The department shall adopt, publish and apply uniform standards of rating bidders, on the basis of questionnaires and required statements, with respect to contracts upon which each bidder is qualified to bid. The department may adopt and publish lists of qualified bidders. No list so adopted and published shall preclude a qualified bidder not on the list from submitting a bid or bids and from being awarded a contract or contracts as the successful bidder.
The department may remove a bidder who has demonstrated a lack of reliability in complying with and completing previously awarded contracts with the state, based upon his or her performance on contracts previously been awarded by the state. The department may remove the bidder from any list of qualified bidders prepared by the department for a period of not less than six months but not to exceed 36 months.
Any bidder temporarily removed under this section shall be returned to the list of qualified bidders at any time after the initial six months, upon demonstrating to the department’s satisfaction that the problems that resulted in the bidder’s previously demonstrated unreliability in complying with and completing state contracts have been corrected.