Department of General Services: best value procurement: vehicles and equipment.

Existing law generally requires public contracts to be awarded by competitive bidding pursuant to procedures set forth in the Public Contract Code, subject to certain exceptions. Former law, repealed as of January 1, 2022, authorized the Department of General Services to purchase and equip heavy mobile fleet vehicles and special equipment for use by the Department of Transportation by means of best value procurement, as defined, using specifications and criteria developed in consultation with the Department of Transportation. Former law established requirements for bid evaluation and protest procedures. Former law limited the total value of vehicles and equipment purchased through this best value procurement authorization to $50,000,000 annually. Former law required the Department of General Services to prepare a prescribed evaluation with regard to this process, to be posted on the Department of Transportation's internet website. This bill would reenact those best value procurement provisions for heavy mobile fleet vehicles and special equipment, to be operative indefinitely. The bill would omit the $50,000,000 annual cap and the requirement for a prescribed evaluation as included in former law.