2. a. The governing board of a public research university or a State college may join with other public research universities, State colleges, county colleges, public institutions of higher education primarily located in the State of New Jersey, and nonprofit independent institutions of higher education that receive direct State aid, to form an educational research and services corporation to be operated exclusively for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes, within the meaning of paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of section 501 of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501).

b. (1) An educational research and services corporation may act as a lead agency or contracting unit for the procurement of goods or services concerning educational technology systems and related services by those entities comprising the educational and research services corporation.

(2) An educational research and services corporation shall be deemed a local unit for the purposes of the “Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act,” sections 1 through 35 of P.L.2007, c.63 (C. 40A:65-1 through C. 40A:65-35) and may act as a lead agency or contracting unit for the procurement of goods or services concerning educational technology systems and related services by municipalities, fire districts, counties, local authorities subject to the “Local Authorities Fiscal Control Law,” P.L.1983, c.313 (C. 40A:5A-1 et seq.), school districts, county colleges, State colleges, public research universities, nonprofit independent institutions of higher education that receive direct State aid, or any combination of those entities.

c. An educational research and services corporation formed under P.L.2015, c.140, shall be subject to all applicable requirements under all applicable State and local procurement laws, including, but not limited to, section 1 of P.L.1977, c.33 (C. 52:25-24.2), P.L.2012, c.25 (C. 52:32-55 et seq.), and P.L.2005, c.51 (C. 19:44A-20.13 et seq.).

L.2015, c.140, s.2.