9. a. Any State college, without advertising for bids, or after having rejected all bids obtained pursuant to advertising therefor, may purchase any materials, supplies, goods, services or equipment pursuant to a contract or contracts for those materials, supplies, goods, services or equipment entered into on behalf of the State by the Division of Purchase and Property or any municipality or county in this State.

b. A State college may also use, without advertising for bids, or having rejected all bids obtained pursuant to advertising, the Federal Supply Schedules of the General Services Administration or schedules from other federal procurement programs subject to the following conditions:

(1) the price of the goods or services being procured is no greater than the price offered to federal agencies;

(2) the State college receives the benefit of federally mandated price reductions during the term of the contract and is protected from price increases during that time; and

(3) the price of the goods or services being procured is no greater than the price of the same or equivalent goods or services under any State contract, unless the State college determines that because of factors other than price, selection of a vendor from the Federal Supply Schedules would be more advantageous to the State college.

c. Whenever a purchase is made pursuant to this section, the State college shall place its order with the vendor offering the lowest price, including delivery charges, that best meets the requirements of the State college. Prior to placing such an order, the State college shall document with specificity that the materials, supplies, goods, services or equipment selected best meet the requirements of the State college.

L.1986,c.43,s.9; amended 1996,c.16,s.5; 2005,c.369,s.7; 2006,c.10,s.2.