SB103: SB103 Department of Administrative Services, companies owned or operated by Iran to bid on or submit a proposal for a state contract; prohibit

Currently, Georgia's contracting rules under the Department of Administrative Services do not specifically address companies tied to Iran. This bill adds a new section to Georgia law making any company owned or operated by the government of Iran, called a 'scrutinized company,' ineligible to bid on or submit proposals for state contracts for goods or services. State agencies would be required to have companies bidding on contracts certify that they are not scrutinized companies. If the Department of Administrative Services finds a company lied on that certification, the company would face a civil fine of at least $250,000 or twice the contract value, whichever is greater, the state would cancel the contract, and the company would be permanently barred from bidding on future state contracts. The bill repeals conflicting laws but does not state a specific effective date.

• Bans any company owned or operated by the government of Iran, defined as a 'scrutinized company,' from bidding on or submitting proposals for Georgia state contracts.
• Requires state agencies to make companies bidding on goods or services contracts certify in writing that they are not scrutinized companies.
• Imposes a civil penalty on companies that falsely certify, set at the greater of $250,000 or twice the contract amount.
• Requires the state agency or Department of Administrative Services to terminate any contract awarded to a company that falsely certified.
• Permanently bars a company that submitted a false certification from bidding on any future state contracts.

Companies, including subsidiaries, parent companies, and affiliates, that do business with the government of Iran and want to bid on Georgia state contracts; state agencies that award contracts for goods and services; and the Department of Administrative Services, which enforces the certification and penalty requirements.

Companies tied to the Iranian government would be shut out of Georgia's state contracting process entirely, and any company caught lying about that connection would face a steep fine, lose its contract, and be permanently barred from future state work.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 50-5-84.3 to Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, defining 'company,' 'government of Iran,' and 'scrutinized company.'
• Subsection (b) makes any scrutinized company ineligible to bid on or submit a proposal for a state contract for goods or services.
• Subsection (c) requires state agencies to obtain a certification from bidders that they are not scrutinized companies.
• Subsection (d) sets penalties for false certification: a civil fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the contract amount, contract termination, and a permanent ban on future state bids.
• Section 2 repeals any existing laws that conflict with the new requirements.

1. 2025-02-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-02-05Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)Primary sponsor
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)

• state contracting
• Iran sanctions
• government procurement
• business regulation