Ind. Code § 4-13.5-1-8 – Employment of professionals; plans and specifications; award of contracts; minority and women's businesses

(a) The commission may employ architects, engineers, space planners, construction managers, and other professional persons it considers necessary to prepare complete plans and specifications necessary for bidding for construction. The commission shall consider economy of operation to the extent practicable in preparing and approving plans and specifications.
(b) The plans and specifications shall be presented for approval to:
1. (1) the department;
2. (2) if the facility is designed to house the supreme court or court of appeals, the administrator of the supreme court for approval by the courts;
3. (3) if the facility is a correctional facility, the department of correction; and
4. (4) if the facility consists of communications system infrastructure, the integrated public safety commission.
(c) After the plans and specifications have been approved by the commission under subsection (b), the commission shall advertise for and receive construction bids and award contracts to the best bidders in the same manner as required by law for the department. However, with respect to a facility that consists of communications system infrastructure, if the commission finds that the integrated public safety commission has already advertised for and received construction bids or awarded contracts to the best bidders, or both, substantially in the same manner as required by law for the Indiana department of administration, the commission is not required to repeat the advertisement, receipt of bids, or award of contracts. In making the finding described in this subsection, the commission may rely upon a certificate of the integrated public safety commission. If the commission makes the finding described in this subsection, that is all the authority the commission needs to accept the assignment of the bids or contracts or both, from the integrated public safety commission, and all the authority the integrated public safety commission needs to assign the bids or contracts, or both, to the commission.
(d) With regard to participation by minority and women's business enterprises (as defined in IC 4-13-16.5-1 and IC 4-13-16.5-1.3 ), the commission shall act in the same manner as required by law for the department.
As added by Acts 1980, P.L.16, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.27-1985, SEC.6; P.L.240-1991(ss2), SEC.38; P.L.195-2001, SEC.7; P.L.123-2002, SEC.4.