Notwithstanding Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 4525) of Division 5, or Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) or Part 3 (commencing with Section 20100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, the governmental agency soliciting proposals and entering into agreements with private entities for the studying, planning, design, developing, financing, construction, maintenance, rebuilding, improvement, repair, or operation, or any combination thereof, by private entities for fee-producing infrastructure projects shall ensure that the contractor is selected pursuant to a competitive negotiation process. Projects may be proposed by the private entity and selected by the governmental agency at the discretion of the governmental agency. Projects may be proposed and selected individually or as part of a related or larger project. The competitive negotiation process shall utilize, as the primary selection criteria, the demonstrated competence and qualifications for the studying, planning, design, developing, financing, construction, maintenance, rebuilding, improvement, repair, or operation, or any combination thereof, of the facility. The selection criteria shall also ensure that the facility be operated at fair and reasonable prices to the user of the infrastructure facility services. The competitive negotiation process shall not require competitive bidding. The competitive negotiation process shall specifically prohibit practices that may result in unlawful activity including, but not limited to, rebates, kickbacks, or other unlawful consideration, and shall specifically prohibit governmental agency 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 that would subject those employees to the prohibition of Section 87100. Other than these criteria and applicable provisions related to providing security for the construction and completion of the facility, the governmental agency soliciting proposals is not subject to any other provisions of the Public Contract Code or this code that relates to public procurements.

(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1040, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.)