The Legislature recognizes that in order for the State of Mississippi to receive the maximum use and benefit from information technology and services now in operation or which will in the future be placed in operation, there should be full cooperation and cohesive planning and effort by and between the several state agencies and that it is the responsibility of the Legislature to provide statutory authority therefor. The Legislature, therefore, declares and determines that for these and other related purposes there is hereby established an agency of state government to be known as the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (MDITS). The Legislature further declares that the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (MDITS) shall provide statewide services that facilitate cost-effective information processing and telecommunication solutions. State agencies shall work in full cooperation with the board of MDITS to identify opportunities to minimize duplication, reduce costs and improve the efficiency of providing common technology services across agency boundaries. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the Department of Human Services for a period of three (3) years beginning July 1, 2017. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the Department of Child Protection Services for a period of three (3) years beginning July 1, 2017.

Notwithstanding the exemption of the Department of Human Services and the Department of Child Protection Services from the provisions of this section, before the Department of Human Services or the Department of Child Protection Services may take an action that would otherwise be subject to the provisions of this section, the department(s) shall give notice of the proposed action to the MDITS for any recommendations by the MDITS. Upon receipt of the notice, the MDITS shall post the notice on its website and on the procurement portal website established by Sections 25-53-151 and 27-104-165. If the MDITS does not respond to the department(s) within seven (7) calendar days after receiving the notice, the department(s) may take the proposed action. If the MDITS responds to the department(s) within seven (7) calendar days, then the MDITS has seven (7) calendar days from the date of its initial response to provide any additional recommendations. After the end of the second seven-day period, the department(s) may take the proposed action. The MDITS is not authorized to disapprove any proposed actions that would otherwise be subject to the provisions of this section. This paragraph shall stand repealed on July 1, 2020.