For the purposes of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed:

(1) DEPARTMENT. The Department of Finance.

(2) AGENCY. Any agency, department, board, commission, office, agency or institution of the state, except those agencies and institutions excluded by Section 41-4-291.

(3) ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSMISSION EQUIPMENT. Any transmission medium, switch, instrument, inside wiring system or other facility which is used, in whole or in part, to provide any transmission.

(4) EQUIPMENT SUPPORT CONTRACT. A contract which covers a specific class or classes of telecommunications equipment and all features associated with that class, through which state agencies may purchase or lease the item specified by issuing a purchase order under the terms of the contract without the necessity of further competitive bidding.

(5) PROCUREMENT. The buying, purchasing, renting, leasing, lease/purchasing or otherwise obtaining telecommunications equipment, systems or related services, as well as all activities engaged in, resulting in or expected to result in buying, purchasing, renting, leasing or otherwise obtaining telecommunications equipment.

(6) TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, SYSTEMS, RELATED SERVICES.

a. All devices, such as telephone instruments, modulators, coders, etc., used to convert voices or digital data into a form suitable for transmission, by electric current or electromagnetic wave, from one point to another point;

b. All devices, such as telephone receivers, demodulators, decoders, etc., used to receive an electric current or electromagnetic wave containing voice information or digital data, and/or to convert this information into usable form;

c. All wiring, waveguides, optical fibers, or other physical means used to convey electric currents or electromagnetic waves containing voice information or digital data;

d. All switches, networks, branch exchanges, software, and other devices used to selectively interconnect devices which use electric current or electromagnetic waves for the purpose of communicating voice signals or digital data from one point to another;

e. All maintenance of the types of devices and means listed above in (i) through (iv), and all consulting, designs, or management services related to these devices, their interconnection, and their use.

(7) TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM LEASE CONTRACT. A contract between a supplier of telecommunications systems, including equipment and related services, and any agency as authorized by the department through which telecommunications systems, including equipment and related services, may be leased.