Section 10345 Of Article 4. Contracts For Services From California Public Contract Code >> Division 2. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 4.
10345
. (a) Whenever a contract is awarded under a procedure
providing for competitive bidding, but the contract is not to be
awarded to the low bidder, the low bidder shall be given notice five
working days prior to the award of the contract by telegram,
electronic facsimile transmission, overnight courier, Internet
transmission, or personal delivery.
(1) Upon written request by any bidder who has submitted a bid,
notice of the proposed award shall be posted in a place accessible by
the general public, including any Internet site identified in the
invitation for bids at least five working days prior to awarding the
contract.
(2) If, prior to the award, any bidder files a protest with the
awarding state agency and the department protesting the award of the
contract on the grounds that he or she is the lowest responsible
bidder meeting the specifications for the contract, the contract
shall not be awarded until either the protest has been withdrawn or
the department has decided the matter.
(3) Within five days after filing the protest, the protesting
bidder shall file with the department and the awarding state agency a
full and complete written statement specifying the grounds for the
protest.
(b) Contracts awarded under the provisions of Section 10344 shall
be awarded only after a notice of the proposed award has been posted
in a place accessible by the general public, including any Internet
site identified in the request for proposal, for five working days.
(1) If, prior to the award, any bidder files a protest with the
awarding state agency and the department against the awarding of the
contract, the contract shall not be awarded until either the protest
has been withdrawn or the department has decided the matter.
(2) Within five days after filing the protest, the protesting
bidder shall file with the department and awarding state agency a
full and complete written statement specifying the grounds for the
protest. Protests shall be limited to the following grounds:
(A) The state agency failed to follow the procedures specified in
either subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 10344.
(B) The state agency failed to apply correctly the standards for
reviewing the format requirements or evaluating the proposals as
specified in the request for proposal.
(C) The state agency used the evaluation and selection procedure
in subdivision (b) of Section 10344, but is proposing to award the
contract to a bidder other than the lowest responsible bidder.
(D) The state agency used the evaluation and selection procedure
in subdivision (c) of Section 10344, but failed to follow the methods
for evaluating and scoring the proposals specified in the request
for proposal.
(E) The state agency used the evaluation and selection procedure
in subdivision (c) of Section 10344, but is proposing to award the
contract to a bidder other than the bidder given the highest score by
the state agency evaluation committee.
(c) The department shall establish written procedures for deciding
protests under this section.