SECTIONS 20150-20150.14

20150.  The provisions of this article shall apply to contracts bycounties of 500,000 or less population as provided for in Part 2(commencing with Section 25000) of Division 2 of Title 3 of theGovernment Code.20150.1.  (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except asprovided in subdivision (b), every county, whether general law orcharter, containing a population of less than 500,000 shall employbidding procedures on public projects as provided in this article.This article shall be liberally construed to effect its purposes. Inthe event of conflict with any other provision of law relative tobidding procedures, the provisions of this article shall apply. (b) Every county, whether general law or charter, containing apopulation of less than 500,000 is authorized to participate in theUniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act under Chapter 2(commencing with Section 22000) of Part 3 of Division 2.20150.2.  As used in this article, "public project" means: (a) A project for the erection, improvement, and repair of publicbuildings and works. (b) Work in or about streams, bays, waterfronts, embankments, orother work for protection against overflow, except maintenance,repair, or reconstruction work. (c) Supplies and materials used in maintenance, repair, orreconstruction work in or about streams, bays, waterfronts,embankments; or other maintenance, repair, or reconstruction work forprotection against overflow. The provisions of this article shall not change existing lawregarding inclusion or exclusion of labor or materials used forcompletion of the project. Except for the erection, improvement and repair of publicbuildings, the construction of dams, reservoirs, powerplants andelectrical transmission lines of 230,000 volts and higher, nothing inthis article shall apply to a publicly owned water, power or wastedisposal system.20150.3.  Expenditures for public projects shall not include thecosts of: (a) Equipment, supplies and materials acquired by a public agencyto enable the timely completion of a public project as defined insubdivision (c) of Section 20150.2 let to a contractor. (b) Plans, specifications, engineering and advertising requiredfor public projects.20150.4.  Public projects between four thousand dollars ($4,000) andten thousand dollars ($10,000) shall be let to contract by informalor formal bidding procedures. Public projects of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and more shall,in all instances, be let to contract by formal bidding procedure.20150.5.  Each county shall adopt ordinances or regulationsproviding for formal and informal bidding procedures as required bythis article for public projects conducted by such county.20150.6.  Ordinances or regulations establishing informal biddingprocedures shall provide that the county shall, as soon as ispracticable after the time for the renewal of contractors' licenses,notify each contractor of the county of the opportunity to registerwith the county to be subsequently notified of informal biddingproceedings. The list of such contractors shall be a public record.20150.7.  The notice inviting informal bids shall be by publishednotice and may, in addition, be supplemented by mailed notice tocontractors registered pursuant to Section 20150.6. The county maycause the notice to be printed as display advertising in such formand style as it deems appropriate. The notice shall describe ingeneral terms the project to be done and state a closing date forsubmission of such informal bids. Publication of notice pursuant tothis section shall be in a newspaper of general circulation printedand published within the jurisdiction of the county, or, if there isno such newspaper within the jurisdiction of the county, publicationshall be made in a newspaper of general circulation which iscirculated in the jurisdiction of the county, or, if there is no suchpublication, the notice shall be posted in at least three publicplaces within the jurisdiction of the county as have been designatedby ordinance or regulation of such county as places for the postingof its notices. Notice shall be published in accordance with Section6061 of the Government Code and shall be completed at least 24 hoursbefore the time scheduled for opening of the bids. In addition to notice published in a newspaper of generalcirculation, mailed, or posted, pursuant to this section, the countymay also publish notice inviting bids in a trade publication.20150.8.  The notices inviting formal bids shall state the time andplace for the receiving and opening of sealed bids and distinctlystate the project to be done. The first publication or posting of thenotice shall be at least 10 days before the date of opening thebids. Notice shall be published at least twice, not less than fivedays apart, in a newspaper of general circulation, printed andpublished in the jurisdiction of the county, or, if there is no suchnewspaper within the jurisdiction of the county, publication shall bemade in a newspaper of general circulation which is circulated inthe jurisdiction of the county, or, if there is no such publication,the notice shall be posted in at least three public places within thejurisdiction of the county as have been designated by ordinance orregulation of such county as places for the posting of its notices. In addition to notice published in a newspaper of generalcirculation, mailed, or posted, pursuant to this section, the countymay also publish notice inviting bids in a trade publication.20150.9.  In its discretion, the county may reject any bidspresented. If, after the first invitation for bids, all bids arerejected, after reevaluating its cost estimates of the project, thecounty shall abandon the project or shall readvertise for bids in themanner prescribed by this article. If after readvertising, thecounty rejects all bids presented, the county may proceed with theproject by use of county personnel or may readvertise. If two or morebids are the same and the lowest, the county may accept the one itchooses. If no bids are received, the county may have the projectdone without further complying with this article.20150.10.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 20150.9, on anyproject which is less than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000),if, after the first invitation for bids, all bids are rejected, thecounty may, after reevaluating its cost estimates of the project,pass a resolution by a four-fifths vote of its board of supervisorsdeclaring that the project can be performed more economically bycounty personnel, or that in its opinion a contract to perform theproject can be negotiated with the original bidders at a lower pricethan that in any of the bids, or the materials or supplies furnishedat a lower price in the open market. Upon adoption of the resolution,it may have the project done in the manner stated without furthercomplying with this article.20150.11.  It shall be unlawful to split or separate into smallerwork orders or projects any public project for the purpose of evadingthe provisions of this article requiring public projects to be doneby contract after bidding. Every person who willfully violates thisprovision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.20150.12.  The board of supervisors of the county shall adopt plans,specifications, and working details for all public projects theexpenditure for which exceeds ten thousand dollars ($10,000).20150.13.  All bidders on public projects which exceed ten thousanddollars ($10,000) in cost, shall be afforded the opportunity toexamine the plans, specifications, and working details for theproject.20150.14.  The provisions of this article shall not apply to theconstruction of any public building used for facilities of juvenileforestry camps or juvenile homes, ranches, or camps established underArticle 15 (commencing with Section 880) of Chapter 2, Part 1,Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, if a major portionof the construction work is to be performed by wards of the juvenilecourt assigned to such camps, ranches, or homes; or to publicprojects employing prisoners pursuant to Section 25359 of theGovernment Code and public projects involving persons engaged infederal, state, or county job or work training programs.