Public contracts: school districts: bidding requirements.

Under existing law, the governing board of a school district may require each prospective bidder for certain contracts involving an expenditure of more than $50,000 to submit a standardized questionnaire and financial statement, including information relating to financial ability and experience in performing public works. Existing law further requires a school district requiring the above information to adopt and apply a uniform system of rating bidders on the basis of the completed questionnaires and financial statements, as specified. This bill would require the questionnaire and the uniform system of rating bidders described above to contain, at a minimum, substantially similar information, questions, and requirements as that of the standardized questionnaire and model guidelines for rating bidders developed by the Department of Industrial Relations for public entities, as specified. The bill would also require the governing board of a school district, for contracts involving projects valued at $1,000,000 or more, if the district chooses not to follow specified bidding procedures for school districts, to use other procedures for bidding applicable to public entities, as prescribed. By imposing new duties on local officials, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.