[ Text of section effective until November 1, 2012. For text effective November 1, 2012, see below.]

  Section 137. Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, any non-profit institution in the commonwealth or any agency, executive office, department, board, commission, bureau, division, or authority of the commonwealth, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the commonwealth, or of any political subdivision thereof, or of any authority established by the general court to serve a public purpose, may, unless located within the boundaries of a community served by a municipal light department, participate in and become a member of any program organized and administered, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, by or on behalf of any public instrumentality of the commonwealth or of any subsidiary organization thereof for the purpose of group purchasing of electricity, natural gas, telecommunications services, or similar products.

Chapter 164: Section 137. Participation in group purchasing of electricity, natural gas, telecommunications services or similar products

[ Text of section as amended by 2012, 209, Sec. 22 effective November 1, 2012. For text effective until November 1, 2012, see above.]

  Section 137. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, (i) any non-profit institution in the commonwealth or any agency, executive office, department, board, commission, bureau, division or authority of the commonwealth, including the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the commonwealth, or of any political subdivision thereof, or of any authority established by the general court to serve a public purpose, may, unless located within the boundaries of a community served by a municipal light department, participate in and become a member of any competitively procured program organized and administered, under this chapter, by or on behalf of any public instrumentality of the commonwealth or of any subsidiary organization thereof for the purpose of group purchasing of electricity, natural gas, telecommunications services or similar products; (ii) the disposition of municipal or state real property by lease, easement or license for renewable energy shall not require competitive bidding when part of a power purchase agreement or a net metering agreement in a program organized and administered under this section; (iii) any agency, executive office, department, board, commission, bureau, division or authority of the commonwealth, including the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the commonwealth, may, on behalf of the commonwealth, dispose of real property, by lease, easement or license, which is part of a power purchase agreement or net metering agreement in a program organized and administered under this section, including, but not limited to, construction of renewable energy projects on state property; and (iv) any renewable energy project which is part of a power purchase agreement or net metering agreement in a program organized and administered under this section and considered to be public construction shall be subject to sections 26 to 27D, inclusive, of chapter 149.