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Bill

A 2100

Permits educational research and services corporation to act as lead agency or contracting unit for procurement of any goods or services.*

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Linda Carter and 3 co-sponsors

The bill allows educational research and services corporations to act as lead procurement authority for any goods, services, and public works for eligible public entities.

Passed by the Assembly (78-0-0)
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Bill Summary · A 2100

Bill overview

  • Legislature: New Jersey, 222nd Session
  • Bill number: A2100
  • Introduced: 2026 (Pre-filed for introduction in the 2026 session)
  • Primary sponsors: Assemblywoman Linda S. Carter; Assemblywoman Heather Simmons; Assemblyman Cody D. Miller
  • Jurisdiction: New Jersey
  • Topic: Expands the authority of educational research and services corporations to act as lead agency or contracting unit for procurement of any goods or services, including public works

Purpose and intent

  • The bill would permit an educational research and services corporation (ERSC) to serve as the lead procurement agency or contracting unit not only for educational technology and related services (as currently allowed) but for the procurement of any goods, services, and public works.
  • The ERSC must be formed under the framework that authorizes public universities, state colleges, and certain higher education institutions to join with other eligible entities to form an ERSC for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes under federal 501(c)(3) criteria.

Key provisions

  • Formation and scope of ERSCs
    • Public research universities, state colleges, county colleges, and nonprofit independent institutions of higher education that receive direct State aid may form an ERSC, for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes.
  • Procurement authority
    • Current law allows ERSCs to act as lead agency/contracting unit for procurement of goods/services related to educational technology systems and related services.
    • The bill expands this authority to allow ERSCs to act as lead agency/contracting unit for the procurement of any goods or services, and public works.
  • Entities that may rely on ERSCs
    • The ERSC would be able to procure on behalf of: municipalities, fire districts, counties, local authorities under the Local Authorities Fiscal Control Law, school districts, county colleges, state colleges, public research universities, nonprofit independent institutions of higher education that receive direct State aid, or combinations of these entities.
  • Status as a local unit
    • An ERSC formed under the governing statute would be deemed a local unit for purposes of the Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act (USSCA), enabling shared services and consolidation options.
  • Compliance with procurement law
    • ERSCs would remain subject to applicable state and local procurement laws, including:
    • P.L.1977, c.33 (C.52:25-24.2) – anti-corruption and public procurement provisions
    • P.L.2012, c.25 (C.52:32-55 et seq.)
    • P.L.2005, c.51 (C.19:44A-20.13 et seq.)
  • Effective date
    • The act states that it shall take effect immediately upon enactment.

Who is affected

  • Public higher education institutions that may participate in ERSCs:
    • Public research universities
    • State colleges
    • County colleges
  • Nonprofit independent higher education institutions that receive direct State aid
  • Local and state entities that could procure through an ERSC:
    • Municipalities
    • Fire districts
    • Counties
    • Local authorities
    • School districts
    • State colleges and public research universities
  • Procurement and financial administration offices within affected institutions and entities
  • Public procurement officers and compliance staff responsible for ensuring adherence to procurement laws

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Pre-filed for the 2026 session; introduced and referred through committee process (Higher Education → State and Local Government, per action history)
  • Status updates indicate passage through Assembly committees and eventual passage in the Assembly
    • Action history shows: Introduced in Jan 2026; amendments reviewed; reported out; passed by the Assembly on June 30, 2026 (77-0-0)
  • If enacted, immediate effective date means the expanded authority would be available upon signing into law

Potential implications and considerations

  • Increased flexibility for public higher education and allied public entities to consolidate procurement and achieve potential cost savings through shared contracting.
  • Broader scope of ERSC procurement could raise considerations regarding competition, transparency, and oversight across a wider range of goods, services, and public works.
  • Potential impact on existing procurement processes within affected municipalities and school districts; might necessitate administrative adjustments to comply with expanded ERSC authority and ensuring mandatory procurement competitive processes.
  • Alignment with USSCA and other state procurement statutes suggests a push toward centralized or consolidated procurement opportunities among public and eligible independent institutions.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to a specific stakeholder audience (e.g., school district officials, university procurement teams, or local government administrators) or add a quick comparison to current law for quicker context.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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