Notwithstanding Sections 10301, 10302, and 10304, the Department of Water Resources may award contracts for the acquisition of specialized equipment for facilities of the State Water Resources Development System, as defined in § 12931 of the Water Code. Prior to exercising the authority granted by this section, the Department of Water Resources, in collaboration with the department, shall establish the conditions under which any contract in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) is awarded without the competitive bidding process. The conditions shall be developed to expedite operations and maintenance work to reduce the risk of the loss of water or power to the State Water Resources Development System, and shall require the Department of Water Resources to prepare a written document declaring that the contract meets those conditions. Consistent with its authority under Section 10297, the department shall review those contracts for consistency with the conditions established pursuant to this section.

(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 587, Sec. 3. (SB 224) Effective January 1, 2012.)