2023 California Code › Public Contract Code - PCC › DIVISION 2 - GENERAL PROVISIONS › PART 3 - CONTRACTING BY LOCAL AGENCIES › CHAPTER 1 - Local Agency Public Construction Act › ARTICLE 25 - Boards of Supervisors County Highways › Section 20395.

20395. (a)  In any county that has appointed a road commissioner pursuant to Section 2006 of the Streets and Highways Code, or in any county that has abolished the office of road commissioner and complied with Section 2006.1 of the Streets and Highways Code, the board of supervisors may authorize the road commissioner, or a registered civil engineer under the direction of the county director of transportation, to have any work upon county highways done under their supervision and direction. The work may be done in any of the following ways:
(1) By letting a contract covering both work and material. In that event, the contract shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder as provided in this article.
(2) By purchasing the material and letting a contract for the performance of the work. In that event, the material shall be bought at the lowest possible cost and the contract let to the lowest responsible bidder as provided in this article.
(3) By purchasing the material and having the work done by day labor, in which case advertising for bids is not required.
(4) (A) By authorizing the county road commissioner or a registered civil engineer under the direction of the county director of transportation to execute changes or additions to the work for any contract pursuant to this section in an amount not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) for contracts of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or less, or 10 percent for contracts over fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) but not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). In no event shall any change or addition to the work exceed a net total addition of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).
(B) For contracts whose original cost exceeds two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), the extra cost for any change or addition to the work so ordered shall not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), plus 5 percent of the amount of the original contract cost in excess of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), no change or alteration shall exceed two hundred ten thousand dollars ($210,000).
(b) The County of Los Angeles may elect to be subject to all of the following provisions:
(1) For contracts whose original cost exceeds twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000), the extra cost for any change or addition to the work so ordered shall not exceed four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000), adjusted annually to reflect the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index.
(2) For contracts whose original cost exceeds fifty million dollars ($50,000,000), the extra cost for any change or addition to the work so ordered shall not exceed seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000), adjusted annually to reflect the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index.
(3) If the board of supervisors delegates authority in the manner specified in subdivision (a) with regard to the contract costs specified in this subdivision, the decision by the county engineer or other county officer whom authority was delegated to shall be binding on the County of Los Angeles, and all existing protest and grievance procedures regarding that decision remain valid.
(4) At the time the board of supervisors delegates authority in the manner specified in subdivision (a) with regard to the contract costs specified in this subdivision, the board shall implement appropriate measures to prevent fraud and ensure accountability for that delegated authority.
(5) This subdivision does not apply if the sum of the contracts modified under this subdivision, subdivision (c) of Section 20142, subdivision (e) of Section 20405, subdivision (b) of Section 20614, and subdivision (b) of Section 20998, exceeds seven contracts.
(6) If a contract is modified under this subdivision, the County of Los Angeles shall provide a review report to the Assembly Committee on Local Government and the Senate Committee on Governance and Finance no later than July 1, 2026.
(c) The County of Santa Clara may elect to be subject to all of the following provisions:
(1) For contracts whose original cost exceeds twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000), the extra cost for any change or addition to the work so ordered shall not exceed four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000), adjusted annually to reflect the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index.
(2) For contracts whose original cost exceeds fifty million dollars ($50,000,000), the extra cost for any change or addition to the work so ordered shall not exceed seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000), adjusted annually to reflect the percentage change in the California Consumer Price Index.
(3) If the board of supervisors delegates authority in the manner specified in subdivision (a) with regard to the contract costs specified in this subdivision, the decision by the county engineer or other county officer whom authority was delegated to shall be binding on the County of Santa Clara, and all existing protest and grievance procedures regarding that decision remain valid.
(4) At the time the board of supervisors delegates authority in the manner specified in subdivision (a) with regard to the contract costs specified in this subdivision, the board shall implement appropriate measures to prevent fraud and ensure accountability for that delegated authority.
(5) This subdivision does not apply if the sum of the contracts modified under this subdivision and subdivision (d) of Section 20142 exceeds seven contracts.
(6) If a contract is modified under this subdivision, the County of Santa Clara shall provide a review report to the Assembly Committee on Local Government and the Senate Committee on Governance and Finance no later than July 1, 2026.
(d) By purchasing the material and letting a contract for the work or by letting a contract covering both work and material without advertising for bids when the estimated cost of emergency work necessitated by the imminence or occurrence of a landslide, flood, storm damage, or other emergency exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and the public interest and necessity demand immediate action to safeguard life, health, or property.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 95, Sec. 3) by Stats. 2023, Ch. 281, Sec. 2. (AB 1649) Effective January 1, 2024. Repealed January 1, 2027, by its own provisions. See later operative version added by Sec. 4 of Stats. 2021, Ch. 95.)