(a) In this section, “professional services” means those services performed by an individual who is licensed, certified, registered, or otherwise authorized by the state and who acts within the scope of the individual’s license, certification, registration, or other authorization in the practice of a health or allied health profession.
(b) The executive commissioner by rule shall adopt a list of categories of licensed, certified, registered, or otherwise authorized providers to whom the department may award a grant for professional services under this section or with whom the department may contract or otherwise engage to perform professional services under this section.

(c) The department may award a grant, enter into a contract, or otherwise engage an individual or a group or association of individuals to perform professional services selected on the basis of competitive proposals submitted for the grant, contract, or services to be performed. The department may also make the selection on the basis of:
(1) demonstrated competence and qualifications for the type of professional services to be performed; and
(2) whether the fees for the professional services to be performed are fair, reasonable, and consistent with and not higher than the usual and customary fees for the services to be performed and do not exceed any maximum provided by state law.
(d) The department may award a grant, enter into a contract, or otherwise engage an individual or a group or association of individuals to perform professional services without complying with Subsection (c) if the executive commissioner by order determines that an emergency exists that necessitates the use of different procedures. A grant, contract, or engagement under this subsection is effective only for the period specified by the executive commissioner’s order.