(A) Subject to division (B) of this section, contracts awarded pursuant to a reverse auction under section 125.072 of the Revised Code or pursuant to competitive sealed bidding, including contracts awarded under section 125.081 of the Revised Code, shall be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in accordance with section 9.312 of the Revised Code. When the contract is for meat products as defined in section 918.01 of the Revised Code or poultry products as defined in section 918.21 of the Revised Code, only those bids received from vendors under inspection of the United States department of agriculture or who are licensed by the Ohio department of agriculture shall be eligible for acceptance. The department of administrative services may accept or reject any or all bids in whole or by items, except that when the contract is for services or products available from a qualified nonprofit agency pursuant to sections 125.60 to 125.6012 or 4115.31 to 4115.35 of the Revised Code, the contract shall be awarded to that agency.

(B) Prior to awarding a contract under division (A) of this section, the department of administrative services or the state agency responsible for evaluating a contract for the purchase of products shall evaluate the bids received according to the criteria and procedures established pursuant to divisions (C)(1) and (2) of section 125.09 of the Revised Code for determining if a product is produced or mined in the United States and if a product is produced or mined in this state. The department or other state agency shall first consider bids that offer products that have been or that will be produced or mined in the United States. From among the remaining bids, the department or other state agency shall select the lowest responsive and responsible bid, in accordance with section 9.312 of the Revised Code, from among the bids that offer products that have been produced or mined in this state where sufficient competition can be generated within this state to ensure that compliance with these requirements will not result in an excessive price for the product or acquiring a disproportionately inferior product.

(C) Division (B) of this section applies to contracts for which competitive bidding is waived by the controlling board.

(D) Division (B) of this section does not apply to the purchase by the division of liquor control of spirituous liquor.

(E) The director of administrative services shall publish in the form of a model act for use by counties, townships, municipal corporations, or any other political subdivision described in division (B) of section 125.04 of the Revised Code, a system of preferences for products mined and produced in this state and in the United States and for Ohio-based contractors. The model act shall reflect substantial equivalence to the system of preferences in purchasing and public improvement contracting procedures under which the state operates pursuant to this chapter and section 153.012 of the Revised Code. To the maximum extent possible, consistent with the Ohio system of preferences in purchasing and public improvement contracting procedures, the model act shall incorporate all of the requirements of the federal "Buy America Act," 47 Stat. 1520 (1933), 41 U.S.C. 10a to 10d, as amended, and the rules adopted under that act.

Before and during the development and promulgation of the model act, the director shall consult with appropriate statewide organizations representing counties, townships, and municipal corporations so as to identify the special requirements and concerns these political subdivisions have in their purchasing and public improvement contracting procedures. The director shall promulgate the model act by rule adopted pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code and shall revise the act as necessary to reflect changes in this chapter or section 153.012 of the Revised Code.

The director shall make available copies of the model act, supporting information, and technical assistance to any township, county, or municipal corporation wishing to incorporate the provisions of the act into its purchasing or public improvement contracting procedure.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.7, HB 114, §101.01, eff. 6/29/2011.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 10-26-2001; 06-30-2005