Members press for DGS oversight and limits on no-bid contracting for Fire Innovation Unit

During the SB 10 79 hearing, committee staff cautioned that removing floor amendments could reinstate language allowing the Fire Innovation Unit to make follow-on awards without a separate competitive solicitation.

A staff member warned the chair that striking the cleanup language "would explicitly then allow the fire innovation unit to have, no bid contract authority." The sponsor and witnesses said they were willing to provide additional restrictive language and to restore DGS oversight to address that concern.

Daniel Kim, representing the bill sponsors, told the committee he and the sponsors could draft language making the initial contract competitive while allowing limited sole-source amendments later. "The initial contract that Cal Fire would award would have to be done so in a competitive manner. Subsequent additions or amendments to that contract could be done on a sole source basis," Kim said.

Committee members signaled they wanted more precise statutory constraints and opportunities for DGS or other oversight to prevent open-ended no-bid authority; the sponsor accepted the committee’s requested clarifications before the motion passed.