(a) This article shall apply to all contracts, including amendments, entered into by any state agency for services to be rendered to the state, whether or not the services involve the furnishing or use of equipment, materials, or supplies or are performed by an independent contractor. Except as provided in Sections 10295.6 and 10351, and paragraphs (8) and (9) of subdivision (b) of Section 10340, all contracts subject to this article are of no effect unless and until approved by the department. Each contract shall be transmitted with all papers, estimates, and recommendations concerning it to the department and, if approved by the department, shall be effective from the date of approval. This article shall apply to any state agency that by general or specific statute is expressly or impliedly authorized to enter into the transactions referred to in this section. This article shall not apply to contracts for the construction, alteration, improvement, repair, or maintenance of real or personal property, contracts for services subject to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 4525) of Division 5 of Title 1 of the Government Code, to contracts that are listed as exceptions in Section 10295, contracts of less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) in amount, contracts of less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) where only per diem or travel expenses, or a combination thereof, are to be paid, contracts between state agencies, or contracts between a state agency and local agency or federal agency.

(b) In exercising its authority under this article with respect to contracts for the services of legal counsel, other than the Attorney General, entered into by any state agency that is subject to Section 11042 or Section 11043 of the Government Code, the department, as a condition of approval of the contract, shall require the state agency to demonstrate that the consent of the Attorney General to the employment of the other counsel has been granted pursuant to Section 11040 of the Government Code. This consent shall not be construed in a manner that would authorize the Attorney General to establish a separate program for reviewing and approving contracts in the place of, or in addition to, the program administered by the department pursuant to this article.

(c) Until January 1, 2001, the department shall maintain a list of contracts approved pursuant to subdivision (b). This list shall be filed quarterly with the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review and the Assembly Committee on Budget. The list shall be limited to contracts with a consideration in excess of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) during the life of the contract and shall include sufficient information to identify the provider of legal services, the length of each contract, applicable hourly rates, and the need for the services. The department shall add a contract that meets these conditions to the list within 10 days after approval. A copy of the list shall be made available to any requester. The department may charge a fee to cover the cost of supplying the list as provided in Section 6253 of the Government Code.

(d) Contracts subject to the approval of the department shall also have the department’s approval for a modification or amendment thereto, with the following exceptions:

(1) An amendment to a contract that only extends the original time for completion of performance for a period of one year or less is exempt. If the original contract was subject to approval by the department, one fully executed copy including transmittal document, explaining the reason for the extension, shall be sent to the legal office of the department. A contract may only be amended once under this exemption.

(2) Contracts let or awarded on the basis of a law requiring competitive bidding may be modified or amended only if the contract so provides or if authorized by the law requiring competitive bidding.

(3) If an amendment to a contract has the effect of giving the contract as amended an increase in monetary amount, or an agreement by the state to indemnify or save harmless any person, the amendment shall be approved by the department.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 587, Sec. 4. (SB 224) Effective January 1, 2012.)