About

1907

Office of the State Architect (OSA) is established; George C. Sellon becomes first State Architect.

1933

Long Beach Earthquake: Seventy schools are destroyed, 420 damaged.  OSA works with Assemblyman Don C Field to propose the Safety of Design and Construction of Public-School Buildings Act (The Field Act).  As California’s first major earthquake policy, the Field Act protects children and staff from death and injury in public schools and protects the publics investment in school buildings during and after earthquakes.

1963

The Department of General Services (DGS) is created.

Legislature creates the Department of General Services to centralize service activities including OSA.

1969

The majority of DGS divisions consolidate into headquarters located at 915 Capitol Mall in Sacramento.

1991

Office of the State Architect becomes Division of the State Architect.

1970s

DGS oversees the centralization of state government in the downtown Sacramento area with the planning, design and construction of several state buildings in the Capitol core.

1974

In order to make state government contracting more accessible to small businesses, the DGS Procurement Division creates the Office of Small Business.

1976

The State Capitol building closes to the public for one of the most extensive restoration efforts in the United States. DGS oversees the project which concludes with a reopening to the public in 1982.

1979

CBSC is given authority for building standards in Title 24 in 1979.

1980s

DGS moves the state’s telecommunications systems to fiber optic technology.

DGS implements the 9-1-1 emergency telephone program.

1990

California voters approve Prop. 122.  DGS manages the program resulting in seismic retrofits of more than 100 state-owned facilities and release of grants for seismic work on local government buildings.

State office consolidation effort results in new construction and major renovation of office buildings throughout the state including San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles.

1995

Office of Local Assistance was renamed the Office of Public School Construction.

1996

Office of State Printing changes its name to Office of State Publishing due to the growth of computer technology and the Internet.

1998

School Facilities Program was enacted with the voter approved initiative Proposition 1A for $6.7 billion.

2001

DGS consolidates ten separate office locations into a single headquarters building in West Sacramento.

2002

DGS leads the way in sustainable building design and construction with completion of the state’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified office buildings at the Capitol Area East End Complex.

An additional bond initiative Proposition 47 for $11.4 billion was approved by the voters for the School Facilities Program.

DGS adds electric-hybrid vehicles to its daily rental fleet. 

DGS oversees construction of new central cooling & heating plant that serves 23 buildings in downtown Sacramento, including the Capitol.  Earns LEED platinum certification.

2004

An additional bond initiative Proposition 55 for $10 billion was approved by the voters for the School Facilities Program.

2006

An additional bond initiative Proposition 1D for $7.3 billion was approved by the voters for the School Facilities Program.

2009

Publication of CALGreen (1st in USA): 2009 (voluntary) and 2011 (mandatory).

2010

Office of Public School Construction proceeded with its first priority in funding apportionment on April 28, 2010 for $960.7 million! This was the first ever priority bond proceeds to projects that are shovel ready. 

2012

Governor’s Reorganization places CBSC within DGS: 2012, effective 1/1/2013.

As of 2012, DGS was given the authority under statute to help state agencies and departments manage and protect their intellectual property assets.  DGS did so through the initiation of a multi-phase statewide outreach program.  Not only is it the law, but appropriately managing intellectual property benefits governmental entities and helps avoid unnecessary legal battles associated with the improper use of IP.

2013

DGS becomes part of the California Government Operations Agency as part of the Governor’s reorganization plan.

2014

In collaboration with CalOES, DGS-PD implemented the California 1122 Public Safety Procurement Program (CPSPP) for use by CA state departments.

• BB. No. P-16-14 - SUBJECT: California 1122 Public Safety Procurement Program (CPSPP)

2015

Transition to FI$Cal

• BB. No. P-07-15 - SUBJECT: FI$Cal Statewide Procurement Implementation Timeline

Created an online map to enhance TACPA program

• BB. No. P-14-15 - SUBJECT: The Release of Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) Worksite Economic Stimulus Preference Program Evaluation Map

2016

Real Estate in DGS began the largest office building construction program in state history. July 2016.

Transitioned from Bidsync to FI$Cal

• BB. No. F-01-16 - SUBJECT: Transition from BidSync (SCPRS and CSCR Functions) to FI$Cal

An additional bond initiative Proposition 51 for $7 billion was approved by the voters. 

2017

CCDA became a part of DGS in 2017.

Office of Public School Construction Accounting went live in FI$Cal. 

DGS-PD implemented several process improvements to the state’s purchasing authority program including consolidating requests to increase purchasing authority (LPAER, MAER, SLP, etc), streamlining processes by eliminating annual applications, issuance of a lifetime purchasing authority number instead of a new number each year, and most notably implemented the Purchasing Authority Accreditation process, achieving a long time goal and commitment to standardize purchasing authority for customer departments.

DGS-PD joined CDT in the IT Procurement Modernization Effort resulting in changes to law, policy, and procedures. https://cdt.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/TL-18-06.pdf

• BB. No. P-10-18 - SUBJECT: Information Technology (IT) Project Procurement Authority – 2018 Legislation

2018

Electronic signatures

• BB. No. P-02-20 - SUBJECT: eSignature Capability added to the STD 65 Purchasing Authority Order and STD 215 Agreement Summary
• BB. No. P-13-18 - SUBJECT: Revised STD 213 for IT Goods and Services and Non-IT Services, eSignature Capabilities

In collaboration with DOR, CalHR, and CalPIA, DGS-PD assisted with the creation of the state’s Assistive Technology, Services, and Devices (Cal-ATSD) Supplier Directory managed by DOR as well as related procurement procedures.

• BB. No. P-17-18 - SUBJECT: Acquisitions Related to Reasonable Accommodations for State Employees

DGS-PD implemented the statewide NCB Justification portal.

• BB. No. P-09-18 - SUBJECT: Announcing the New Non-Competitively Bid (NCB) Portal

Office of Public School Construction – OPSC Online release first module for school districts to submit an on-line application for the Career Technical Education program. OPSC Online released the closeout process making the entire SFP a paperless submittal, tracking and review completely in OPSC Online. 

2019

DGS-PD implemented the statewide LMS for CalPCA

In collaboration with CDT, implemented AB971 requiring evaluations of IT service contractors

• BB. No. P-15-19 - SUBJECT: NEW  Post Evaluation Form for IT Services Contracts

2020

In collaboration with CalPIA and FI$Cal, implemented CalPIA’s catalog in FI$Cal.

• BB. No. F-04-20 - SUBJECT: CALPIA Online Store Catalog Procurement Functionality - NEW

2021

DGS-PD Consolidated the SCMs from 3 manuals into one manual and transitioned to customer friendly, searchable, web-based version.

2022

OSP mailed out over 93 million mail pieces in 2022-2023. 

2022 TACPA program changes

• BB. No. P-10-22 - SUBJECT: Target Area Contract Preference Act - Mandatory Training and Liaison

• BB. No. P-06-22 - SUBJECT: Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) – Program Changes

2023

OSDS has certified over 21,900 small businesses and 1,800 Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises to do business with state agencies.