Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3345.51 – Administration of capital facilities project - state appropriations immaterial

(A) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in sections 123.20 and 123.21 of the Revised Code, a state university, the northeast Ohio medical university, or a state community college may administer any capital facilities project for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, renovation, enlargement, or alteration of a public improvement under its jurisdiction for which funds are appropriated by the general assembly without the supervision, control, or approval of the Ohio facilities construction commission as specified in those sections, if all of the following occur:
1. (1) The institution is certified by the commission under section 123.24 of the Revised Code;
2. (2) Within sixty days after the effective date of the section of an act in which the general assembly initially makes an appropriation for the project, the board of trustees of the institution notifies the chancellor of higher education in writing of its request to administer the capital facilities project and the chancellor approves that request pursuant to division (B) of this section;
3. (3) The board of trustees passes a resolution stating its intent to comply with section 153.13 of the Revised Code and the guidelines established pursuant to section 153.16 of the Revised Code and all laws that govern the selection of consultants, preparation and approval of contract documents, receipt of bids, and award of contracts with respect to the project.
(B) The chancellor shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish criteria for the administration by any such institution of higher education of a capital facilities project for which the general assembly appropriates funds. The criteria, to be developed with the commission and higher education representatives selected by the chancellor, shall include such matters as the adequacy of the staffing levels and expertise needed for the institution to administer the project, past performance of the institution in administering such projects, and the amount of institutional or other nonstate money to be used in financing the project. The chancellor shall approve the request of any such institution of higher education that seeks to administer any such capital facilities project and meets the criteria set forth in the rules and the requirements of division (A) of this section.
(C) Any institution that administers a capital facilities project under this section shall conduct biennial audits for the duration of the project to ensure that the institution is complying with Chapters 9., 123., and 153. of the Revised Code and that the institution is using its certification issued under section 123.24 of the Revised Code appropriately. The chancellor, in consultation with higher education representatives selected by the chancellor, shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish criteria for the conduct of the audits. The criteria shall include documentation necessary to determine compliance with Chapters 9., 123., and 153. of the Revised Code and a method to determine whether an institution is using its certification issued under section 123.24 of the Revised Code appropriately.
(D) The chancellor, in consultation with higher education representatives selected by the chancellor, shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing criteria for monitoring capital facilities projects administered by institutions under this section. The criteria shall include the following:
1. (1) Conditions under which the chancellor may revoke the authority of an institution to administer a capital facilities project under this section, including the failure of an institution to maintain a sufficient number of employees who have successfully completed the certification program under section 123.24 of the Revised Code;
2. (2) A process for institutions to remedy any problems found by an audit conducted pursuant to division (C) of this section, including the improper use of state funds or violations of Chapter 9., 123., or 153. of the Revised Code.
(E) If the chancellor revokes an institution's authority to administer a capital facilities project, the commission shall administer the capital facilities project. The chancellor also may require an institution, for which the chancellor revoked authority to administer a capital facilities project, to acquire a new local administration competency certification pursuant to section 123.24 of the Revised Code.