(1) It is unlawful for a public servant or a public contractor who has contracted with a governmental entity to assist in a competitive procurement to knowingly and intentionally influence or attempt to influence the competitive solicitation undertaken by any governmental entity for the procurement of commodities or services, by:

(a) Disclosing, except as authorized by law, material information concerning a vendor’s response, any evaluation results, or other aspects of the competitive solicitation when such information is not publicly disclosed.

(b) Altering or amending a submitted response, documents or other materials supporting a submitted response, or any evaluation results relating to the competitive solicitation for the purpose of intentionally providing a competitive advantage to any person who submits a response.

(2) It is unlawful for a public servant or a public contractor who has contracted with a governmental entity to assist in a competitive procurement to knowingly and intentionally obtain a benefit for any person or to cause unlawful harm to another by circumventing a competitive solicitation process required by law or rule through the use of a sole-source contract for commodities or services.

(3) It is unlawful for any person to knowingly agree, conspire, combine, or confederate, directly or indirectly, with a public servant or a public contractor who has contracted with a governmental entity to assist in a competitive procurement to violate subsection (1) or subsection (2).

(4) It is unlawful for any person to knowingly enter into a contract for commodities or services which was secured by a public servant or a public contractor who has contracted with a governmental entity to assist in a competitive procurement acting in violation of subsection (1) or subsection (2).

(5) Any person who violates this section commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.—s. 5, ch. 2003-158; s. 5, ch. 2016-151.