AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 21, 2026
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 28, 2026
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
97
Introduced by Senator Stern
February 13, 2026
An act to add and repeal Section 8589.66 of the Government Code, to amend Section 10298 of, to amend, repeal, and add Section 10340 of, and to add Section 10340.1 to, the Public Contract Code, and to add and repeal Article 4 (commencing with Section 785) of Chapter 2.5 of Division 1 of the Public Resources Code, relating to fire prevention. disaster response.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
Existing law establishes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and establishes various programs for the prevention and reduction of wildfires.
This bill, which would be operative until January 1, 2033, and only upon appropriation by the Legislature, bill would establish the Fire Innovation Unit within the department to serve as the department’s innovation arm and the state’s principal hub
for wildfire technology research, coordination, procurement, and deployment for technologies that, among other things, improve ecosystem and landscape scale resilience. The bill would require the unit to consist of the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development, the Innovation, Outreach and Coordination Program, and the Rapid Acquisition and Deployment Program, as provided. The bill would authorize the unit to establish and administer a grant
program to fund early-stage, mature, or dual-use technology projects that enhance wildfire readiness, mitigation, or response. prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response through grants, contracts, or both. The bill would also authorize the unit to (1) to, among other things, administer or monitor pilot, prototype, or demonstration projects to evaluate, mature, and validate wildfire-related technologies, (2) collaborate with public and private educational and research institutions on wildfire technology and innovation, (3) establish testbeds to test or evaluate emerging technologies, (4) provide
technical assistance to local, state, federal, and international fire agencies to facilitate deployment of wildfire-related technologies, (5) maintain a publicly accessible resource to provide visibility into these wildfire-related technologies, and (6) provide opportunities for participation in demonstrations, pilot programs, and field testing, as provided. technologies.
This bill would require the department to submit an annual report to the Governor and the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature summarizing certain information related to the unit, including, among other things, the technologies and projects evaluated, tested, or deployed.
Existing law establishes the Office of Emergency Services within the office of the Governor and makes it responsible for the state’s emergency and disaster response services.
This bill would establish the Emergency Services Innovation Unit within the Office of Emergency Services to study, test, evaluate, and advise regarding procurement and statewide deployment of emerging technologies and tools that improve California’s preparedness for, response to, mitigation of, and recovery from all hazards emergencies, as defined. The bill would authorize the unit to undertake specified activities, including a research and development program designed to identify, research, test, procure, and evaluate emerging technologies and tools that support statewide emergency management across all hazards. The bill would require the Office of Emergency Services, on or before January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, to submit a report to the Governor and specified legislative committees summarizing activities of the unit, as provided.
This bill would make the above-described provisions concerning the Fire Innovation Unit and the Emergency Services Innovation Unit (1) operative until January 1, 2033, and, except as specified, (2) operative upon an appropriation by the Legislature.
Existing law requires a state agency to secure at least 3 competitive bids or proposals for each contract, except as specified.
This bill would authorize an authorized unit, defined as either the above-described Fire Innovation Unit or Emergency Services Innovation Unit, to award a contract for innovative technology, as defined, designed to support fire or disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation, or response, without competitive solicitation and consistent with specified conditions. The bill would authorize these contracts for a vendor that has (1) completed a pilot, prototype, or demonstration project and (2) received a written formal validation from the authorized unit based on documented results. The bill would authorize these contracts to be awarded as multiphase agreements, as provided. The bill would require the department awarding these contracts to submit to the Department of General Services the validation findings, proposed contract or phase scope, and budget. The bill would authorize the Department of General Services to object only if the proposed scope materially exceeds the validated technology’s demonstrated capabilities.
Existing law prohibits a person, firm, or subsidiary thereof that has been awarded a consulting services contract from submitting a bid for, or being awarded a contract for, the provision of services, the procurement of goods or supplies, or any other related action that is required, suggested, or otherwise deemed appropriate in the end product of the consulting services contract, with certain exceptions.
