(a) If the Department of General Services determines that a company has submitted a false certification under Section 10478, the company shall be subject to all of the following:

(1) The company is liable for a civil penalty in an amount that is equal to the greater of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) or twice the amount of the contract for which a bid or proposal was submitted.

(2) The state agency or the Department of General Services may terminate the contract with the company.

(3) The company is ineligible to, and shall not, bid on a state contract for a period of not less than three years from the date the state agency determines that the company submitted the false certification.

(b) The Department of General Services shall report to the Attorney General the name of the company that the Department of General Services determined had submitted a false certification under Section 10478, together with its information as to the false certification, and the Attorney General shall determine whether to bring a civil action against the company. The company shall pay all costs and fees the plaintiff incurred in a civil action, including costs incurred by the state agency and the Department of General Services for investigations that led to the finding of the false certification and all costs and fees incurred by the Attorney General.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 272, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2009. Note: Section 10480 suggests conditions for future repeal action.)