Public contracts: community college districts: purchases.

(1) Existing law requires the governing board of a community college district, in accordance with certain requirements, to let any contract involving an expenditure of more than $50,000 for purchases of equipment, materials, supplies, repairs, and services, other than construction services, to the lowest responsible bidder or to reject all bids. This bill would authorize the district, if the purchase of supplies and materials exceeds $50,000 and the district determines that it can expect, among other things, long-term savings through the use of a life-cycle cost methodology, to provide for the purchase of the supplies and materials by contract let in accordance with best value at the lowest cost acquisition policies adopted by the district's board. The bill would require a district that elects to purchase supplies and materials by contract let in accordance with those policies to submit specified information to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges on or before January 1, 2013, and would require the Legislative Analyst to request this information from the chancellor. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst to report to the Legislature on the use of this type of procurement by community college districts on or before January 1, 2015. This bill would require a district to ensure that all businesses have a fair and equitable opportunity to compete for, and participate in, district contracts awarded pursuant to its provisions and would prohibit discrimination in the award and performance of those contracts. These provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2016, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends that date. (2) Existing law requires any change or alteration in certain contracts with a community college district to be in writing, and allows the governing board of the district to authorize the contractor to proceed without securing bids if the cost does not exceed specified amounts. This bill would allow the governing board of the district to authorize a contractor to proceed with multiple changes or alterations without securing bids if the cost of all changes or alterations to the original contract does not exceed specified amounts.