Public agencies: cost accounting standards.

Existing law, the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act, authorizes a public agency which has, by resolution, elected to become subject to uniform construction cost accounting procedures. Existing law provides for the development of cost accounting standards and an alternative method for the bidding of public works projects by public entities. The act defines "public project" to include, among other things, construction, reconstruction, erection, alteration, renovation, improvement, demolition, and repair work involving any publicly owned, leased, or operated facility. This bill would define "public project" to additionally include installations involving any publicly owned, leased, or operated facility. The Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act authorizes public projects of $60,000 or less to be performed by the employees of a public agency by force account, by negotiated contract, or by purchase order, authorizes public projects of $200,000 or less to be let to contract by informal procedures, and requires public projects of more than $200,000 to be let to contract by formal bidding procedures. The act permits the governing body of a public agency, in the event all bids received for the performance of that public project are in excess of $200,000, to award the contract at $212,500 or less to the lowest responsible bidder if it determines the cost estimate of the public agency was reasonable. This bill would instead authorize public projects of $75,000 or less to be performed by the employees of a public agency by force account, by negotiated contract, or by purchase order, authorize public projects of $220,000 or less to be let to contract by informal procedures, and require public projects of more than $220,000 to be let to contract by formal bidding procedures. The bill would permit the governing body of a public agency, in the event all bids received for the performance of that public project are in excess of $220,000, to award the contract at $235,000 or less to the lowest responsible bidder if it determines the cost estimate of the public agency was reasonable. The bill would also make conforming changes. The Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act creates the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission, to fulfill certain duties, including recommending for adoption by the Controller uniform construction cost accounting procedures for implementation by public agencies in the performance of, or in contracting for, construction on public projects. The act requires the commission to review the accounting procedures of any participating public agency where an interested party presents evidence that the work undertaken by the public agency falls into specified categories, including that the public agency has exceeded the force account limits. The act also requires the commission to review practices of any participating public agency where an interested party presents evidence that the public agency is not in compliance with requirements to enact a prescribed informal bidding ordinance to govern the selection of contractors to perform public projects. This bill would additionally require the commission to review the accounting procedures of any participating public agency where an interested party presents evidence that the work undertaken by the public agency has been split or separated into smaller work orders or projects, as specified, and would make conforming changes. The bill would also require the commission to review noncompliance with bidding procedures for the publication or posting and electronic transmission of notice inviting formal bids.