(a) Before making any contract totaling twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or more within any 12-month period, the district shall advertise for bids.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), if a proposed expenditure described in the annual district budget for any item of supplies or services equals or exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), the district shall advertise for bids before making any contract for that item during the year to which that budget applies.

(c) This section does not apply to any of the following contracts:

(1) The recruitment, hiring, and dismissal of district employees and officers.

(2) Contracts with other public entities pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 60230.

(3) Contracts for which only per diem and travel expenses are paid and there is no payment for services rendered.

(4) Contracts solely for the purpose of retaining expert witnesses for litigation.

(5) Contracts for proprietary information or systems.

(6) Contracts for professional services, including, but not limited to, architectural, engineering, environmental, land surveying, or construction project management services, that are let on the basis of demonstrated competence and on the professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the services required pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 4525) of Division 5 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

(7) Contracts for legal services that are let on the basis of demonstrated competence and on the professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the services.

(d) The district may adopt other procurement, advertising, and bidding rules that are more restrictive than those contained in the Public Contract Code and those more restrictive rules shall govern the procurement, advertising, and bidding practices of the district.

(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 829, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2002.)