(a) A district board may contract for special services. These contracts shall be with persons specially trained, experienced, expert, and competent to perform the special services. The special services shall be limited to the fields of accounting, administration, ambulance, architecture, custodial, economics, engineering, finance, insurance, labor relations, law, maintenance, mechanics, medicine, planning, science, technology, and other services which are incidental to the operation of the district.

(b) In the case of a district which has a final budget in excess of one million dollars ($1,000,000), the district shall follow the contracting and purchasing procedures which apply to the county government of its principal county or the procedures in subdivision (c).

(c) In the case of a district which has a final budget less than one million dollars ($1,000,000), the district shall follow the procedures of this subdivision.

(1) When the expenditure required for the service contract exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), it shall be contracted for and let to the lowest responsible bidder. If two or more bids are the same and the lowest, the district board may accept the one it chooses.

(2) The notice inviting bids shall set a date for the opening of bids. The first publication or posting of the notice shall be at least 10 days before the date of opening the bids. Notice shall be published at least twice, at least five days apart, in a newspaper of general circulation in the district, or if there is none, it shall be posted in at least three public places in the district. The notice shall distinctly state the service to be performed.

(3) The district board may reject any bids. If the district board rejects all bids, it may either readvertise or adopt a resolution, by two-thirds vote, declaring that the service can be performed more economically by the district’s employees or obtained at a lower price in the open market. Upon adoption of the resolution, the district board may undertake the service contract without further complying with this section.

(4) If no bids are received, the district board may undertake the service contract without further complying with this section.

(5) In the case of an emergency, the district board shall respond to the emergency pursuant to Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 22050) if notice for bids to let contracts will not be given.

(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 261, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.)