Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 58 - Purchases and Printing
Section 4a-56. (Formerly Sec. 4-123). - Purchasing standards and specifications.

The Commissioner of Administrative Services or his designee may classify the requirements of the state government for supplies, materials and equipment which may be purchased by the state and may adopt as standards the minimum number of qualities, sizes and varieties of such supplies, materials and equipment consistent with the successful operation of the state government. If the commissioner adopts any such standards, the commissioner shall prepare, adopt and promulgate written specifications describing such standards, provided specifications shall not be required for any supplies, materials or equipment for which the commissioner determines that the cost of preparing specifications would outweigh the benefits. In the preparation and revision of any such standard specification, the commissioner or his designee may seek the advice, assistance and cooperation of the state agencies concerned in order to ascertain their precise requirements. Each specification adopted for any commodity shall satisfy the requirements of the state departments, agencies and institutions which are to make use of the same, unless the commissioner approves a waiver of the specification and states the reason for the waiver in writing. In developing specifications for the purchase of motor vehicles, the commissioner or his designee shall consider motor vehicles using alternative fuels. The commissioner may adopt energy performance standards.

(1949 Rev., S. 256; 1959, P.A. 258, S. 13; P.A. 77-614, S. 104, 610; P.A. 88-297, S. 8; P.A. 90-219, S. 1; P.A. 94-126, S. 3; P.A. 95-285, S. 2, 9; 95-346, S. 1, 4; P.A. 99-161, S. 1, 11; P.A. 16-173, S. 5.)
History: 1959 act substituted “director of purchases” for “supervisor of purchases”; P.A. 77-614 repealed director of purchases with commissioner of administrative services; P.A. 88-297 added exception to requirement of standards and specifications for supplies, materials or equipment for which commissioner determines that cost of preparing standards and specifications would outweigh benefits; Sec. 4-123 transferred to Sec. 4a-56 in 1989; P.A. 90-219 required the committee to consider motor vehicles using alternative fuels when developing specifications; P.A. 94-126 added the comptroller and treasurer or their designees to the committee, required commissioner's determination re cost and benefits of preparing standards and specifications be in writing and added provision re waiver of specifications; P.A. 95-285 substituted the Commissioner of Administrative Services or his designee for the Standardization Committee, deleting provision describing members comprising committee, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-346 added provision re energy performance standards, effective July 1, 1995 (Revisor's note: The phrase “The committee may adopt the energy performance standards” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “The commissioner may adopt the energy performance standards” to reflect the provisions of P.A. 95-285 described above); P.A. 99-161 made standards permissive rather than mandatory and made technical changes, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 16-173 deleted “established pursuant to subsection (j) of section 16a-38” and made a technical change, effective July 1, 2016.
See Sec. 4a-58 re Standardization Committee.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes