (2), or (3), by another agency; and purchases made without advertisement in the manner required by s. 287.042(3)(b).

(14)  "Extension" means an increase in the time allowed for the contract period due to circumstances which, without fault of either party, make performance impracticable or impossible, or which prevent a new contract from being executed, with or without a proportional increase in the total dollar amount, with any increase to be based on the method and rate previously established in the contract.

(15)  "Information technology" has the meaning ascribed in s. 282.0041

(16)  "Invitation to bid" means a written solicitation for competitive sealed bids. The invitation to bid is used when the agency is capable of specifically defining the scope of work for which a contractual service is required or when the agency is capable of establishing precise specifications defining the actual commodity or group of commodities required. A written solicitation includes a solicitation that is electronically posted.

(17)  "Invitation to negotiate" means a written solicitation for competitive sealed replies to select one or more vendors with which to commence negotiations for the procurement of commodities or contractual services. The invitation to negotiate is used when the agency determines that negotiations may be necessary for the state to receive the best value. A written solicitation includes a solicitation that is electronically posted.

(18)  "Minority business enterprise" has the meaning ascribed in s. 288.703

(19)  "Office" means the Office of Supplier Diversity of the Department of Management Services.

(20)  "Renewal" means contracting with the same contractor for an additional contract period after the initial contract period, only if pursuant to contract terms specifically providing for such renewal.

(21)  "Request for information" means a written request made by an agency to vendors for information concerning commodities or contractual services. Responses to these requests are not offers and may not be accepted by the agency to form a binding contract.

(22)  "Request for proposals" means a written solicitation for competitive sealed proposals. The request for proposals is used when it is not practicable for the agency to specifically define the scope of work for which the commodity, group of commodities, or contractual service is required and when the agency is requesting that a responsible vendor propose a commodity, group of commodities, or contractual service to meet the specifications of the solicitation document. A written solicitation includes a solicitation that is electronically posted.

(23)  "Request for a quote" means an oral or written request for written pricing or services information from a state term contract vendor for commodities or contractual services available on a state term contract from that vendor.

(24)  "Responsible vendor" means a vendor who has the capability in all respects to fully perform the contract requirements and the integrity and reliability that will assure good faith performance.

(25)  "Responsive bid," "responsive proposal," or "responsive reply" means a bid, or proposal, or reply submitted by a responsive and responsible vendor that conforms in all material respects to the solicitation.

(26)  "Responsive vendor" means a vendor that has submitted a bid, proposal, or reply that conforms in all material respects to the solicitation.

(27)  "State term contract" means a term contract that is competitively procured by the department pursuant to s. 287.057 and that is used by agencies and eligible users pursuant to s. 287.056

(28)  "Term contract" means an indefinite quantity contract to furnish commodities or contractual services during a defined period.

History.--s. 22, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 80-374; ss. 4, 8, ch. 82-196; s. 1, ch. 83-99; s. 1, ch. 83-192; s. 1, ch. 84-158; s. 29, ch. 85-349; s. 1, ch. 86-52; ss. 6, 20, ch. 88-384; s. 1, ch. 89-289; s. 2, ch. 90-147; s. 4, ch. 90-224; s. 11, ch. 90-268; s. 36, ch. 90-335; s. 15, ch. 92-98; s. 107, ch. 92-142; s. 246, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 8, ch. 94-322; s. 1, ch. 95-168; s. 8, ch. 96-236; s. 24, ch. 96-320; s. 16, ch. 98-65; s. 74, ch. 98-279; s. 31, ch. 2000-164; s. 9, ch. 2000-286; s. 2, ch. 2001-278; s. 8, ch. 2002-207.