A. The Partnership Committee shall have the ability to identify potential public-private partnerships, to review and endorse a short list of qualified bidders, to approve requests for proposals and to approve template contracts before they are sent to bidders. The Partnership Committee shall operate with the assistance of the Office of Public-Private Partnerships. In order to protect the Separation of Power set out in Article IV of the Oklahoma Constitution, the Partnership Committee shall not have the power to enter into any contract, nor shall it have the power to block any contract negotiated by the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) and the authorized representative of any responsible state agency.

B. There shall be established within OMES an Office of Public-Private Partnerships, which shall have the authority to charge fees for services it shall render as part of the procedures to establish partnerships in accordance with this act and to receive money to cover its operating expenses and to accomplish the purposes of this act.

C. The Director of OMES and the authorized representative of a responsible state agency shall jointly take any action and execute any public-private partnership contract, authorized under this act, for the provision of a public service in order to more efficiently and effectively provide public services, including by generating additional resources in support of those public services and related projects.

Added by Laws 2017, c. 251, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 2017.