(a)(1) The head of each state contracting agency shall appoint an agency procurement officer. Such officer shall serve as the liaison between the agency and the Chief Procurement Officer on all matters relating to the agency’s procurement activity, including, but not limited to, implementation and compliance with the provisions of statutes and regulations concerning procurement and any policies or regulations adopted by the board, coordination of the training and education of agency procurement employees and any person serving on the Contracting Standards Advisory Council;

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(2) The agency procurement officer shall be responsible for assuring that contractors are properly screened prior to the award of a contract, evaluating contractor performance during and at the conclusion of a contract, submitting written evaluations to a central data repository to be designated by the board and creating a project management plan for the agency with annual reports to the board pertaining to procurement projects within the agency.

(b) The State Contracting Standards Board, with the advice and assistance of the Commissioner of Administrative Services, shall develop a standardized state procurement and project management education and training program. Such education and training program shall develop education, training and professional development opportunities for employees of state contracting agencies charged with procurement responsibilities. The program shall educate such employees in general business acumen and on proper purchasing procedures as established in statutes and regulations concerning procurement with an emphasis on ethics, fairness, consistency and project management. Participation in the program shall be required of any supervisory and nonsupervisory state employees in state contracting agencies with responsibility for buying, purchasing, renting, leasing or otherwise acquiring any supplies, service or construction, including the preparation of the description of requirements, selection and solicitation of sources, preparation and award of contracts and all phases of contract administration.

(c) The program shall include, but shall not be limited to (1) training and education concerning federal, state and municipal procurement processes, including the statutes and regulations concerning procurement; (2) training and education courses developed in cooperation with the Office of State Ethics, the Freedom of Information Commission, the State Elections Enforcement Commission, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the office of the Attorney General and any other state agency the board determines is necessary in carrying out statutes and regulations concerning procurement; (3) providing technical assistance to state contracting agencies and municipalities for implementing statutes and regulations concerning procurement, regulations, policies and standards developed by the board; (4) training to current and prospective contractors and vendors and others seeking to do business with the state; and (5) training and education of state employees in the area of best procurement practices in state purchasing with the goal of achieving the level of acumen necessary to achieve the objectives of statutes and regulations concerning procurement.

(d) Any employee who completes the program established under subsection (b) of this section shall be issued documentation by the board acknowledging such employee’s participation in the program. The board shall submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the status of such program in accordance with section 11-4a.

(e) The board shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to develop and implement the training and education program established under subsection (b) of this section.