This bill would additionally exempt from this prohibition contracts for innovative technology awarded by the Fire Innovation Unit or the Emergency Services Innovation Unit, as provided.
Existing law authorizes the Director of General Services to consolidate the needs of multiple state agencies for goods, information technology, and services, as provided, and to make the services of the department available, upon the terms and conditions agreed to, to local governmental bodies or corporations, as provided.
This bill would authorize the Department of General Services, upon request by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or the Office of Emergency Services, to assume administration of a contract awarded on or before January 1, 2033, for innovative technology by the Fire Innovation Unit or the Emergency Services Innovation Unit and establish the contract as a leveraged procurement agreement available for use by state agencies, local governments, and public agencies in other states, provided that the vendor consents to the expanded terms.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The increasing frequency, severity, and cost of wildfires in California threaten lives, communities, infrastructure, economies, and ecosystems.
(b) New wildfire technologies and innovations are rapidly emerging as critical tools to improve wildfire prediction, detection, modeling, suppression, community risk reduction, and land management.
(c) The pace of innovation moves more rapidly than current state procurement processes.
(d) California’s firefighters and land managers require streamlined access to these innovations and technologies that will enhance early detection, fast fire suppression, decision support tools, community risk reduction, ecosystem and landscape scale resilience, and ignition reduction to more effectively address the wildfire crisis.
(e) Although the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development was established to evaluate new tools, the state still lacks a unified structure to identify firefighter needs, source technologies, rapidly prototype solutions, and move the most successful technologies from pilot to scale through flexible procurement mechanisms.
(f) A Fire Innovation Unit within the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is therefore necessary to close the innovation gap by coordinating with end users of wildfire technology, connecting technological solutions with operational needs, accelerating pilot-to-scale adoption, and enhancing collaboration across government, educational institutions, industry, and philanthropy.
SEC. 2.
Section 8589.66 is added to the Government Code, to read:
8589.66.
(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “All hazards emergencies” means natural, technological, or human-caused threats that may result in death, injury, property damage, infrastructure disruption, or environmental harm, including, but not limited to, fire, flood, extreme heat, tsunami, earthquake, cybersecurity incidents, terrorism, and epidemics.
(2) “ESIU” means the Emergency Services Innovation Unit.
(b) The ESIU is hereby established within the Office of Emergency Services to study, test, evaluate, and advise regarding procurement and statewide deployment of emerging technologies and tools that improve California’s preparedness for, response to, mitigation of, and recovery from all hazards emergencies. The ESIU shall serve as an organizing resource for procuring and identifying emerging disaster technologies and assessing their applicability to statewide disaster coordination, mutual aid operations, public alert and warning, hazard mitigation, disaster intelligence, and other critical emergency functions.
(c) The ESIU may undertake, but is not limited to, the following activities:
(1) Developing a balanced, multimodal research and development program designed to identify, research, test, procure, and evaluate emerging technologies and tools that support statewide emergency management across all hazards, including, but not limited to, communications platforms, situational awareness systems, hazard prediction and modeling tools, mobile or field-deployable equipment, decision support software, and technologies used by first responders engaged in emergency operations.
(2) Consulting with public, private, nonprofit, academic, tribal, and other entities to identify advances in emergency preparedness and response relevant to the Mutual Aid System and the Standardized Emergency Management System.
(3) Making recommendations to state, local, federal, and tribal entities on technologies and tools that are effective for procurement and statewide integration into emergency operations.
(d) The ESIU may collaborate with the FIRESCOPE Program established pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 13070) of Part 1 of Division 12 of the Health and Safety Code, the Fire Innovation Unit established pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 785) of Chapter 2.5 of Division 1 of the Public Resources Code, local emergency management agencies, law enforcement agencies, federal partners, utilities, academic institutions, and private sector developers to ensure consistency of standards, technology interoperability, and alignment with statewide emergency management structures.
