* § 103-a. State information technology innovation center. 1. The
director may establish a state information technology innovation center
or "iCenter" to develop, pilot, and consider technology solutions to
assist the state, state agencies, authorities, municipalities and other
governmental entities find potential solutions to their technology needs
or requirements. The director shall ensure the iCenter complies with all
state laws, rules, regulations, and policies. Vendor participation in
the iCenter shall not be construed to:

(a) create preferred status for any vendor in any government
procurement, or

(b) abrogate the requirement that technology procurements are awarded
pursuant to all applicable laws, including such laws requiring a
competitive process.

2. The director shall implement guidelines to carry out the provisions
of this section which shall not contravene any provision of the state
finance law. Such procedures shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) establishing the process for selecting vendors for participation
in the iCenter, which shall be a public process;

(b) establishing a process to determine which technology needs or
requirements shall be iCenter initiatives; and

(c) establishing safeguards to ensure the iCenter does not function in
a manner that results in the circumvention of competitive bidding,
including but not limited to through single and sole source exemptions.

3. The director shall conduct an outreach campaign informing the
public of the iCenter and shall conduct specific outreach to minority
and women-owned business enterprises certified pursuant to article
fifteen-A of the executive law, small businesses as such term is defined
in section one hundred thirty-one of the economic development law, and
service disabled veteran owned business enterprises certified pursuant
to article three of the veterans' services law to inform such businesses
of iCenter initiatives.

4. Every January first, beginning in two thousand nineteen, the
director shall submit a report to the speaker of the assembly, the
temporary president of the senate, and the governor detailing iCenter
initiatives undertaken in the prior year. Such report shall include but
not be limited to: an identification of any state resources used to
support the iCenter in the prior year; the number and nature of iCenter
initiatives undertaken in the prior year; the identity of vendors that
participated in the iCenter in the prior year, any iCenter initiatives
piloted in the prior year that were subsequently awarded a procurement
contract with any state agency to the extent the office of information
technology services may be aware of such contracts; and an evaluation of
the effectiveness of the iCenter. Such report shall be publicly posted
on the office's website.

* NB Repealed June 30, 2028