Water: Delta Stewardship Council: contracts.

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009 establishes the Delta Stewardship Council, which is required to develop, adopt, and commence implementation of a comprehensive management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta Plan) by January 1, 2012. The act provides that the council is the successor to the California Bay-Delta Authority and requires the council to administer contracts, grants, easements, and agreements made or entered into by the authority. The act prescribes the powers of the council, which include, among others, the power to enter into contracts, to hire employees, and to adopt regulations or guidelines. Existing law prescribes requirements for selection of firms by state and local agency heads for architectural and engineering services and other professional services. This bill would expressly authorize the council to contract for consultant services and architectural and engineering services to assist with preparation of the Delta Plan and performance of certain responsibilities of the council. The bill would exempt contracts for consultant services from specified provisions of law governing public contracting. The bill would require contracts for architectural and engineering services to be entered into pursuant to the requirements for selection of firms by state and local agency heads discussed above, but would exempt those contracts from a requirement to adopt regulations prior to contracting. The bill would require the council to establish procedures for contracting for consultant services and architectural and engineering services. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.