ARTICLE 2.5. Contracts with Private Architects, Engineering, Environmental, Land Surveying, and Construction Project Management Firms [10510.4. - 10510.9.]

Cal. Public Contract Code - PCC 2.5.

in effect

Cal. Public Contract Code - PCC § 10510.4. Section 10510.4.

For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply: (a) “Firm” means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity permitted by law to practice the profession of architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, environmental services, land surveying, or construction project management. (b) “Architectural, landscape architectural, engineering, environmental, and land surveying services” include those professional services of an architectural, landscape architectural, engineering, environmental, or land surveying nature as well as incidental services that members of these professions and their employees may logically or justifiably perform. (c) “Construction project management” means those services provided by a licensed architect, registered engineer, or licensed general contractor that meet the requirements of Section 10510.9 for management and supervision of work performed on university construction projects. (d) “Environmental services” means those services performed in connection with project development and permit processing in order to comply with federal and state environmental laws. “Environmental services” also includes the processing and awarding of claims pursuant to Chapter 6.75 (commencing with Section 25299.10) of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code. (e) “Real property development services” means those services undertaken by a real estate developer in connection with the development of a developer-owned project on land owned or controlled by the university, including, but not limited to, environmental analysis, landscape planning, site design, market and financial feasibility, and other incidental services that a real estate developer may perform for the project.

Cal. Public Contract Code - PCC § 10510.5. Section 10510.5.

(a) Selection by the University of California for professional services of private architectural, landscape architectural, engineering, environmental, land surveying, real property development services, or construction project management firms shall be on the basis of demonstrated competence and on the professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the services required. In order to implement this method of selection, the university shall adopt procedures that assure that these services are engaged on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifications for the types of services to be performed and at fair and reasonable prices to the university. Furthermore, these procedures shall assure maximum participation of small business firms, as defined by the Director of General Services pursuant to Section 14837 of the Government Code. (b) These procedures shall specifically prohibit practices that might result in unlawful activity including, but not limited to, rebates, kickbacks, or other unlawful consideration, and shall specifically prohibit university employees from participating in the selection process when those employees have a relationship with a person or business entity seeking a contract under this section.

Cal. Public Contract Code - PCC § 10510.6. Section 10510.6.

(a) The University of California shall follow this section in negotiating fees and executing a contract for professional consulting services of a private architectural, landscape architectural, engineering, land surveying, environmental, real property development services, or construction project management firm. (b) After providing notification to the successful firm of its selection, the university shall provide written instructions for the negotiations that are to follow. These instructions shall provide the private consulting firm with necessary information that shall allow the negotiations to proceed in an orderly fashion. Negotiations shall begin within 14 days after the successful firm has been notified of its selection or upon receipt of the cost proposal. The contractor should be notified if additional time is necessary to begin negotiations. (c) Upon the completion of negotiations, the university and the private firm shall proceed to execute a contract that the university shall complete within 45 days. The contractor should be notified if additional time is necessary to complete the contract. The university and private firm shall work together to ensure the successful delivery of the requested services in a timely fashion. (d) In the event an impasse is reached in negotiations, the university may terminate negotiations and enter into negotiations with the next qualified firm, in the same manner as prescribed in Section 10510.8 with respect to management services contracts.

Cal. Public Contract Code - PCC § 10510.7. Section 10510.7.

(a) In the procurement of architectural, landscape architectural, engineering, environmental, land surveying, real property development services, and construction project management services, the university shall encourage firms engaged in the lawful practice of their profession to submit annually a statement of qualifications and performance data. (b) (1) Statewide announcement of all projects requiring architectural, landscape architectural, engineering, environmental, land surveying, real property development services, or construction project management services shall be made by the university through advertisements placed in the California State Contracts Register and in publications of the respective professional societies and organizations of persons that perform those services. Alternatively, the university may develop policies to provide for electronic statewide notice of the required announcements to ensure notification through, at a minimum, appropriate professional societies and organizations and the California State Contracts Register, to those persons that perform the services sought to be procured. (2) The university, for each proposed project, shall evaluate current statements of qualifications and performance data on file with the university, together with those that may be submitted by other firms regarding the proposed project. (3) (A) The university, for each proposed project, shall conduct discussions with no less than three firms regarding anticipated concepts and the relative utility of alternative methods of approach for furnishing the required services. (B) The university shall select, from the firms with which it conducted discussions in order of preference, based upon criteria established and published by the university, no less than three of the firms deemed to be the most highly qualified to provide the services required. (C) If a project announcement results in submissions from fewer than three qualified firms, the university may then select from the available qualified firms and shall document its efforts to receive submissions from additional firms. (D) These procedures shall specifically prohibit practices that might result in unlawful activity including, but not limited to, rebates, kickbacks, or other unlawful consideration, and shall specifically prohibit university employees from participating in the selection process when those employees have a relationship with a person or business entity seeking a contract under this section. (4) This subdivision does not apply to a contract for the services described in Section 10510.4 with a total contract cost of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or less, provided that the type of project for which the contract is awarded is identified by the university in an annual announcement, made in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1), that identifies the project needs of the university that are projected to have a total contract price of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or less.

Cal. Public Contract Code - PCC § 10510.8. Section 10510.8.

(a) The university shall negotiate a contract with the best qualified firm for architectural, landscape architectural, engineering, environmental, land surveying, real property development services, and construction project management services at compensation that the university determines is fair and reasonable to the University of California. (b) Should the university be unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the firm considered to be the most qualified, at a price the university determines to be fair and reasonable to the University of California, negotiations with that firm shall be formally terminated. The university shall then undertake negotiations with the second most qualified firm. Failing accord with the second most qualified firm, the university shall terminate negotiations. The university shall then undertake negotiations with the third most qualified firm. (c) Should the university be unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with any of the selected firms, the university shall select additional firms in order of their competence and qualification and continue negotiations in accordance with this article until an agreement is reached.

Cal. Public Contract Code - PCC § 10510.9. Section 10510.9.

Any individual or firm proposing to provide construction project management services pursuant to this article shall provide evidence that the individual or firm and its personnel carrying out onsite responsibilities have expertise and experience in construction project design review and evaluation, construction mobilization and supervision, bid evaluation, project scheduling, cost-benefit analysis, claims review and negotiation, and general management and administration of a construction project.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026