The office must run foreign offices and regional offices, may collect and use fees for them, and the comptroller must bill agencies and send monthly vouchers. Some agencies may place staff in the foreign offices and enter contracts, and purchases over $5,000 need executive director approval.
Sec. 481.027. FOREIGN OFFICES. (a) The office shall maintain and operate offices in foreign countries for the purposes of promoting investment that generates jobs in Texas, exporting of Texas products, tourism, and international relations for Texas. The foreign offices shall be named "The State of Texas" offices. To the extent permitted by law, other state agencies that conduct business in foreign countries may place staff in the foreign offices established by the office and share the overhead and operating expenses of the foreign offices. Other state agencies and the office may enter interagency contracts for this purpose. Chapter 771 does not apply to those contracts. Any purchase for local procurement or contract in excess of $5,000 shall be approved by the executive director prior to its execution. (b) The foreign offices shall be accessible to Texas-based institutions of higher education and their nonprofit affiliates for the purposes of fostering Texas science, technology, and research development, international trade and investment, and cultural exchange. The office and the institutions may enter contracts for this purpose. Chapter 771 does not apply to those contracts. (c) The office shall maintain regional offices in locations specified in the General Appropriations Act. (d) The office may collect fees for the use of the foreign offices from public and private entities except that any payments by a state agency are governed by any interagency contract under Subsection (a). The fees may be used only to expand, develop, and operate foreign offices under this section. (e) Chapter 2175 applies to the operation and maintenance of the foreign offices. No other provisions of Subtitle D, Title 10, apply to the operation and maintenance of the foreign offices, or to transactions of the office that are authorized by this section. (f) The comptroller may, at the request of a state agency, provide to the agency services exempted from the application of Subtitle D, Title 10 under Subsection (e). Chapter 771 does not apply to services provided under this subsection. The comptroller shall establish a system of charges and billings that ensures recovery of the cost of providing the services and shall submit a purchase voucher or a journal voucher, after the close of each month, to the agency for which services were performed. Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 938, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 28, 1989. Renumbered from Sec. 481.025 by Acts 1990, 71st Leg., 6th C.S., ch. 12, Sec. 2(7), eff. Sept. 6, 1990. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 8, Sec. 5.06, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 986, Sec. 11, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 17.16, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 17.19(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 814, Sec. 1.23, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 937 (H.B. 3560), Sec. 1.52, eff. September 1, 2007.