11—117.11 (8A) Procurement of information technology devices and services. This rule applies to the procurement of information technology devices and services by participating agencies.
	   117.11(1) Approval of participating agency information technology procurements.
	      a.    	 All procurement of information technology devices and services must meet operational standards prescribed by the department.
	      b.    	 With the exception of requests for proposals (RFPs) which are approved by the technology governance board, procurement of all information technology devices and services, projects and outsourcing of $50,000 or more or a total involvement of 750 participating agency staff hours or more must receive prior approval from the department of administrative services, information technology enterprise (DAS/ITE), before a participating agency issues a competitive selection document or any other procurement document or otherwise seeks to procure information technology devices or services or both through the department or on its own purchasing authority. The participating agency’s approval request shall be in a form prescribed by the department.
	      c.    	 Participating agencies shall notify the technology governance board in writing on a quarterly basis that technology purchases made during the previous quarter were in compliance with the technology governance board’s procurement rules and information technology operational standards.
	      d.    	 Participating agencies shall not break purchasing into smaller increments for the purpose of avoiding threshold requirements of this subrule.
	   117.11(2) Review process for proposed procurements.
	      a.    	 With the exception of requests for proposals (RFPs) which are approved by the technology governance board, the department shall review a proposed information technology procurement of a participating agency regardless of funding source, method of procurement, or agency procurement authority.
	      b.    	 The department shall review a proposed procurement for compliance with operational standards established by the department.
	      c.    	 Once procurement is approved, ongoing approval by the department is not required provided that the procurement or scope of work remains consistent with the previously approved procurement or scope of work.
	      d.    	 Participating agencies shall obtain the department’s approval anytime a material modification of the procurement or the scope of work is completed. Review and approval by the department is required prior to implementation of a material modification to a previously approved proposed procurement by a participating agency or by the department on behalf of a participating agency.
	      e.    	 After approval of the procurement is forwarded to the agency contact person and appropriate procurement authority contacts, the procurement may proceed.
	      f.    	 When a procurement is not approved, the agency contact will be notified of available options, which include modification and resubmission of the request, cancellation of the request, or requesting a waiver from the director on the recommendation of the technology governance board pursuant to subrule 117.11(3).
	      g.    	 The department may periodically audit procurements made by a participating agency for compliance with this rule and operational standards of the department. When the audit determines that inconsistencies with established operational standards or with this rule exist, the participating agency shall comply with technology governance board directives to remedy the noncompliance.
	      h.    	 Information technology devices and services not complying with applicable operational standards shall not be procured by any participating agency unless a waiver is granted by the director on the recommendation of the technology governance board.
	      i.    	 Upon request by a participating agency, the department may procure, as provided by these rules, any information technology devices or information technology services requested by or on behalf of an agency and accordingly bill the agency through the department’s regular process for the information technology devices or information technology services or for the use of such devices or services.
	      j.    	 The department may provide pertinent advice to a procurement authority or participating agency regarding the procurement of information technology devices or services, including opportunities for aggregation with other procurements.
	      k.    	 The department shall establish and maintain a Web page (http://das.ite.iowa.gov/standards/enterprise_it/index.html) of current operational standards for information technology devices and services. The Web page shall be updated from time to time with additions, deletions and modifications.
	   117.11(3) Waiver requests for operational standards.
	      a.    	 Waiver requests. In the event a participating agency is advised that its proposed procurement is disapproved and the participating agency seeks a waiver of operational standards, it must file its written waiver request with the department within five calendar days of the date of the disapproval. The waiver request shall be filed pursuant to rule 11—25.6(8A).
	      b.    	 Hearing. The department may conduct a hearing with the participating agency regarding the waiver request. Additional evidence may be offered at the time of the hearing. Oral proceedings shall be recorded either by mechanized means or by a certified shorthand reporter. Parties requesting that the hearing be recorded by a certified shorthand reporter shall bear the costs. Copies of tapes of oral proceedings or transcripts recorded by certified shorthand reporters shall be paid for by the requester.
	      c.    	 Burden of proof. The burden of proof is on the participating agency to show that good cause exists to grant a waiver to the participating agency to complete the proposed procurement.
	      d.    	 The director shall notify the participating agency in writing of the decision to grant or deny the waiver. In the event a waiver is denied, the participating agency may appeal pursuant to Iowa Code section 679A.19.
[ARC 0952C, IAB 8/21/13, effective 9/25/13; ARC 2036C, IAB 6/10/15, effective 7/15/15]