Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority: contracting: local businesses.

Existing law creates the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) , with various powers and duties with respect to transportation planning, programming, construction, and operations. Existing law authorizes LA Metro to provide for a small business preference of 5% of the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications, with respect to contracts in construction, the construction component of a design-build team, the procurement of goods, or the delivery of services. Existing law also authorizes LA Metro to set aside work for competition, until January 1, 2024, (1) among certified small business enterprises and award each contract to the certified small business enterprise that is the lowest responsible bidder whenever the expected expenditure required exceeds $5,000 but is less than $3,000,000, as specified, and (2) among medium business enterprises for no more than 20 contracts and award each contract to the medium business enterprise that is the lowest responsible bidder whenever the expected expenditure required exceeds $3,000,000 but is less than $30,000,000, as provided. Existing law defines a small business enterprise and medium business enterprise for these purposes. This bill would authorize LA Metro to also provide for a local small business enterprise preference of 5% of the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications, with respect to contracts in construction, the construction component of a design-build team, the procurement of goods, or the delivery of services, and to provide the preference to nonlocal businesses if the bid includes a 30% participation by local small business enterprises. The bill would define a local small business enterprise for these purposes. The bill would extend, to January 1, 2028, the authorization described above for LA Metro to set aside work for competition among certified small business enterprises and medium business enterprises and award those contracts to those certified small business enterprises and medium business enterprises that are lowest responsible bidders. The bill would increase the limitation on the expected expenditure required for those contracts LA Metro may award to small business enterprises to be less than $5,000,000 instead of $3,000,000. The bill would increase the minimum expected expenditure required for those contracts LA Metro may award to medium business enterprises to be greater than $5,000,000 instead of $3,000,000. If LA Metro awards contracts pursuant to these provisions, the bill would require LA Metro to submit a report to the Legislature by December 31, 2026, on the contracts issued between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2026, including the number of employees working at a medium business enterprise receiving awards, as provided.