(a) Except as provided by subdivision (b), state agencies shall secure at least three competitive bids or proposals for each contract.

(b) Three competitive bids or proposals are not required in any of the following cases:

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(1) In cases of emergency where a contract is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, welfare, or safety, or protection of state property.

(2) When the agency awarding the contract has advertised the contract in the California State Contracts Register and has solicited all potential contractors known to the agency, but has received less than three bids or proposals.

(3) (A) The contract is with another state agency, a local governmental entity, an auxiliary organization of the California State University, an auxiliary organization of a California community college, a foundation organized to support the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, or an auxiliary organization of the Student Aid Commission established pursuant to § 69522 of the Education Code. These contracts, however, shall not be used to circumvent the competitive bidding requirements of this article.

(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), until January 1, 2020, an interagency agreement that is in effect pursuant to an amount appropriated to the Office of Planning and Research for precision medicine, including a contract between the Office of Planning and Research, the Regents of the University of California, or an auxiliary organization of the California State University, may include a subcontract not subject to any competitive bidding requirements of this article for the limited purpose of researching or developing precision medicine.

(4) The contract meets the conditions prescribed by the department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10348.

(5) The contract has been awarded without advertising and calling for bids pursuant to § 19404 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(6) Contracts entered into pursuant to § 14838.5 of the Government Code.

(7) Contracts for the development, maintenance, administration, or use of licensing or proficiency testing examinations.

(8) The contract is for services for the operation, maintenance, repair, or replacement of specialized equipment at facilities of the State Water Resources Development System, as defined in § 12931 of the Water Code, and meets the conditions established by the Department of Water Resources for those contracts.

(9) The contract meets the conditions prescribed by the Department of Water Resources for contracts subject to Section 10295.6.

(10) Contracts entered into by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training or the Office of Emergency Services solely for the services of instructors for public safety training. For the purpose of this paragraph, “public safety training” includes, but is not limited to, training related to law enforcement, emergency medical response, emergency volunteers, and fire responders.

(c) Any agency that has received less than three bids or proposals on a contract shall document, in a manner prescribed by the department, the names and addresses of the firms or individuals it solicited for bids or proposals.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 24, Sec. 31. (AB 1602) Effective June 27, 2016.)