217.1.
(a) Notwithstanding Section 10120 of the Public Contract Code, the department, at the director’s discretion, may let contracts for construction of not more than eight transportation projects, to be selected based on criteria established by the director, utilizing the design-sequencing method. For the purpose of this article, these projects shall be deemed public works.(b) The department shall use department employees or consultants under contract with the department to perform all design services related to the design of plans for contracts authorized in this article, consistent with Article XXII of the California Constitution. Department resources, including personnel requirements, necessary for the performance of those services shall be included in the department’s capital outlay support program for workload purposes in the annual Budget Act.
(c) To the extent available, the department shall seek to incorporate existing knowledge and experience on design-sequencing contracts in carrying out its responsibilities under subdivision (a).
(d) Not later than July 1 of each year during which projects pursuant to design-sequencing contracts awarded under this article are underway, the department shall, for each of those projects, compile data, including the stage of completion, district, cost, description, status, estimated time to complete the project, and, as appropriate, actual time to complete the project, and shall make this information available on its public Internet Web site.