Code Section

10371.  

The following provisions shall apply to all consulting services contracts:

(a) Each state agency shall, regardless of the fiscal amount involved, use available private resources only when the quality of work of private resources is of at least equal quality compared with the state agency operated resources.

(b) Each state agency shall, prior to signing a consulting services contract totaling five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more, prepare detailed criteria and a mandatory progress schedule for the performance of the contract and shall require each selected contractor to provide a detailed analysis of the costs of performing the contract.

(c) Except in an emergency, no consulting services contract shall be commenced prior to formal approval by the department or, if the department’s approval is not otherwise required, by the director of the state agency. No payments for any consulting services contract shall be made prior to this approval of the award.

For the purpose of this subdivision an “emergency” means an instance, as determined by the department, where the use of contracted services appeared to be reasonably necessary but time did not permit the obtaining of prior formal approval of the contract.

(d) No consulting services contractor shall be awarded a contract totaling five thousand dollars ($5,000), or more, unless all of the following apply:

(1) The state agency has reviewed any contractor evaluation form on file with the department in accordance with Section 10369.

(2) Each state agency shall require that a completed resumé for each contract participant who will exercise a major administrative role or major policy or consultant role, as identified by the contractor, be attached to the contract for public record and is made a part of the contract.

(3) The department shall notify a state agency seeking approval of a proposed contract within 10 working days if it has a negative evaluation in its files on a previous contract or contracts awarded to this contractor.

(e) The department may require special evaluation procedures for multiyear contracts or for contracts calling for special evaluation procedures beyond the post-evaluation.

(f) Any contract for consulting services awarded without competition shall be listed in the California State Contracts Register. The information contained in the listing shall include the contract recipient, amount, and services covered. The requirement of this subdivision shall not apply to any contract awarded without competition executed with an expert witness for purposes of civil litigation in a pending case.

(g) The department shall have the duty to restrict or terminate the authority of a state agency to enter into consultant contracts if the state agency has consistently avoided the proper preparation, retention, or submission of post-evaluation forms, as required by this article.