This provision sets the process for bidding on state school textbook contracts, including public notice, bid deposits, sealed bids, samples, and reclaiming unadopted samples.
(a) Each year, before the organizational meeting of the State Textbook Committee, the State Board of Education, through the State Superintendent of Education, shall advertise in such manner and for such length of time and at such places as considered advisable, that at a certain time and place determined by the State Board of Education sealed bids or proposals shall be received from publishers for furnishing school textbooks. Publishers and individuals may request an invitation to bid by writing the State Superintendent of Education. The State Board of Education may include additional regulations in the bid form that the State Board of Education deems best for the administration of this article. Any regulations included in the bid forms and accepted by the publisher shall be construed as a part of this article. The bids or proposals for each book shall be based upon a contract period determined by the State Superintendent of Education and shall be accompanied by a specimen copy of each book proposed to be furnished. (b) Each publisher who makes a bid or proposal to furnish school textbooks shall be required to deposit with the State Treasurer a sum of money in an amount required by the State Board of Education, but not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), according to the number of books the bidder proposes to supply. If the bidder making the deposit shall fail or refuse to make and execute the contract and required bond, the sum shall be forfeited absolutely to the State Board of Education for the use of the State Board of Education for purposes enumerated in this article. The time within which the contract and bond shall be executed shall be stated in the advertisement inviting bids or proposals. All bids shall be sealed and deposited with the State Superintendent of Education to be opened at a time designated by the superintendent, provided bidders have been given reasonable notice in advance. (c) Publishers shall furnish samples of each textbook submitted for adoption to each member of the State Textbook Committee in order that each member may also seek evaluations from others. All samples of books not adopted by the State Board of Education shall be returned to the publishers at the expense of the publishers, and those adopted shall become the property of the State Department of Education. If the publisher fails to reclaim a sample book within 90 days, the sample book shall become the property of the State Department of Education.