Article 6.5. Performance-based Contract of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 20. >> Chapter 6.75. >> Article 6.5.

(a) For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:
  (1) "Baseline concentration" means the initial concentration of a constituent of concern prior to conducting corrective action pursuant to a performance-based contract.
  (2) "Constituent of concern" means the chemical element, compound, or grouping, including, but not limited to, total petroleum hydrocarbons, as in gasoline, that is present in the soil or groundwater and subject to corrective action.
  (3) "Performance-based contract" means a written agreement approved by the board between a claimant and an appropriately licensed contractor, where the contractor agrees for a fixed price to take corrective action to reduce the concentrations of designated constituents of concern to specified concentrations.
  (4) "Remediation milestone" means that a specified reduction in the concentrations of constituents of concern from baseline concentrations has been attained through corrective action. The reduction is expressed as a percentage of the total reduction required by the performance-based contract.
  (b) The board may pay a claim pursuant to Section 25299.57 to reimburse the cost of a performance-based contract if the board approves the contract as being consistent with this article.
  (c) A performance-based contract includes, but is not limited to, the total fixed price contract amount, designated constituents of concern, baseline concentrations, and if appropriate, a payment schedule indicating the amount to be paid when specified remediation milestones are attained.
  (d) The board shall make payments based upon the reduction in the concentrations of designated constituents of concern to specified concentrations. If corrective action is estimated to take six months or more to achieve these concentrations and the remediation technology proposed is a pump-and-treat or other type of mechanical remediation technology, the board may pay a portion of the fixed price based on the attainment of specified remediation milestones or other performance parameters, in the following manner:
  (1) The first payment shall include the amount of incurred capital costs upon successful installation and startup of the mechanical remediation system.
  (2) The second payment shall be an amount equal to the agreed upon percent of the total contract price when the 25 percent remediation milestone is attained.
  (3) The third payment shall be equal to an agreed upon percent of the total contract price when the 50 percent remediation milestone is attained.
  (4) The fourth payment shall be equal to an agreed upon percent of the total contract price when the 75 percent remediation milestone is attained.
  (5) The fifth payment shall be equal to an agreed upon percent of the total contract price when the 100 percent remediation milestone is attained.
  (6) The final payment shall be the amount of the remaining contract price that shall be paid when the 100 percent remediation milestone has been maintained for one year following cessation of all active remediation.

(a) The claimant shall submit multiple bids for a performance-based contract in accordance with paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 25299.57 and any regulations adopted by the board to implement that section.
  (b) To assist claimants in soliciting bids for performance-based contract projects, the board shall advertise bid solicitations for these projects through the board's Web site. The board shall be the receiving address for the bids, and shall offer other assistance, upon request, in accordance with the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter. The bids shall be sealed prior to submittal to the board. This subdivision does not prevent the board from approving a performance-based contract covering multisite cleanups, if the board determines that economies of scale will assist claimants in soliciting bids or reducing overall costs.
  (c) The sites for which the board may consider approving a performance-based contract include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
  (1) A site that had an unauthorized release reported to the board, the regional board, or local agency five or more years ago and active remediation has not begun.
  (2) A site where corrective action has been implemented for two or more years pursuant to a corrective action plan that was approved by the board, the regional board, or local agency, but that corrective action has not been effective in reducing the concentrations of the constituents of concern to the satisfaction of that board or agency.
  (3) A site where corrective action costs are expected to exceed the maximum fund reimbursement amount prior to case closure.
  (4) A site where the board, the regional board, or local agency has recently determined that an unauthorized release has occurred that has the potential to impact nearby receptors or otherwise cause significant impact to the waters of the state.
  (5) A site where an unauthorized release of MTBE, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 25299.97, has occurred and corrective action has not been initiated or satisfactorily conducted, as determined by the board, the regional board, or local agency, or according to any regulations adopted pursuant to Section 25296.30.
  (6) A site where the board, the regional board, or local agency has determined that corrective action other than ongoing monitoring of groundwater is more likely to reduce the concentrations of constituents of concern sooner and at a lower cost.
  (d) This article does not preclude a claimant from requesting board approval of a performance-based contract to conduct corrective action at the claimant's site.

This article does not limit or abridge the powers and duties granted to the board, the regional board, or local agency pursuant to any other provision of law.