Section 21A: Debarment or suspension of contractors or vendors
Section 21A. Debarment or Suspension of Contractors or Vendors. — (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context requires otherwise, have the following meanings:—
''Affiliates'', entities which are affiliates of each other when either directly or indirectly 1 concern or individual controls or has the power to control another or when a third party controls or has the power to control both.
''Contract'', a contract for the furnishing of supplies or services to a retirement board.
''Debarment'', an exclusion from contracting or subcontracting with a retirement board for a reasonable and specified period of time commensurate with the seriousness of the offense.
''Person'', a natural person, business, partnership, corporation, union, committee, club or other organization, entity or group of individuals.
''Retirement board'', a board established under chapter 32, chapter 34B or the retirement board of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, excluding the pension reserves investment management board.
''Suspension'', the temporary disqualification of a vendor who is suspected upon adequate evidence of engaging or having engaged in conduct which constitutes grounds for debarment.
''Vendor'', a person that has furnished or seeks to furnish supplies or services under a contract with a retirement board.
(b) The commission shall establish and maintain a consolidated list of vendors to whom contracts shall not be awarded and from whom offers, bids or proposals shall not be solicited. The list shall show at a minimum the following information:
(1) the names of those persons debarred or suspended in alphabetical order with appropriate cross reference where more than 1 name is involved in a single debarment or suspension;
(2) the basis of authority for each debarment or suspension;
(3) the extent of restrictions imposed;
(4) the termination date of each debarment or suspension; and
(5) in the case of a suspension, the hearing date, if and when set, for debarment proceedings.
The commission shall cause the list to be kept current by the issuance of notices of additions and deletions. The list shall be published on a periodic basis, together with notices of additions and deletions, in the goods and services bulletin and the central register published by the state secretary and in other publications as the commission shall designate. The commission shall also forward the list to the inspector general, the attorney general and the state auditor.
(c) Debarment may be imposed for the following causes:
(1) conviction or final adjudication by a court or administrative agency of competent jurisdiction of any of the following offenses:
(i) a criminal offense incident to obtaining or attempting to obtain a public or private contract or subcontract, or in the performance of such contract or subcontract;
(ii) a criminal offense involving embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, receiving stolen property or any other offense indicating a lack of business integrity or business honesty which seriously and directly affects the vendor's present responsibility as a public contractor;
(iii) a violation of state or federal antitrust laws arising out of the submission of bids or proposals;
(iv) a violation of chapter 268A; or
(v) a violation of this chapter.
(2) substantial evidence, as determined by the commission, of any of the following acts:
(i) willfully supplying materially-false information incident to obtaining or attempting to obtain or performing any public contract or subcontract;
(ii) willful failure to comply with record-keeping and accounting requirements prescribed by law or regulation;
(iii) a record of failure to perform or of unsatisfactory performance under the terms of 1 or more public contracts; provided, however, that the failure to perform or unsatisfactory performance has occurred within a reasonable period of time preceding the determination to debar; and provided further, that the failure to perform or unsatisfactory performance was not caused by factors beyond the vendor's control;
(iv) the submission to the board or the commission of an inaccurate disclosure statement;
(v) the failure to disclose to the board and the commission compensation provided to a person in regards to attempting to obtain or the performance of a public contract or subcontract, including, but not limited to, compensation provided by third parties retained by the vendor to another person; or
(vi) any other cause affecting the responsibility of a vendor which the commission determines to be of a serious and compelling nature as to warrant debarment.