(e) The ESIU may administer pilot, prototype, testing, or demonstration projects and may enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, memoranda of understanding, or grant agreements with governmental entities, tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, research institutions, utilities, and private technology developers for purposes of evaluating, validating, and deploying technologies that support statewide emergency coordination.
(f) On or before January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the Office of Emergency Services shall submit a report to the Governor and the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature summarizing the following activities of the ESIU:
(1) Technologies and projects evaluated, tested, or deployed.
(2) Findings regarding cost effectiveness and operational performance.
(3) Partnerships and funding sources leveraged to support innovation activities.
(g) Except as provided in subdivision (h), the Director of Emergency Services shall implement this section upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes in the annual Budget Act or another statute.
(h) Notwithstanding subdivision (g), the Office of Emergency Services may reorganize existing positions and resources to fulfill the purposes of this section.
(i) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2033, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 3.
Section 10298 of the Public Contract Code is amended to read:
10298.
(a) The director may consolidate the needs of multiple state agencies for goods, information technology, and services, and, pursuant to the procedures established in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12100), establish contracts, master agreements, multiple award schedules, cooperative agreements, including agreements with entities outside the state, and other types of agreements that leverage the state’s buying power, for acquisitions authorized under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10290), Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12100), and Chapter 3.6 (commencing with Section 12125). State and local agencies may contract with suppliers awarded those contracts without further competitive bidding.
(b) The director may make the services of the department available, upon the terms and conditions agreed to, to any city, county, city and county, district, or other local governmental body or corporation empowered to expend public funds for the acquisition of goods, information technology, or services for assisting the agency in acquisitions conducted pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10290), Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12100), and Chapter 3.6 (commencing with Section 12125). The state shall not incur financial responsibility in connection with contracting for local agencies under this section.
(c) Upon request of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or the Office of Emergency Services, the department may assume administration of a contract awarded pursuant to Section 10340.1 on or before January 1, 2033, and establish the contract as a leveraged procurement agreement available for use by state agencies, local governments, and, through a participating addendum, public agencies in other states, provided that the vendor consents to the expanded terms.
SEC. 4.
Section 10340 of the Public Contract Code is amended to read:
10340.
(a) Except as provided by subdivision (b), a state agency shall secure at least three competitive bids or proposals for each contract.
(b) Three competitive bids or proposals are not required in any of the following cases:
(1) In cases of an emergency where a contract is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, welfare, or safety, or protection of state property.
(2) When the state agency awarding the contract has advertised the contract in the California State Contracts Register and has solicited all potential contractors known to the state agency, but has received less than three bids or proposals.
(3) (A) The contract is with another state agency, a local governmental entity, an auxiliary organization of the California State University, an auxiliary organization of a California community college, a foundation organized to support the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, or an auxiliary organization of the Student Aid Commission established pursuant to Section 69522 of the Education Code. These contracts, however, shall not be used to circumvent the competitive bidding requirements of this article.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), until January 1, 2020, an interagency agreement that is in effect pursuant to an amount appropriated to the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine, including a contract with the Regents of the University of California or an auxiliary organization of the California State University, may include a subcontract not subject to any competitive bidding requirements of this article for the limited purpose of researching or developing precision medicine.
(4) The contract meets the conditions prescribed by the department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10348.
(5) The contract has been awarded without advertising and calling for bids pursuant to Section 19404 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(6) A contract entered into pursuant to Section 14838.5 of the Government Code.
(7) A contract for the development, maintenance, administration, or use of licensing or proficiency testing examinations.
(8) The contract is for services for the operation, maintenance, repair, or replacement of specialized equipment at facilities of the State Water Resources Development System, as defined in Section 12931 of the Water Code, and meets the conditions established by the Department of Water Resources for those contracts.
(9) The contract meets the conditions prescribed by the Department of Water Resources for contracts subject to Section 10295.6.
