Public contracts: architectural and engineering services firms: prequalification lists.

The California Constitution provides that state and other governmental entities have the choice and authority to contract with qualified private entities for architectural and engineering services, as defined. Existing law also requires that the choice and authority to contract extend to all phases of project development, including permitting, environmental studies, rights-of-way services, design phase services, and construction phase services. This bill would, at the election of the Department of Transportation, until January 1, 2014, authorize the department to establish prequalified lists of architectural and engineering services firms. The bill would require the department, for each category of architectural and engineering service, to establish separate lists for small, medium, and large projects for each of the department's 12 districts. The bill would require the department to comply with certain requirements relating to the advertisement and award of contracts in the event the department utilizes the prequalification list, and would require, on or before January 1, 2014, the department to submit a report to the Legislature containing a description of any contract that is awarded.