UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 1 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA AN ACT relating to government contracts and declaring an emergency. 1 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2 Section 1. KRS 45A.030 is amended to read as follows: 3 As used in this code, unless the context requires otherwise: 4 (1) "Business" means any corporation, partnership, individual, sole proprietorship, joint 5 stock company, joint venture, or any other legal entity through which business is 6 conducted; 7 (2) "Change order" means a written order signed by the purchasing officer, directing 8 the contractor to make changes that the changes clause of the contract authorizes 9 the purchasing officer to order without the consent of the contractor; 10 (3) "Chief purchasing officer" means the secretary of the Finance and Administration 11 Cabinet, who shall be responsible for all procurement of the Commonwealth except 12 as provided by KRS Chapters 150, 175, 175B, 176, 177, and 180; 13 (4) "Construction" means the process of building, altering, repairing, improving, or 14 demolishing any public structures or buildings, or other public improvements of any 15 kind to any public real property. It does not include the routine maintenance of 16 existing structures, buildings, or real property; 17 (5) "Construction manager-agency" means services to assist the purchasing agency 18 manage construction that are procured through a contract that is qualifications-19 based; 20 (6) "Construction management-at-risk" means a project delivery method in which the 21 purchasing officer enters into a single contract with an offeror that assumes the risk 22 for construction at a contracted guaranteed maximum price as a general contractor, 23 and provides consultation and collaboration regarding the construction during and 24 after design of a capital project. The contract shall be subject to the bonding 25 requirements of KRS 45A.190; 26 (7) "Construction manager-general contractor" means a project delivery method in 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 2 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA which the purchasing officer enters into a single contract with an offeror to provide 1 preconstruction and construction services. During the preconstruction phase, the 2 successful offeror provides design consulting services. During the construction 3 phase, the successful offeror acts as general contractor by: 4 (a) Contracting with subcontractors; and 5 (b) Providing for management and construction at a fixed price with a completion 6 deadline; 7 (8) "Contract" means all types of state agreements, including memoranda of 8 agreement, grants, and orders, for the acquisition, purchase, or disposal of supplies, 9 services, construction, or any other item. It includes: awards; contracts of a fixed-10 price, cost, cost-plus-a-fixed-fee, contingency fee, or incentive type; contracts 11 providing for the issuance of job or task orders; leases; letter contracts; purchase 12 orders; public-private partnership agreements; program administration contracts; 13 personal service contracts; and insurance contracts except as provided in KRS 14 45A.022. It includes supplemental agreements with respect to any of the foregoing; 15 (9) "Contract modification" means any written alteration in the specifications, delivery 16 point, rate of delivery, contract period, price, quantity, or other contract provisions 17 of any existing contract, whether accomplished by unilateral action in accordance 18 with a contract provision or by mutual action of the parties to the contract. It 19 includes bilateral actions, such as supplemental agreements, and unilateral actions, 20 such as change orders, administrative changes, notices of termination, and notices 21 of the exercise of a contract option; 22 (10) "Contractor" means any person having a contract with a governmental body; 23 (11) "Data" means recorded information, regardless of form or characteristic; 24 (12) "Design-bid-build" means a project delivery method in which the purchasing officer 25 sequentially awards separate contracts, the first for architectural, engineering, or 26 engineering-related services to design the project and the second for construction of 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 3 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA the capital project according to the design. The contract shall be subject to the 1 bonding requirements of KRS 45A.185; 2 (13) "Design-build" means a project delivery method in which the purchasing officer 3 enters into a single contract for design and construction of a capital project. The 4 contract shall be subject to the bonding requirements of KRS 45A.190; 5 (14) "Designee" means a duly authorized representative of a person holding a superior 6 position; 7 (15) "Document" means any physical embodiment of information or ideas, regardless of 8 form or characteristic, including