9. When a contract or portion thereof has been designated as a disabled veterans’ business set-aside, invitations for bids shall be confined to businesses designated by the department as appropriate for the set-aside and bids from other bidders shall be rejected. The purchase, contract or expenditure of funds shall be awarded among the businesses, considering conformity with specifications and terms, in accordance with the statutes and rules governing purchases by the contracting agency. The award shall be made with reasonable promptness by the contracting agency with written notice to the department.

L.2015, c.116, s.9.