Public contracts: claim resolution.

Existing law prescribes various requirements regarding the formation, content, and enforcement of state and local public contracts. Existing law establishes, for contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2017, a claim resolution process applicable to any claim by a contractor in connection with a public works project against a public entity. Existing law defines public entity to include, but not be limited to, a state agency, a department, the California State University, the University of California, a city, including a charter city, a county, including a charter city, and a city and county, including a charter city and county. Existing law defines a claim as a separate demand by the contractor for one or more of the following: a time extension for relief from damages or penalties for delay, payment of money or damages arising from work done pursuant to the contract for a public work, or payment of an amount disputed by the public entity, as specified. In the case in which a claiment disputes the public entitys response or the public entity fails to respond, existing law requires a public entity to schedule a meet and confer conference for the settlement of the dispute. This bill would require the public entity to, instead, conduct the meet and confer conference within that some period. This bill would specify that these provisions constitute a matter of statewide concern.