Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority: contracting.

The County Transportation Commissions Act creates county transportation commissions or authorities in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties, with specified powers and duties. Existing law, with respect to those agencies, generally requires purchase of all supplies, equipment, and materials, and the construction of all facilities and works, when the expenditure exceeds $25,000, to be by contract let to the lowest responsible bidder. Existing law contains various alternative provisions applicable solely to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. This bill would enact additional provisions applicable to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It would require a contract to be let to the lowest responsible bidder when the purchase price of the construction of all facilities exceeds $100,000, rather than $25,000. The bill would authorize the authority to award individual contracts, not exceeding $8,000,000 per year, providing for the issuance of job orders for construction work with compensation for the work based on unit prices, and would define "job order" and "unit price" for these purposes. The bill would authorize a contractor of the authority to enter into subcontracts with subcontractors that were not listed in the bid for the job order contract, as specified. Existing law requires the chief executive officer of the authority to approve and award all contracts for construction, which approval shall be based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid submitted. This bill would authorize the chief executive officer to delegate this authority as necessary for the administrative efficiency of the authority. Existing law authorizes the authority to enter into design-build contracts with private entities under which a single contract incorporates some or all of the planning, design, permitting, development, joint development, construction, construction management, acquisition, leasing, installation, and warranty of all or components of transit systems and facilities on real property owned or to be owned by the authority, subject to certain requirements. This bill would make various modifications to the requirements for design-build contracts. The bill would authorize the authority to delegate the preparation of supporting documents and findings, and award of contracts, under these provisions to an organizational unit of the authority. Existing law requires the inspector general of the authority to prepare a prequalification questionnaire to be completed by each construction company, engineering firm, consultant, legal firm, product vendor, or other business entity seeking to contract with the authority. This bill would instead require the questionnaire to be prepared by the authority with respect to business entities seeking to perform a public works project in excess of $5,000,000, and would only require the inspector general to review the questionnaire to ensure it solicits specified information. The bill would authorize the authority to prequalify prospective contractors and limit consideration of bids or proposals to prequalified contractors. Existing law requires the authority to adopt a specified change order procedure for contracts awarded by the authority. This bill would repeal these provisions.