HB 1303

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Florida Marine Research Institute;
3	providing legislative intent; requiring an analysis of
4	expenditure of funds and quality of service for certain
5	research and analysis; providing that certain entities
6	shall be given preference when bidding to provide services
7	previously provided by the Florida Marine Research
8	Institute; prohibiting certain contacts with commission
9	members and employees; requiring a report; providing an
10	effective date.
11
12	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14	Section 1.  (1)  It is the intent of the Legislature to
15	promote effective and cost-efficient scientific research,
16	including, but not limited to, data collection, field analysis,
17	laboratory analysis, and information synthesis, regarding the
18	state's marine resources. Accordingly, the Legislature believes
19	that this intent is best served when state agencies analyze the
20	provision of such research to determine the optimal balance
21	between the costs associated with providing such research, the
22	quality of the research provided, and the benefits of
23	independent managerial separation between the entities relying
24	upon such scientific research and the entities performing such
25	research. When this research activity is available through
26	academic, nonprofit, or private institutions, agencies shall
27	contract with such providers for these services.
28	(2)  The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shall
29	conduct a written analysis of the cost of funding the Florida
30	Marine Research Institute to conduct applied research and
31	information synthesis compared to the cost of outsourcing those
32	functions to academic, nonprofit, and private institutions. This
33	analysis shall be one of the factors for comparing requests for
34	proposals or solicitation of bids to be issued by the Fish and
35	Wildlife Conservation Commission for the provision of applied
36	research and information synthesis regarding the state's marine
37	resources.
38	(3)  In determining the best and most reasonable bid among
39	private entities, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
40	shall give preference to an entity that is located in the state
41	and to an entity that agrees to provide employment opportunities
42	to state employees who will be displaced as a result of the
43	outsourcing of the identified service. No state agency shall be
44	prohibited from bidding on any contract to be awarded by the
45	commission.
46	(4)  A bidder or potential bidder is not permitted to have
47	any contact with any member or employee of or consultant to the
48	Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regarding a request
49	for proposals, a proposal, or the evaluation or selection
50	process from the time a request for proposals for the provision
51	of an identified service is issued until the time a notification
52	of intent to award is announced, except if such contact is in
53	writing or in a meeting for which notice was provided in the
54	Florida Administrative Weekly.
55	(5)  By February 1, 2005, the Fish and Wildlife
56	Conservation Commission shall issue to the Governor, the Speaker
57	of the House of Representatives, and the President of the Senate
58	a report that consolidates the following information:
59	(a)  New private contracts for applied research and
60	information synthesis.
61	(b)  The anticipated cost savings, if any, associated with
62	each new contract.
63	(c)  The commission's authorized use of anticipated cost
64	savings, if any.
65	(d)  Actual cost savings and use of savings of prior-year
66	private contracts.
67	(e)  A description of each instance in which a request for
68	proposals or solicitation of bids process did not result in a
69	contract.
70	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.