(d) No vendor may be suspended unless the commission has first informed the vendor by written notice of the proposed suspension mailed by registered or certified mail to the vendor's last known address, except when the commission determines that immediate suspension is necessary to prevent serious harm to the retirement system, in which case the suspension shall take effect immediately upon signing by the executive director of the commission of an order of suspension and notice shall be mailed to the vendor as soon as possible. The notice shall inform the vendor of the reasons for the proposed suspension and shall state that the vendor may, within 14 days, respond in writing and may in the response request a hearing. The commission may extend the period for response at the request of the vendor. The commission shall determine whether to impose the suspension or, in the case of an emergency suspension imposed prior to notice to the vendor, whether to continue the suspension after reviewing the vendor's response, if any, and making an investigation as the commission determines is necessary and appropriate. An indictment, or any information or other filing by a public agency charging a criminal offense, for any of the offenses listed in paragraph (1) of subsection (c) shall constitute adequate evidence to support a suspension.
If the vendor requests a hearing and the suspension is not based on an indictment, the commission shall conduct a hearing according to the rules for the conduct of adjudicatory hearings established by the secretary of administration under chapter 30A. The hearing shall be initiated within 30 days of the imposition of the suspension, unless the vendor requests that the hearing be delayed. Officers and employees of the commission and records of the commission shall not be subject to subpoena for such hearing, if in the opinion of the commission production of records or testimony would prejudice any pending investigation by the commission.
A suspension shall not exceed 12 months unless a pending administrative or judicial proceeding in which the vendor is a party may result in a conviction or final adjudication of an offense listed in paragraph (1) of subsection (c).
(e) No vendor may be debarred under this section unless the commission has first informed the vendor of the proposed debarment by written notice mailed by registered or certified mail to the vendor's last known address. The notice shall inform the vendor of the reasons for the debarment and shall state that the vendor will have an opportunity for a hearing if the vendor so requests within 14 days of receipt of the notice. A hearing requested under this paragraph shall be conducted by the commission within 60 days of receipt of the request, unless the commission grants additional time at the request of the vendor. The hearing shall be conducted according to the rules for the conduct of adjudicatory hearings established by the secretary of administration under chapter 30A. A debarment shall not be imposed until (i) 14 days after receipt by the vendor of notice of the proposed debarment if no hearing is requested; or (ii) the issuance of a written decision by the commission which makes specific findings that there is sufficient evidence to support the debarment and that debarment for the period specified in the decision is required to protect the integrity of the public contracting process. A vendor shall be notified forthwith by registered or certified mail of the decision and of the vendor's right to judicial review in the event that the decision is adverse to the vendor. If a suspension precedes a debarment, the suspension period shall be considered in determining the debarment period.
(f) A debarment or suspension may include all known affiliates of a vendor. The decision to include a known affiliate within the scope of a debarment or suspension shall be made on a case-by-case basis, after giving due regard to all relevant facts and circumstances. The offense or act of an individual justifying suspension, or the evidence justifying a suspension, may be imputed to the entity with which the individual is connected when such offense or act occurred in connection with the individual's performance of duties for or on behalf of the entity or with the knowledge, approval, or acquiescence of the entity or 1 or more of its principals. The entity's acceptance of the benefits derived from the conduct shall be evidence of such knowledge, approval or acquiescence. The offense or act of an entity justifying debarment, or the evidence justifying a suspension, may be imputed to any officer, director, shareholder, partner, employee or other individual associated with the entity who participated in, knew of, or had reason to know of the entity's act. An entity may not be suspended or debarred except in accordance with the procedures in this section.
(g) In determining whether to debar a vendor, or the period of a debarment, all mitigating facts and circumstances shall be taken into consideration. A debarment may be removed or the period of debarment may be reduced by the commission upon the submission of an application supported by documentary evidence setting forth appropriate grounds for the granting of relief, such as newly discovered material evidence, reversal of a judgment or conviction, bona fide change of ownership or management or the elimination of the cause for which the debarment was imposed.
(h) During the period for which a person has been debarred or suspended, that person shall not submit or cause to be submitted offers, bids, or proposals to any retirement board, nor shall any retirement board solicit or consider offers, bids, or proposals from, nor execute, renew, or extend any contract with, a debarred or suspended vendor and a vendor shall not contract for services from a debarred or suspended subcontractor on any contract with a retirement system.