Responsible and reliable parties.

Existing law, for purposes of public works contracts, defines the term "responsible bidder" to mean a bidder that has demonstrated the attribute of trustworthiness, as well as quality, fitness, capacity, and experience to satisfactorily perform the public works contract. This bill would require a state agency that solicits offers, awards a contract, or consents to subcontracts, under the Small Business Procurement and Contract Act, for goods and services under other specified law, or for information technology, to do so only with responsible and reliable parties. The bill would require the Department of General Services to adopt regulations for that procurement to provide for the suspension, debarment, or other exclusion of a party in a procurement activity that has not demonstrated the attribute of trustworthiness, or lacks the quality, fitness, capacity, and experience to satisfactorily perform a contract under those provisions. The bill would prohibit a state agency from allowing a party to participate in any procurement activity if the party has been suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from participation pursuant to those regulations.