(a) The MOU parties may:

(1) Accept gifts, bequests, grants or other funds dedicated to the furtherance of the goals of the APCD;

(2) Select a vendor to handle data collection and processing and such other tasks as deemed appropriate;

(3) Enter into agreements with other states to perform joint administrative operations, share information and assist in the development of multistate efforts to further the goals of this article: Provided, That any such agreements must include adequate protections with respect to the confidentiality of the information to be shared and comply with all state and federal laws and regulations;

(4) Enter into memoranda of understanding with other governmental agencies to carry out any of its functions, including contracts with other states to perform joint administrative functions;

(5) Attempt to ensure that the requirements with respect to the reporting of data be standardized so as to minimize the expense to parties subject to similar requirements in other jurisdictions;

(6) Enter into voluntary agreements to obtain data from payers not subject to mandatory reporting under this article; and

(7) Exempt a payer or class of payers from the requirements of this article for cause.

(b) Contracts for professional services for the development and operation of the APCD are not subject to the provisions of article three, chapter five-a of this code relating to the Purchasing Division of the Department of Administration. The award of such contracts shall be subject to a competitive process established by the MOU parties.

(c) The MOU parties shall make an annual report to the Governor, which shall also be filed with the Joint Committee on Government and Finance, summarizing the activities of the APCD in the preceding calendar year