(10) A contract entered into by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training or the Office of Emergency Services solely for the services of instructors for public safety training. For the purpose of this paragraph, “public safety training” includes, but is not limited to, training related to law enforcement, emergency medical response, emergency volunteers, and fire responders.
(11) A contract entered into by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for the purpose of providing logistical support for large-scale prescribed fire operations, including, but not limited to, meals, lodging, hired equipment, and land use agreements, or any related subcontract.
(12) The contract meets the conditions prescribed for contracts subject to Section 10340.1.
(c) A state agency that has received less than three bids or proposals on a contract shall document, in a manner prescribed by the department, the names and addresses of the firms or individuals it solicited for bids or proposals.
(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2033, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 5.
Section 10340 is added to the Public Contract Code, to read:
10340.
(a) Except as provided by subdivision (b), a state agency shall secure at least three competitive bids or proposals for each contract.
(b) Three competitive bids or proposals are not required in any of the following cases:
(1) In cases of an emergency where a contract is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, welfare, or safety, or protection of state property.
(2) When the state agency awarding the contract has advertised the contract in the California State Contracts Register and has solicited all potential contractors known to the state agency, but has received less than three bids or proposals.
(3) (A) The contract is with another state agency, a local governmental entity, an auxiliary organization of the California State University, an auxiliary organization of a California community college, a foundation organized to support the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, or an auxiliary organization of the Student Aid Commission established pursuant to Section 69522 of the Education Code. These contracts, however, shall not be used to circumvent the competitive bidding requirements of this article.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), until January 1, 2020, an interagency agreement that is in effect pursuant to an amount appropriated to the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine, including a contract with the Regents of the University of California or an auxiliary organization of the California State University, may include a subcontract not subject to any competitive bidding requirements of this article for the limited purpose of researching or developing precision medicine.
(4) The contract meets the conditions prescribed by the department pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 10348.
(5) The contract has been awarded without advertising and calling for bids pursuant to Section 19404 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(6) A contract entered into pursuant to Section 14838.5 of the Government Code.
(7) A contract for the development, maintenance, administration, or use of licensing or proficiency testing examinations.
(8) The contract is for services for the operation, maintenance, repair, or replacement of specialized equipment at facilities of the State Water Resources Development System, as defined in Section 12931 of the Water Code, and meets the conditions established by the Department of Water Resources for those contracts.
(9) The contract meets the conditions prescribed by the Department of Water Resources for contracts subject to Section 10295.6.
(10) A contract entered into by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training or the Office of Emergency Services solely for the services of instructors for public safety training. For the purpose of this paragraph, “public safety training” includes, but is not limited to, training related to law enforcement, emergency medical response, emergency volunteers, and fire responders.
(11) A contract entered into by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for the purpose of providing logistical support for large-scale prescribed fire operations, including, but not limited to, meals, lodging, hired equipment, and land use agreements, or any related subcontract.
(c) A state agency that has received less than three bids or proposals on a contract shall document, in a manner prescribed by the department, the names and addresses of the firms or individuals it solicited for bids or proposals.
(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2033.
SEC. 6.
Section 10340.1 is added to the Public Contract Code, to read:
10340.1.
(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Authorized unit” means the Fire Innovation Unit established by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 785) of Chapter 2.5 of Division 1 of the Public Resources Code, or the Emergency Services Innovation Unit established by the Office of Emergency Services pursuant to Section 8589.66 of the Government Code.
(2) “Innovative technology” means an information technology good or service, or any technology, device, system, method, or application, that represents a novel approach, applies existing technology in a manner not previously used commercially or in a materially different operational context, or employs emerging capabilities not yet widely available in the marketplace.
(b) An authorized unit may award a contract for innovative technology designed to support wildfire or disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation, or response, without competitive solicitation, to a vendor that has completed a pilot, prototype, or demonstration project, including one funded through a competitive grant award by the authorized unit, and has received a written formal validation from the authorized unit based on documented results. Prior to conducting any evaluation, the authorized unit shall establish and publish the technical and operational criteria for formal validation.
