A contracting unit shall review proposals submitted by vendors pursuant to section 20 of this amendatory and supplementary act in such a manner as to avoid disclosure of the contents of any proposal to vendors submitting competing proposals. If provided for in the request for proposals, the contracting unit may conduct discussions with qualified vendors who have submitted proposals for the purpose of clarifying any information submitted in the proposal, or assuring that the vendor fully understood and responded to the requirements set forth in the request for proposals. If, as a result of these discussions, the contracting unit decides to revise the request for proposals, it shall immediately notify in writing each qualified vendor which has submitted a proposal of any such revision or revisions to the request for proposals. In the event of any revision in the request for proposals, a qualified vendor shall be permitted to submit revisions to its proposal prior to contract negotiations. In conducting discussions with qualified vendors, a contracting unit shall not disclose information derived from proposals submitted by competing qualified vendors.

L. 1985, c. 38, s. 21, eff. Feb. 4, 1985.