(a) There is created the position of the chief information officer for the State of Georgia who shall be both appointed and removed by a vote of a majority of the full membership to which the authority is entitled. The authority shall determine the compensation of the chief information officer. The chief information officer shall serve as the executive director of the authority.

(b) Subject to the general policy established by the authority, the chief information officer shall have the following powers and duties in addition to those otherwise enumerated in this chapter:

(1) To supervise, direct, account for, organize, plan, administer, and execute the functions required of the chief information officer by the authority;

(2) To provide assistance to agency heads in evaluating information officer performance for each agency and in selection of candidates for such positions;

(3) To establish performance management standards, approved by the board regarding success of projects, agency technology performance, and authority performance;

(4) To submit an annual and a three-year technology plan, updated annually, and an annual budget for approval and adoption by the board;

(5) To review periodic reports submitted by agencies;

(6) To hire officers, agents, and employees, prescribe their duties and qualifications, and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the authority. Such officers, agents, and employees shall serve at the pleasure of the executive director. The executive director and other employees of the authority shall be considered state employees in the unclassified service of the State Merit System of Personnel Administration for the purposes of benefits administered by the merit system and for retirement purposes. Any officer or employee of the authority who is already a member of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia by virtue of services with another employer shall be entitled to credit for his or her services and shall not suffer any loss of such credit to which he or she is otherwise entitled. There shall be paid from the funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the Georgia Technology Authority all employer's contributions required under this chapter;

(7) To contract for the services of individuals or organizations not employed full time by the authority who or which are engaged primarily in the rendition of personal services rather than the sale of goods or merchandise, such as, but not limited to, the services of attorneys, accountants, systems engineers, consultants, and advisers, and to allow suitable compensation for such services; and to make provisions for group insurance, retirement, or other employee benefit arrangements, provided that no part-time or contract employees shall participate in group insurance or retirement benefits; and

(8) To perform such other duties as the authority may direct from time to time.