Public contracts: preferences: forest products.

Existing law generally requires state agencies to comply with competitive bidding procedures in soliciting and evaluating bids for public works projects. Existing law authorizes bidding preferences for certain categories of business owners, including businesses owned by military veterans. Existing law also requires the Department of General Services, in consultation with the California Environmental Protection Agency, members of the public, industry, and public health and environmental organizations, to provide state agencies with information and assistance regarding environmentally preferable purchasing. This bill would require any state agency that contracts for, or acquires, lumber or other solid wood products, excluding paper and other types of secondary manufactured goods, to give preference, if price, fitness, and quality are equal, to lumber and other solid wood products that are harvested from forests within this state.