Section 16.972 - Powers of the department(1) In this section: (ag) "Qualified museum" means a nonprofit or publicly owned museum that has an educational mission.(b) "Qualified postsecondary institution" means a regionally accredited 4-year nonprofit college or university having its regional headquarters and principal place of business in this state or a tribally controlled college located in this state.(c) "Qualified private school" means a private school, as defined in s. 115.001(3r), operating elementary or high school grades.(cm) "Qualified tribal school" means a tribal school as defined in s. 115.001(15m).(d) "Qualified zoo" means a bona fide publicly owned zoo that has an educational mission.(2) The department may: (a) Provide such telecommunications services to agencies as the department considers to be appropriate. An agency may use telecommunications services, including data and voice over Internet services, provided to the agency by or through the department only for the purpose of carrying out its functions. No agency may offer, resell, or provide telecommunications services, including data and voice over Internet services, that are available from a private telecommunications carrier to the general public or to any other public or private entity.(b) Except as provided in par. (a), provide such computer services and telecommunications services to local governmental units and the broadcasting corporation and provide such telecommunications services to qualified private schools, tribal schools, postsecondary institutions, museums, and zoos, as the department considers to be appropriate and as the department can efficiently and economically provide. The department may exercise this power only if in doing so it maintains the services it provides at least at the same levels that it provides prior to exercising this power and it does not increase the rates chargeable to users served prior to exercise of this power as a result of exercising this power. The department may charge local governmental units, the broadcasting corporation, and qualified private schools, tribal schools, postsecondary institutions, museums, and zoos, for services provided to them under this paragraph in accordance with a methodology determined by the department. Use of telecommunications services by a qualified private school, tribal school, or postsecondary institution shall be subject to the same terms and conditions that apply to a municipality using the same services. The department shall prescribe eligibility requirements for qualified museums and zoos to receive telecommunications services under this paragraph.(c) Provide such supercomputer services to agencies, local governmental units and entities in the private sector as the department considers to be appropriate and as the department can efficiently and economically provide. The department may exercise this power only if in doing so it maintains the services it provides at least at the same levels that it provides prior to exercising this power and it does not increase the rates chargeable to users served prior to exercise of this power as a result of exercising this power. The department may charge agencies, local governmental units and entities in the private sector for services provided to them under this paragraph in accordance with a methodology determined by the department.(d) Undertake such studies, contract for the performance of such studies, and appoint such councils and committees for advisory purposes as the department considers appropriate to ensure that the department's plans, capital investments and operating priorities meet the needs of agencies local governmental units and entities in the private sector served by the department. The department may compensate members of any council or committee for their services and may reimburse such members for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties.(e) Provide technical services to agencies in making hardware acquisitions to be used for computer services.(f) Acquire, operate, and maintain any information technology equipment or systems required by the department to carry out its functions, and provide information technology development and management services related to those information technology systems. The department may assess executive branch agencies, other than the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System, for the costs of equipment or systems acquired, operated, maintained, or provided or services provided under this paragraph in accordance with a methodology determined by the department. The department may also charge any agency for such costs as a component of any services provided by the department to the agency.(g) Assume direct responsibility for the planning and development of any information technology system in the executive branch of state government outside of the University of Wisconsin System that the department determines to be necessary to effectively develop or manage the system, with or without the consent of any affected executive branch agency. The department may charge any executive branch agency for the department's reasonable costs incurred in carrying out its functions under this paragraph on behalf of that agency.(h) Establish master contracts for the purchase of materials, supplies, equipment, or contractual services relating to information technology or telecommunications for use by agencies, authorities, local governmental units, or entities in the private sector. The department may require any executive branch agency, other than the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System, to make any purchases of materials, supplies, equipment, or contractual services relating to information technology or telecommunications that are included under the contract pursuant to the terms of the contract.(i) Accept gifts, grants, and bequests, to be used for the purposes for which made, consistently with applicable laws.2001 a. 16 ss. 361 to 365, 1029; Stats. 2001 s. 22.05; 2003 a. 33 ss. 768 to 776; Stats. 2003 s. 16.972; 2005 a. 25; 2009 a. 302.