Sec. 81.016. CONTRACTS FOR SERVICES

(a) Before the commission contracts with or provides grant funding to an agency, organization, or individual to provide direct services to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, the commission shall make reasonable efforts to notify all potential service providers of the availability and purpose of the contract or grant.

(b) The notice shall include a request that all interested service providers submit within a specified period a contract or grant proposal for the commission's consideration. The notice must also clearly state the criteria that the commission will consider in determining which applicant will be awarded the contract or grant.

(c) The commission shall review all proposals submitted under this section and shall award the contract or grant to the applicant that the commission determines is best able to provide the needed services. The commission may not award contracts or grants to a former employee of the commission within two years after the person's employment with the commission ceased.

(d) To ensure an equitable distribution of contract or grant funds, the commission shall develop a formula, based on population and region, to allocate those funds among the agencies, organizations, or individuals that are awarded the contracts or grants.

(e) The commission shall adopt rules to implement this section.

Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 619, Sec. 17, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 343, Sec. 8, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 835, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 118, Sec. 8, eff. May 23, 2003.