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House Bill No. 5247
Public Act No. 26-131
AN ACT CONCERNING A TEST BED TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) ( Effective October 1, 2026 ) (a) (1) Not later than
January 1, 2027, the Governor may direct the Commissioner of
Administrative Services to establish and administer, within available
appropriations and in consultation with Connecticut Innovations,
Incorporated, an online portal for the pu rpose of facilitating programs
to pilot test technologies, products or processes in any agency of the
state to determine whether any such technology, product or process
may reduce operational costs in any state agency. Such portal shall be
made available o n the Internet web site of the Department of
Administrative Services.
(2) If, in the exercise of the commissioner's powers and duties
pursuant to this section, the commissioner, in consultation with
Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated finds that (A) the use of a certain
technology, product or process would promote operatio nal cost
reduction, and (B) the use of such technology, product or process would
be feasible in the operations of a state agency and would not have any
detrimental effect on such operations, the commissioner shall
recommend that such agency undertake a pil ot test during which such
agency shall use such technology, product or process in the operations
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of such agency on a temporary basis. The purpose of such pilot test shall
be to validate the effectiveness of such technology, product or process
in reducing operational costs.
(3) The commissioner shall not recommend a pilot test program by a
state agency for any such technology, product or process pursuant to
this section unless the business that manufactures or markets the
technology, product or process demonstrates that (A) t he use of such
technology, product or process by such agency will not adversely affect
safety, (B) the technology, product or process is presently available for
commercial sale and distribution or has potential for commercialization
not later than two year s following the completion of such pilot test by
such agency pursuant to this section, (C) such technology, product or
process was not developed by a business that is eligible to participate in
such pilot test established pursuant to section 32 -39e of the general
statutes, (D) such business maintains documentation concerning any
patent for such technology, product or process and any related
intellectual property, and (E) such business is certified as a small
contractor or a minority business enterprise by t he Commissioner of
Administrative Services pursuant to section 4a -60g of the general
statutes.
(4) The commissioner shall evaluate the effectiveness of any pilot test
conducted pursuant to this section. Not later than October 1, 2030, the
commissioner shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions
of section 11-4a of the general statutes, concerning the findings of such
evaluations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly
having cognizance of matters relating to energy and technology.
(b) (1) The commissioner of each state agency may administer a
program for pilot testing technologies, products or processes that
promote operational cost reduction. The purpose of any such pilot test
program shall be to validate the effectiveness of any s uch technology,
product or process in reducing operational costs.
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(2) (A) A person who seeks to participate in such a program shall
submit an application to the Commissioner of Administrative Services
through the online portal administered by the commissioner pursuant
to subsection (a) of this section. The commissioner shall prescribe the
form and manner of such application. An applicant shall include in each
application an assessment of the potential viability of a pilot test
program for such technology, product or process at such agency. Such
assessment shall be conducted by an independent consulting firm or a
market research firm that specializes in market resea rch for similar
technologies, products or processes described in such application. Such
independent consulting firm or market research firm shall be classified
as a provider of services under the Department of Administrative
Services industry code of 6000 for research and development services or
the North American Industry Classification System code of 541910 for
marketing research and public opinion polling.
(B) Any applicant selected to participate in a pilot test program
pursuant to this section shall only participate in one such program for
one state agency.
(c) Not later than ninety days after receipt of an application pursuant
to subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section, the Commissioner of
Administrative Services, in consultation with Connecticut Innovations,
Incorporated, shall evaluate any techno logy, product or process that is
the subject of such application and make a recommendation pursuant
to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section if such
recommendation is deemed warranted by the commissioner.
(d) If the Commissioner of Administrative Services recommends that
a state agency undertake a pilot test program pursuant to this section,
such agency, notwithstanding the requirements of chapter 58 of the
general statutes, may accept delivery of such tech nology, product or
process and undertake such pilot test program during which such
agency shall use such technology, product or process in the operations
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of such agency on a temporary basis. The commissioner of the state
agency testing such technology, product or process shall determine the
duration of such pilot test program, provided such duration shall be not
less than thirty days and not more than sixty days.
(e) Any costs associated with the acquisition and use of such
technology, product or process by a state agency for a pilot test program
pursuant to this section shall be paid by the applicant. The acquisition
of any technology, product or process for a pilot test program pursuant
to this section shall not be deemed to be a purchase under the provisions
of state procurement law. The applicant shall maintain records related
to any such pilot test program, as required by the Commissioner of
Administrative Serv ices. Any proprietary information derived from
such pilot test program shall be exempt from the provisions of
subsection (a) of section 1-210 of the general statutes.
(f) If the commissioner of the state agency that tested such
technology, product or process determines that the pilot test program
sufficiently demonstrates that the technology, product or process
promotes operational cost reduction, the commissioner of su ch agency
may request that the Commissioner of Administrative Services (1)
procure such technology for use by any state agency, and (2) make such
procurement pursuant to subsection (b) of section 4a -58 of the general
statutes. If the Commissioner of Admini strative Services grants a
request to procure such technology for any state agency, the
Commissioner of Administrative Services shall make information
regarding such procurement available to all state agencies on the
Internet web site of the Department of Administrative Services.
(g) The commissioner of a state agency may identify a technology,
product or process that meets the criteria described in subdivision (3) of
subsection (a) of this section and that has been tested by a municipality
and demonstrated to promote operational c ost reduction. Such
commissioner may file a request to the Commissioner of Administrative
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Services for a recommendation to test such technology, product or
process in the state agency through the online portal administered by
the commissioner pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Not later
than thirty days after receipt of such request, t he Commissioner of
Administrative Services, in consultation with Connecticut Innovations,
Incorporated, shall evaluate the technology, product or process and
make a recommendation pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of
this section. If the Commis sioner of Administrative Services
recommends such technology, product or process, such agency shall
undertake a pilot test program in accordance with the provisions of
subsections (d) to (f), inclusive, of this section.