(a) The Director of Finance, in consultation with the Treasurer, shall select a firm or individual to provide advisory services based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the services required, in the manner described in this section.

(b) The Director of Finance and the Treasurer shall establish selection criteria for selecting an advisor. The criteria may include, but are not necessarily limited to, factors such as professional excellence, demonstrated competence, specialized experience in performing similar services, education and experience of key personnel to be assigned, staff capability, ability to meet schedules, nature and quality of similar completed work of the firm or individual, reliability and continuity of the firm or individual, and other considerations deemed by the director and the Treasurer to be relevant and necessary to the performance of advisory services.

(c) The Director of Finance, for the purposes of obtaining services under this section, shall send a Notice of Request for Qualifications to firms and individuals in the underwriter and financial advisor pools of the Treasurer. The director shall publish this notice in the State Contracts Register pursuant to Sections 14827.1 and 14827.2 of the Government Code. The notice shall include a description of the advisory services required, the selection criteria based on which the contract award will be made, submission requirements and deadlines, and a Department of Finance contact name and telephone number for more information. A copy of the Notice of Request for Qualifications shall be provided to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee within seven days of publication in the State Contracts Register.

(d) (1) After the final response date stated in the Notice of Request for Qualifications, the Director of Finance and the Treasurer shall review the responses submitted, and shall evaluate them using the criteria contained in the notice. The director and the Treasurer shall rank, in order of preference based on the criteria contained in the notice, the firm or individuals determined to be qualified to perform the required services.

(2) The Director of Finance and the Treasurer, or their designees, may interview any of the qualified firms or individuals regarding the experience and qualifications of those firms or individuals, as well as anticipated concepts and the benefits of alternative methods of furnishing the required services.

(e) (1) Following the interviews, if any, held pursuant to subdivision (d), the Director of Finance and the Treasurer shall adjust the ranking of the qualified individuals or firms to reflect those firms or individuals deemed to be the most highly qualified to perform the required services.

(2) The Director of Finance, in consultation with the Treasurer, shall enter into negotiations with the firm or individual most highly ranked pursuant to paragraph (1). If negotiations are concluded successfully, the director shall enter into a contract. If the director, in his or her sole discretion, concludes that the negotiations are unsuccessful, the director shall terminate the negotiations, and begin new negotiations, in consultation with the Treasurer, with the other firms or individuals ranked pursuant to paragraph (1) in order of their ranking, and either contract with or terminate negotiations with each next most highly ranked firm or individual.

(3) If, after pursuing the negotiation process set forth in paragraph (2), the Director of Finance has been unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract at fair and reasonable compensation, the director may reinstitute the selection process prescribed in this section, commencing with the issuance of a new Notice of Request for Qualifications.

(4) The Director of Finance shall notify the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in writing within seven days of entering into a contract with an individual or firm pursuant to paragraph (2).

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 757, Sec. 27. Effective September 30, 2008.)