MONTHLY PUBLIC WORKS BOARD PROCESS - 6821

(Revised: 03/2025)

(Revised and Renumbered from 6844.)

PWB meetings:  Historically, PWB meets monthly to consider proposed capital outlay actions and approve of certain project milestones.  Meetings are normally held in Sacramento on the second Friday of each month.  The meeting notice  is distributed at least ten days in advance of the board meeting and posted to the PWB website at www.spwb.ca.gov (Government Code Section 11125). The notice must include the meeting date, place, time, and agenda containing a brief description of the items of business to be acted on or discussed. The staff analysis is generally posted approximately two days prior to the meeting and must be available at the meeting along with any briefing materials for each item.  A link to subscribe to the email distribution list can be found on the PWB website.

Meetings may be added or removed from the PWB meeting calendar as determined necessary by PWB.

Annual calendars:  PWB approves an annual calendar showing planned board meetings and key due dates.  The annual calendar and its updates are posted on the PWB website. 

Key monthly timeframes:

1. Proposed PWB actions requiring legislative notification: Legislative notification is required for the following actions: (1) scope changes, (2) augmentations between 10 and 20 percent, and (3) approval of preliminary plans or performance criteria for projects with a deficit in excess of 20 percent. These legislative notifications must be sent to the Legislature twenty calendar days before PWB takes action, and are commonly referred to as “20-day letters.” For requests which require a 20-day letter, departments must submit agenda items at least 50 calendar days in advance of the scheduled PWB meeting.
   
   
2. Proposed PWB actions not requiring legislative notifications: All items except those listed above may be approved by PWB without waiting for a legislative response .These items are due at least 36 calendar days prior to the PWB meeting.
   
   
3. Minutes: Minutes for a given PWB meeting are generally approved at the following month’s PWB meeting and posted online shortly thereafter.

Delegated agenda items (reportables):  By resolution, PWB has delegated to its Executive Director and Deputy Directors certain functions and approvals removing the need for such actions to be heard at a PWB meeting.  Most delegated actions must be reported at the next regularly scheduled PWB meeting. These actions are referred to as “reportables.”  The delegated items include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Site selection for projects meeting specific criteria,
   
   
2. Acquisition of less-than-fee property rights (e.g. easements) provided certain conditions have been met,
   
   
3. Preliminary plans or performance criteria provided certain conditions have been met,
4. Augmentations of less than 10 percent, as described in Section 6833 under the heading “Project Augmentations,”
   
   
5. Establishment or revision of project scope, cost, and schedule provided that no legislative notice is required.
   
   
6. Approve the use of inmate ward labor in accordance with the provisions of Public Contract Code Section 10103.5.