(1) The procurement of commodities or contractual services by lead agencies shall be governed by the financial guidelines developed by the department and must comply with applicable state and federal law and follow good business practices. Pursuant to s. 11.45, the Auditor General may provide technical advice in the development of the financial guidelines.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a community-based care lead agency may make expenditures for staff cellular telephone allowances, contracts requiring deferred payments and maintenance agreements, security deposits for office leases, related agency professional membership dues other than personal professional membership dues, promotional materials, and grant writing services. Expenditures for food and refreshments, other than those provided to clients in the care of the agency or to foster parents, adoptive parents, and caseworkers during training sessions, are not allowable.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a community-based care lead agency administrative employee may not receive a salary, whether base pay or base pay combined with any bonus or incentive payments, in excess of 150 percent of the annual salary paid to the secretary of the Department of Children and Families from state-appropriated funds, including state-appropriated federal funds. This subsection does not prohibit any party from providing cash that is not from appropriated state funds to a community-based care lead agency administrative employee.

(4) A lead community-based care agency and its subcontractors are exempt from state travel policies as provided in s. 112.061(3)(a) for their travel expenses incurred in order to comply with the requirements of this section.

History.—s. 36, ch. 2014-224; s. 31, ch. 2017-151.