(c) A contract awarded pursuant to subdivision (b) may be structured as a multiphase agreement. Prior to activating each phase, the authorized unit shall document the scope, budget, and performance milestones for that phase. Subsequent phases may be activated without further competitive solicitation upon written determination by the director of the awarding department that the vendor has satisfactorily completed the prior phase.
(d) The scope of any contract or phase activated pursuant to this section shall be limited to the use case, operational context, and performance characteristics evaluated during the pilot, prototype, or demonstration project.
(e) The awarding department shall submit to the Department of General Services, for each action taken pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c), the validation findings, proposed contract or phase scope, and budget. The Department of General Services may object, in writing within 30 days, only if the proposed scope materially exceeds the validated technology’s demonstrated capabilities. If the Department of General Services does not object in writing within 30 days of receipt, the awarding department may proceed with the contract or phase activation as proposed.
(f) Section 10365.5 shall not apply to any contract for innovative technology designed to support wildfire or disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation, or response awarded by an authorized unit, whether awarded pursuant to subdivision (b) or through a competitive solicitation process.
(g) A contract awarded pursuant to this section that also meets the definition of a contract for information technology goods and services subject to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12100) shall be subject to the requirements of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12100), except as they conflict with this section.
(h) Upon the dissolution of the authorized units on January 1, 2033, pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 8589.66 of the Government Code and Section 798 of the Public Resources Code, a contract approved pursuant to this section before January 1, 2033, shall remain valid until the expiration of the contract.
SEC. 2.SEC. 7.
Article 4 (commencing with Section 785) is added to Chapter 2.5 of Division 1 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
Article 4. Fire Innovation Unit
(a) There is hereby established within the department a Fire Innovation Unit (FIU).
(b) The FIU shall serve as the department’s innovation arm and as the state’s principal hub for wildfire technology research, coordination, procurement, and deployment for technologies that improve ecosystem and landscape scale resilience, community risk reduction, ignition reduction, early detection, fast fire suppression, and decision support tools.
(a) The FIU shall consist of the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development, the Innovation, Outreach, and Coordination Program, and the Rapid Acquisition and Deployment Program.
(b) The Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development shall may do all of the following: following to support department efforts:
(1) Perform scientific and technical evaluations of emerging wildfire technologies.
(2) Conduct and participate in laboratory and field tests of wildfire technologies within the department and in partnership with local, state, tribal, federal, and international fire agencies.
(3) Document operational and technical results of laboratory, field, and operational evaluations of wildfire technologies.
(4) Issue recommendations on wildfire technologies regarding adoption and performance standards.
(c) The Innovation, Outreach, and Coordination Program shall
may do all of the following: following to support department efforts:
(1) Coordinate with end users across local, state, tribal, federal, and international fire agencies.
(3)
(2) Serve as a liaison between technologists and frontline personnel.
(5)
(3) Implement the Wildfire Innovation Grant Program pursuant to Section 788.
(4) Collaborate with public and private educational and research institutions.
(5) Coordinate demonstration events in established testbeds.
(9)
(6) Facilitate information sharing with local fire agencies and relevant state agencies, including the Office of Emergency Services, regarding wildfire technologies evaluated, piloted, or deployed through the FIU.
(d) The Rapid Acquisition and Deployment Program may do all of the following:
(1) Pilot and scale wildfire technologies through use of flexible contracting authorities pursuant to this article. methods available to the department under applicable law.
(2) Manage the Wildfire Innovation Grant
Program pursuant to Section 788.
(3) Enter into agreements with local governments, state and federal agencies, tribes, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, utilities, public and private educational institutions, and private companies for purposes of this article.
(4) Ensure that all projects carried out pursuant to this article include clear objectives, performance metrics, and audit provisions.
