Article 60. Bridge And Highway Districts of California Public Contract Code >> Division 2. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 60.

The provisions of this article shall apply to contracts by bridge and highway districts as provided for in the Bridge and Highway District Act pursuant to Part 3 (commencing with Section 27000) of Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code.

(a) The district shall advertise, pursuant to Section 6066 of the Government Code, for contracts for all vessel repair, maintenance, and alteration work whenever the estimated expenditure exceeds twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), and for all other construction, repair, maintenance, and alteration work and all similar work, and for all insurance purchased by the district for any reason, except physical damage insurance, employee benefit insurance, liability insurance, or worker's compensation insurance, whenever the estimated expenditure exceeds five thousand dollars ($5,000), as follows:
  (1) In at least one newspaper and not more than three newspapers designated by the general manager, which are published in any one county or portion of a county within the district.
  (2) By publication for two consecutive insertions in a trade paper of general circulation, published no more than one week apart either in the City of Los Angeles or the City and County of San Francisco, devoted primarily to the dissemination of contract news among contracting firms. The district shall publicly open the bids and award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder.
  (b) In case of emergency, work may be contracted without advertising or competitive bidding.
  (c) If notice for bids to let contracts will not be given, the district shall comply with Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 22050).

It shall be unlawful to employ any means to evade the provisions of this article requiring contracts to be awarded after advertising and competitive bidding, including the splitting of projects into smaller work orders, the amendment of existing contracts, or the approval of a subcontract or subcontracts let under existing contracts. Every person who willfully violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

All contracts in excess of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) entered into by the district for the hiring or purchase of equipment, supplies, or materials, are of no effect unless the district shall advertise pursuant to Section 6066 of the Government Code for bids for such contracts in at least one newspaper and not more than three newspapers designated by the general manager, which are published in any one county or portion of a county within the district, and unless the district shall award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder.

Notwithstanding Section 20916, the purchase of all supplies, equipment, and materials by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District shall be subject to the following:
  (a) When the expenditure required exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the purchase shall be by contract let to the lowest responsible bidder, or, in the district's discretion, to the responsible bidder who submitted a proposal that provides the best value to the district on the basis of the factors identified in the solicitation. "Best value" means the overall combination of quality, price, and other elements of a proposal that, when considered together, provide the greatest overall benefit in response to the requirements described in the solicitation documents.
  (b) To the extent practicable, the district shall obtain a minimum of three quotations, either written or oral, that permit prices and terms to be compared whenever the expected expenditure required for the purchase of supplies, equipment, or materials exceeds two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), but does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).
  (c) Notice requesting bids shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation and on the district's procurement Internet Web site, which publication shall be made at least 10 days before the bids are received. The board may reject any and all bids and readvertise at its discretion.
  (d) This section applies solely to the procurement of supplies, equipment, and materials, and shall not apply to construction contracts.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the award of purchase contracts by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District under competitive bid procedures may not be feasible for products and materials which are undergoing rapid technological changes or for the introduction of new technologies into district operations. Under these circumstances, it is in the public interest to consider the broadest possible range of competing products and materials available, fitness of purpose, manufacturer's warranty, performance reliability, delivery timetables, vendor financing, support logistics, and other similar factors in addition to price in the award of these contracts.
  (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the board may direct the purchase of the specialized equipment specified in subdivision (g) by competitive negotiation upon a finding, by a two-thirds vote of the membership of the board, that the purchase of that equipment pursuant to laws otherwise applicable to the purchase is not feasible or in the public interest.
  (c) Competitive negotiation, for the purposes of this section, includes, but is not limited to, all of the following requirements:
  (1) A request for proposals shall be prepared and submitted to an adequate number of qualified sources, as determined by the board, to permit reasonable competition consistent with the nature and requirements of the procurement. In addition, notice of the request for proposals shall be published at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation, at least 10 days before the date for receipt of the proposals. The board shall make every effort to generate the maximum feasible number of proposals from qualified sources and shall make a finding to that effect before proceeding to negotiate if only a single response to the request for proposals is received.
  (2) A request for proposals shall identify all significant evaluation factors, including price, and their relative importance.
  (3) The board shall provide reasonable procedures for technical evaluation of the proposals received, identification of qualified sources, and selection for contract award.
  (4) Award shall be made to the qualified proposer whose proposal will be most advantageous to the district, with price and all other factors considered. If award is not made to the bidder whose proposal contains the lowest price, the board shall make a finding setting forth the basis for the award.
  (d) The board may reject any and all proposals and request new proposals, at its discretion.
  (e) Upon making an award to a qualified proposer, the board, upon request, shall make available to all other proposers and to the public, an analysis of the award which provides the basis for the selection of that particular qualified proposal.
  (f) A person who submits, or who plans to submit, a proposal may protest any acquisition conducted in accordance with this section as follows:
  (1) Protests based on the content of the request for proposals shall be filed with the board within 10 calendar days after the request for proposals is first advertised in accordance with subdivision (b). The board shall issue a written decision on the protest prior to the opening of proposals. A protest may be renewed by refiling the protest with the board within 15 calendar days after the mailing of the notice of the recommended award.
  (2) Any bidder may protest the recommended award on any ground not based upon the content of the request for proposals by filing a protest with the board within 15 calendar days after the mailing of the notice of the recommended award.
  (3) Any protest shall contain a full and complete written statement specifying in detail the grounds of the protest and the facts supporting the protest. Protestors shall have an opportunity to appear and be heard before the board prior to the opening of proposals in the case of protests based on the content of the request for proposals, or prior to final award in the case of protests based on other grounds or the renewal of protests based on the content of the request for proposals.
  (g) This section applies only to the purchase by the district of computers, telecommunications equipment, automated toll and fare collection equipment, microwave equipment, and other related electronic equipment and apparatus. This section does not apply to contracts for construction or for the procurement of any product available in substantial quantities to the general public.
  (h) Provisions in any contract concerning women and minority business enterprises, which provisions are in accordance with the request for proposals, shall not be subject to negotiation with the successful bidder.

All bids for construction work shall be presented under sealed cover and shall be accompanied by one of the following forms of bidder's security:
  (a) Cash.
  (b) A cashier's check made payable to the district.
  (c) A certified check made payable to the district.
  (d) A bidder's bond executed by an admitted surety insurer, made payable to the district. Upon an award to the lowest bidder, the security of an unsuccessful bidder shall be returned in a reasonable period of time, but in no event shall that security be held by the district beyond 60 days from the time the award is made.

If, after rejecting bids received under Section 20916, the board determines and declares by a two-thirds vote of all of its members that, in its opinion, the equipment, supplies, or materials may be purchased at a lower price in the open market, the board may proceed to purchase the equipment, supplies, or materials in the open market without further observance of the provisions requiring contracts, bids, or advertisement.

In case of an emergency, the board may, by resolution passed by a two-thirds vote of all of its members, declare and determine that public interest and necessity demand the immediate expenditure of public money to safeguard life, health, or property, and thereupon proceed to expend or enter into a contract involving the expenditure of any sum needed in such emergency without observance of the provisions requiring contracts, bids, or advertisement. If notice for bid to let contracts will not be given, the board shall also comply with Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 22050).