1(1) 2Among municipalities and special districts, the Legislature finds that:11(a) 12State and federal mandates will continue to place additional funding demands on all municipalities and special districts.
29(b) 30State government lacks the specific technical expertise or resources to effectively perform ongoing educational support and financial emergency detection or assistance.
51(2) 52Recognizing the findings in subsection (1), the Legislature declares that:62(a) 63The fiscal challenges confronting various municipalities and special districts require an investment that will facilitate efforts to improve the productivity and efficiency of their financial structures and operating procedures.
92(b) 93Current and additional revenue enhancements authorized by the Legislature should be managed and administered using appropriate management practices and expertise.
113(3) 114The purpose of this section is to provide technical assistance to municipalities and special districts to enable them to implement workable solutions to financially related problems.
140(4) 141The Chief Financial Officer shall enter into contracts with program providers who shall:154(a) 155Be a public agency or private, nonprofit corporation, association, or entity.
166(b) 167Use existing resources, services, and information that are available from state or local agencies, universities, or the private sector.
186(c) 187Seek and accept funding from any public or private source.
197(d) 198Assist municipalities and independent special districts in developing alternative revenue sources.
209(e) 210Provide for an annual independent financial audit of the program, if the program receives funding.
225(f) 226Provide assistance to municipalities and special districts in the areas of financial management, accounting, investing, budgeting, and debt issuance.
245(g) 246Develop a needs assessment to determine where assistance should be targeted, and to establish a priority system to deliver assistance to those jurisdictions most in need through the most economical means available.
278(h) 279Provide financial emergency assistance upon direction from the Executive Office of the Governor pursuant to s. 295218.503296. 297(5)(a) 298The Chief Financial Officer shall issue a request for proposals to provide assistance to municipalities and special districts.
316(b) 317The Chief Financial Officer shall review each contract proposal submitted.
327(c) 328The Chief Financial Officer shall consider the following factors in reviewing contract proposals:3411. 342The demonstrated capacity of the provider to conduct needs assessments and implement the program as proposed.
3582. 359The number of municipalities and special districts to be served under the proposal.
3723. 373The cost of the program as specified in a proposed budget.
3844. 385The short-term and long-term benefits of the assistance to municipalities and special districts.
3985. 399The form and extent to which existing resources, services, and information that are available from state and local agencies, universities, and the private sector will be used by the provider under the contract.
432(6) 433A decision of the Chief Financial Officer to award a contract under this section is final and shall be in writing.
454(7) 455The Chief Financial Officer may enter into contracts and agreements with other state and local agencies and with any person, association, corporation, or entity other than the program providers, for the purpose of administering this section.
491(8) 492The Chief Financial Officer shall provide fiscal oversight to ensure that funds expended for the program are used in accordance with the contracts entered into pursuant to subsection (4).
