Minnesota Statutes 16C.281 – Original Jurisdiction of Public Procurement Actions
Subdivision 1.Original jurisdiction.
(a) Original jurisdiction is granted to the district court over any action seeking legal, equitable, or declaratory relief arising under or based upon the alleged violation of any law governing public procurement requirements, public procurement procedures, or the award of any public contract.
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 16C.281
- Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
(b) The grant of original jurisdiction under paragraph (a) applies regardless of whether a public entity involved or implicated in the action is alleged to have acted, or may be held to have acted, in a judicial or quasi-judicial capacity.
(c) The grant of original jurisdiction under paragraph (a) does not: (1) alter the standard of review to be applied by a district court; (2) alter the standard of review applied by an appellate court; (3) affect section 471.345, subdivision 14; (4) affect the available remedies, including, but not limited to, the availability or nonavailability of attorney fees awards and bid preparation costs; or (5) affect the procedural or administrative steps, if any, set out by statute, rule, or procurement procedure, that a party must comply with prior to initiating any such action.
Subd. 2.Timing for filing.
(a) A procurement process participant must file an action prior to the date when the procurement contract at issue is fully executed unless:
(1) the party demonstrates that it acted diligently in seeking access to information the party reasonably deemed necessary to review prior to bringing an action; and
(2) the procurement process participant has not been afforded (i) reasonable access to information necessary to prepare the action for filing, or (ii) a reasonable opportunity to bring the action and seek appropriate relief from the court before the public procurement contract is fully executed. Reasonable access to necessary information and a reasonable opportunity to seek relief includes receipt of data described under section 13.591, subdivision 3 or 4, at least 15 days prior to full execution of the procurement contract.
(b) This subdivision does not apply to matters alleging: (1) fraud or misrepresentation, or (2) acts following contract execution that would have been improper or illegal prior to contract execution.