electronic versions thereof; 9 (16) "Employee" means an individual drawing a salary from a governmental body, 10 whether elected or not, and any nonsalaried individual performing personal services 11 for any governmental body; 12 (17) "Governmental body" means any department, commission, council, board, bureau, 13 committee, institution, legislative body, agency, government corporation, or other 14 establishment of the executive or legislative branch of the state government; 15 (18) "Meeting" means all gatherings of every kind, including video teleconferences; 16 (19) "Negotiation" means contracting by either the method set forth in KRS 45A.085, 17 45A.090, or 45A.095; 18 (20) "Person" means any business, individual, organization, or group of individuals; 19 (21) "Private partner" means any entity that is a partner in a public-private partnership 20 other than: 21 (a) The Commonwealth of Kentucky, or any agency or department thereof; 22 (b) The federal government; 23 (c) Any other state government; or 24 (d) Any agency of a state, federal, or local government; 25 (22) "Procurement" means the purchasing, buying, renting, leasing, or otherwise 26 obtaining of any supplies, services, or construction. It includes all functions that 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 4 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA pertain to the procurement of any supply, service, or construction item, including 1 description of requirements, selection and solicitation of sources, preparation and 2 award of contract, and all phases of contract administration; 3 (23) "Public-private partnership" means a project delivery method for construction or 4 financing of capital projects, as defined in KRS 45.750, or procurement of services, 5 pursuant to a written public-private partnership agreement entered into pursuant to 6 KRS 45A.077 and administrative regulations promulgated thereunder, between: 7 (a) At least one (1) private partner; and 8 (b) The Commonwealth of Kentucky, or any agency or department thereof; 9 (24) "Purchase request" or "purchase requisition" means that document whereby a using 10 agency requests that a contract be obtained for a specified need, and may include, 11 but is not limited to, the technical description of the requested item, delivery 12 schedule, transportation, criteria for evaluation of solicitees, suggested sources of 13 supply, and information supplied for the making of any written determination and 14 finding required by KRS 45A.025; 15 (25) "Purchasing agency" means any governmental body that is authorized by this code 16 or its implementing administrative regulations or by way of delegation from the 17 chief purchasing officer to contract on its own behalf rather than through the central 18 contracting authority of the chief purchasing officer; 19 (26) "Purchasing officer" means any person authorized by a governmental body in 20 accordance with procedures prescribed by administrative regulations to enter into 21 and administer contracts and make written determinations and findings with respect 22 thereto. The term includes an authorized representative acting within the limits of 23 authority; 24 (27) "Services" means the rendering by a contractor of its time and effort rather than the 25 furnishing of a specific end product, other than reports that are merely incidental to 26 the required performance of services; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 5 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA (28) "Supplemental agreement" means any contract modification that is accomplished 1 by the mutual action of the parties; 2 (29) "Supplies" means all property, including but not limited to leases of real property, 3 printing, and insurance, except land or a permanent interest in land; 4 (30) "Using agency" means any governmental body of the state that utilizes any 5 supplies, services, or construction purchased under this code; 6 (31) "Video teleconference" means one (1) meeting, occurring in two (2) or more 7 locations, where individuals can see and hear each other by means of video and 8 audio equipment; and 9 (32) "Writing" or "written" means letters, words, or numbers, or their equivalent, set 10 down by handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostating, photographing, magnetic 11 impulse, mechanical or electronic recording, or other form of data compilation. 12 Section 2. KRS 45A.035 is amended to read as follows: 13 (1) The secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet shall have power and 14 authority over, and may, except as otherwise expressly provided in this code, adopt 15 regulations pursuant to KRS Chapter 13A and consistent with this code governing 16 the purchasing, management, and control of any and all supplies, services, and 17 construction, and other items required to be purchased by the Commonwealth. The 18 secretary shall consider and decide matters of policy with regard to state 19 procurement. The secretary shall have the power of review with respect to the 20 implementation of administrative regulations and policy determinations. 