Transportation authorities and districts: contracts.

(1) Existing law establishes bridge and highway districts and various regional transportation authorities and transit districts, including the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, and the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, and prescribes the powers and duties of each, including procedures for awarding contracts and procurement. Existing law, with respect to the purchases of supplies, equipment, and materials by bridge and highway districts that exceed $20,000, requires the contract to be let to the lowest responsible bidder, and, with respect to purchases by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District that exceed $25,000, requires the contract to be let to the lowest responsible bidder. Existing law requires the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District to publish a notice requesting bids to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, and requires bridge and highway districts to advertise bids as specified. This bill instead would require contracts of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, and the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, under which the expenditure for the purchase of supplies, equipment, and materials exceeds $100,000, to be let to the lowest responsible bidder or to the responsible bidder who submits a proposal that provides the best value, as defined. The bill would revise the notice requirement to require that notice requesting bids be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation and on the authority's or district's procurement Internet Web site. The bill also would require the authority or district, to the extent practicable, to obtain a minimum of 3 quotations, either written or oral, that permit prices and terms to be compared, whenever the expected expenditure required for the purchase of supplies, equipment, or materials exceeds $2,500, but does not exceed $100,000. Existing law requires contracts by the San Mateo County Transit District for the purchase of supplies, equipment, and materials in excess of $25,000 to be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder after competitive bidding, except in an emergency declared by the vote of 7 members of the board, and allows the board to authorize the general manager to act for the board when the contract is for less than $50,000. This bill would delete these provisions and would instead require a contract by the San Mateo County Transit District for the purchase of all supplies, equipment, and materials, when the expenditure required exceeds $100,000, to be by contract to the lowest responsible bidder or to the responsible bidder who submitted a proposal that provides the best value, as specified. The bill would require the district, to the extent practicable, to obtain a minimum of 3 quotations whenever the expected expenditure exceeds $2,500, but does not exceed $100,000, and would require notice requesting bids to be published, as specified. By expanding the duties of a local agency, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.