Exemptions
San Diego Municipal Code § 22.4215
in effect§22.4215 Exemptions
(a) The following contracts are exempt from the requirements of this Division:
(1) contracts subject to federal or state law or regulations that preclude the applicability of this Division’s requirements;
(2) contracts that involve programs where the City shares management authority with other jurisdictions, unless all the signatory jurisdictions agree to the applicability of this Division’s requirements to the contract;
(3) contracts for services by any other governmental agency;
(4) contracts for public works construction;
(5) cooperative procurement contracts, including contracts that use a bidding process that substantially complies with City requirements;
(6) contracts for the purchase of goods, property, or the leasing of property;
(7) contracts for professional services, as described in California Labor Code Section 515(a), such as design, engineering, financial, technical, legal, banking, medical, management, operating, advertising, or other services. The exemption for professional medical contracts shall not extend to service contracts for emergency medical personnel, including emergency medical technicians and paramedics;
(8) contracts where compliance with this division is not in the best interests of the City as certified by the City Manager and approved by the City Council.
(b) The following businesses, even if otherwise qualified as a covered employer, are exempt from the requirements of this Division:
(1) Businesses, including their parent and subsidiary entities, employing twelve or fewer employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year, so long as the City determines that the business, including any of its subcontractors, will not need to retain more than twelve employees to perform work related to a service contract or financial assistance agreement.
(2) Businesses organized under Internal Revenue Service Code, section 501(c)(3) to provide community-based social services, other than child care services, and whose highest paid officer earns a salary that, when calculated on an hourly basis, is less than eight times the hourly wage rate of the lowest paid covered employee.
(c) The definitions of service contract or financial assistance agreement shall be liberally interpreted so as to further the policy objectives of this Division.
(Added 6-6-2005 by O-19386 N.S.)
(Amended 11-24-2008 by O-19809 N.S; effective 1-1-2010.)
(Amended 2-26-2014 by O-20352 N.S.; effective 3-28-2014.)
(Amended 3-2-2016 by O-20607 N.S.; effective 4-1-2016.)
(Amended 10-8-2025 by O-22004 N.S.; effective 7-1-2026.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter02/Ch02Art02Division42.pdf#page=6Fetched: 10/28/2026