21 (2) Administrative regulations shall be promulgated[adopted] governing the following: 22 (a) Conditions and procedures for delegations of purchasing authority; 23 (b) Prequalification, suspension, debarment, and reinstatement of prospective 24 bidders; 25 (c) Small purchase procedures; 26 (d) Conditions and procedures for the purchase of items for resale; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 6 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA (e) Conditions and procedures for the purchase of agricultural products in 1 accordance with KRS 45A.645; 2 (f) Conditions and procedures for the use of source selection methods authorized 3 by this code, including emergency purchases; 4 (g) Opening and rejection of bids or offers, consideration of alternate bids, and 5 waiver of informalities in offers; 6 (h) Confidentiality of technical data and trade secrets information submitted by 7 actual or prospective bidders or offerors; 8 (i) Partial, progressive, and multiple awards; 9 (j) Supervision of storerooms and inventories, including determination of 10 appropriate stock levels and the management, transfer, sale, or other disposal 11 of state-owned property; 12 (k) Definitions and classes of contractual services and procedures for acquiring 13 them; 14 (l) An appeals process to resolve disputes arising from specifications requiring 15 items deemed to be equivalent or a sole brand as specified in KRS 45A.170; 16 [and] 17 (m) Use of reverse auctions as defined in KRS 45A.070; and 18 (n) Policies and procedures governing timely payments, reimbursement, and 19 dispute resolution for contract payments in violation of KRS 45.453 and 20 Section 3 of this Act. 21 The secretary may promulgate[adopt such] other administrative regulations as 22 deemed advisable to carry out the purposes of this code. 23 SECTION 3. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 45A IS CREATED TO 24 READ AS FOLLOWS: 25 (1) For any contract awarded under this chapter, all payments shall be timely made 26 pursuant to KRS 45.451 and 45.453, the terms of the contract, and as required in 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 7 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA this section. 1 (2) All contracts shall include provisions for: 2 (a) Negotiated terms for timely payments; 3 (b) Penalties for payments not received: 4 1. Within thirty (30) business days after the person or contractor has 5 submitted a timely and properly completed request for payment; or 6 2. In accordance with the payment terms of the contract; 7 (c) A payment dispute and resolution process; 8 (d) Partial payment terms shall be included to: 9 1. Allow disbursement of partial payment with agreed-upon payment 10 process for goods received or services performed that are not rejected 11 or deficient; or 12 2. Not allow disbursement of partial payment for goods received or 13 services performed that are not rejected or deficient; and 14 (e) When invoices are utilized for payment, terms for the invoice requirements, 15 including form, format, delivery, necessary information, supporting 16 documentation, and communication and notification procedures for 17 complete invoices. 18 (3) The contracting agency shall notify the vendor of any errors in an invoice or a 19 requirement of any additional or missing information within ten (10) calendar 20 days from receipt of goods, service, or invoice. 21 (4) (a) If a person or contractor has: 22 1. Properly delivered a good or service; 23 2. Timely and properly completed request for payment pursuant to this 24 section or in accordance with the payment terms of the contract; and 25 3. Not received payment within twenty-five (25) business days, the person 26 or contractor may notify the purchasing agency. The notice for 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 8 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA requirement of timely payment shall include the date on which interest 1 is anticipated to begin accruing. 2 (b) In accordance with KRS 45.454, and except as provided in KRS 371.405, if 3 the contracting agency fails to remit payment to the person or contractor 4 within thirty (30) business days, beginning on the thirty-first business day 5 after receipt of the request for payment or failure of the contracting agency 6 to remit payment in accordance with the terms of the contract, the 7 contracting agency shall accrue a penalty of one percent (1%) per month or 8 twelve percent (12%) per annum of the unpaid amount for each thirty (30) 9 days or fraction thereof that the payment is outstanding payable to the 10 person or contractor. 