(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the reimbursement rates for “911” emergency telephone number equipment shall not exceed specified amounts negotiated with each interested supplier and approved by the Office of Emergency Services. The Office of Emergency Services shall negotiate supplier pricing to ensure cost-effectiveness and the best value for the “911” emergency telephone number system. The Office of Emergency Services shall pay those bills as provided in Section 41137 only under the following conditions:
(1) The Office of Emergency Services shall have received the local agency’s “911” emergency telephone number system plan by July 1 of the prior fiscal year and approved the plan by October 1 of the prior fiscal year.
(2) The Legislature has appropriated in the Budget Bill an amount sufficient to pay those bills.
(3) The Office of Emergency Services has reviewed and approved each line item of a request for funding to ensure the necessity of the proposed equipment or services and the eligibility for reimbursement.
(4) The amounts to be paid do not exceed the pricing submitted by the supplier and approved by the Office of Emergency Services. Extraordinary circumstances may warrant spending in excess of the established rate, but shall be preapproved by the Office of Emergency Services. In determining the reimbursement rate, the Office of Emergency Services shall utilize the approved pricing submitted by the supplier providing the equipment or service.
(b) This section shall not be construed to limit an agency’s ability to select a supplier or procure telecommunications equipment as long as the supplier’s pricing is preapproved by the Office of Emergency Services. Agencies shall be encouraged to procure equipment on a competitive basis. Any amount in excess of the pricing approved by the Office of Emergency Services shall not be reimbursed.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 28, Sec. 85. (SB 71) Effective June 27, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 93 of Ch. 28.)