11 (c) If a person or contractor has not received payment within thirty (30) 12 business days for an approved invoice, and the person or contractor 13 executed a loan, line of credit, revolving credit, or other financial 14 instrument in order to fulfill the obligations and continue performance of 15 the contract, they may seek to recover from the purchasing agency the 16 interest and costs of credit borne until the date payment has been issued. 17 (d) If the purchasing agency has transmitted a rejection notice to the person or 18 contractor, there shall be a ten (10) calendar day correction period for the 19 person or contractor to remedy any problems in the delivery of a good or 20 service or submit a corrected invoice to fulfill the approval requirements. 21 Utilization of the ten (10) calendar day correction period shall not create a 22 new date of submission or receipt for all items included in the invoice or 23 terms of the contract and shall not be considered a new invoice for 24 calculation of the late payment fee pursuant to KRS 45.454. 25 (e) In accordance with KRS 45.458, the interest penalty and reimbursement 26 payments will be paid by the contracting agency and the amount of the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 9 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA payments shall not be deducted from the contract budget, and modifications 1 shall not be made to the budget of the contract, the total award of the 2 contract, funds encumbered or obligated for the contract, or total amount 3 available to fulfill the contract agreement as awarded by the contracting 4 agency. 5 (4) The secretary shall promulgate administrative regulations in accordance with 6 KRS Chapter 13A no later than December 31, 2025, to implement this section. 7 (5) (a) Beginning on July 1, 2025, the Finance and Administration Cabinet shall 8 submit a written report every six (6) months to the Legislative Research 9 Commission for referral to: 10 1. The Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue, or 11 House and Senate Standing Committees on Appropriations and 12 Revenue, as appropriate; and 13 2. The Interim Joint Committee on State Government, or Senate 14 Standing Committee on State and Local Government and House 15 Standing Committee on State Government, as appropriate; 16 regarding any penalties and reimbursements paid by the Commonwealth of 17 Kentucky due to payments that are not timely made subject to the terms of a 18 contract in accordance with this section and Sections 1 and 2 of this Act or 19 pursuant to KRS 45.454. 20 (b) The report shall include the amount of penalties and amount of 21 reimbursements paid, by category, including but not limited to: 22 1. Cabinet; 23 2. Agency; 24 3. Procurement category or class; 25 4. Contract procurement type; 26 5. Contractor organization type and classification; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 10 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA 6. Commodity class code and service code; 1 7. Fund source; 2 8. Amount of penalty paid for interest under subsection (4)(b) of this 3 section; and 4 9. Amount paid in compliance with subsection (4)(c)of this section. 5 (6) (a) Beginning on July 1, 2025, the Finance and Administration Cabinet shall 6 submit a written report every six (6) months to the Legislative Research 7 Commission for referral to: 8 1. The Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue, or 9 House and Senate Standing Committees on Appropriations and 10 Revenue, as appropriate; and 11 2. The Interim Joint Committee on State Government, or Senate 12 Standing Committee on State and Local Government and House 13 Standing Committee on State Government, as appropriate; 14 regarding any outstanding obligations of the Commonwealth of Kentucky 15 due to payments that are not timely made subject to the negotiated terms of 16 a contract in accordance with this section and Sections 1 and 2 of this Act 17 or pursuant to KRS 45.454. 18 (b) The report shall include the amount of the invoices that have been due and 19 owing for more than thirty (30) business days, by category, including but 20 not limited to: 21 1. Cabinet; 22 2. Department; 23 3. Agency; 24 4. Procurement category or class; 25 5. Contract procurement type; 26 6. Fund source; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS HB 622/GA Page 11 of 11 HB062210.100 - 839 - XXXX 3/4/2025 4:06 PM GA 7. Contractor organization type and classification; 1 8. Commodity class code and service code; and 2 9. Quantity of invoices and amount due and owing by thirty (30) day time 3 intervals, including but not limited to amount due and obligated for 4 more than: 5 a. Thirty (30) business days; 6 b. Sixty (60) business days; 7 c. Ninety (90) business days; and 8 d. One hundred twenty (120) business days. 9 Section 4. Whereas the timely payment to organizations and businesses that are 10 contracting with the Commonwealth to provide essential goods and services to its citizens 11 is important for economic growth, an emergency is declared to exist, and this Act takes 12 effect upon its passage and approval by the Governor or upon its otherwise becoming a 13 law. 14