(a) Nothing in this article shall preclude the FIU from collaborating with the Office of Emergency Services, the FIRESCOPE Program established pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 13070) of Part 1 of Division 12 of the Health and Safety Code, or other state, local, tribal, federal, or private entities on shared initiatives that best meet the interests of the state.
(b) Nothing in this article shall be construed to limit, supersede, or otherwise affect the authority of the Office of Emergency Services to administer, coordinate, and operate the Mutual Aid System pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 8600), Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 8607), and Article 11 (commencing with Section 8615) of Chapter 7 of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(a) The FIU may enter into memoranda of understanding, cooperative research and development agreements, contracts, and grant agreements with public agencies, private sector entities, nonprofit organizations, educational and research institutions, tribal governments, and philanthropic partners for purposes of this article.
(b) In carrying out activities pursuant to this article, the FIU may consult with and invite participation from relevant state agencies, including the Office of Emergency Services, for technologies under evaluation that may support the state agencies’
department’s operational missions or impact cross-agency technology integration.
(a) The FIU may establish and administer a Wildfire Innovation Grant Program. Program to support department efforts. In administering the grant program, the FIU may issue solicitations, conduct a merit-based award process, and oversee grant performance.
award implementation. The grant program shall fund early-stage, mature, or dual-use technology projects that enhance wildfire readiness, mitigation, or response. wildfire prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response through grants, contracts, or both grants and contracts.
(b) Eligible entities include, but are not limited to, local, state, and federal agencies, tribal entities, nonprofit organizations, public and private academic and research institutions, and private sector technology developers.
(c) In
administering the Wildfire Innovation Grant
Program, the FIU shall, to the extent practicable, encourage projects that evaluate technologies across diverse operational environments and geographical conditions within the state to assess performance under varying terrain, fuel types, and weather conditions.
(d) All grants awarded awards pursuant to the Wildfire Innovation Grant Program shall align with statewide wildfire resilience goals and include clear metrics for success that are informed by end-user input.
(a) The FIU may administer or monitor pilot, prototype, or demonstration projects involving public agencies, private technology companies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, tribal governments, and philanthropic partners to evaluate, mature, and validate wildfire-related technologies.
(b) If the FIU administers or monitors a pilot, prototype, or demonstration project pursuant to subdivision (a), the FIU shall consider if the wildfire-related technology meets the criteria for formal validation. The FIU shall establish technical and operational criteria for formal validation.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), “substantially similar” means that the follow-on award is limited to the same use case, operational context, and performance characteristics that were evaluated during the pilot, prototype, or demonstration project pursuant to subdivision (a).
(d) The FIU may use flexible contracting authorities to acquire proven technologies for pilot, prototype, and demonstration projects pursuant to subdivision (a) and to award follow-on contracts pursuant to subdivision (c) to support pilot-to-scale transitions.
(a) The FIU may collaborate with public and private educational and research institutions on wildfire technology and innovation. innovation to support department efforts.
(b) The FIU may enter into partnerships, memoranda of understanding, or cooperative research agreements with the University of California, the California State University, community colleges, independent nonprofit institutions of higher education, and other accredited research centers to support wildfire technology and innovation.
innovation to support department efforts.
(c) The FIU may provide technical expertise, operational data, field testing environments, and appropriated funding to ensure the technologies developed in the collaborations are transitioned into wildfire operations.
The FIU may establish testbeds to test or evaluate emerging technologies. The FIU shall establish or designate testbeds where technologies can be safely deployed and evaluated under real-world conditions.
The FIU may provide technical assistance to local, state, tribal, federal, and international fire agencies to facilitate deployment of wildfire-related technologies.
The FIU may maintain a publicly available resource, including, but not limited to, an information bulletin, to provide visibility into technologies evaluated, piloted, or deployed pursuant to this article.
(a) The FIU may provide opportunities to participate in demonstrations, pilot programs, and field testing pursuant to this article.
(b) If the FIU provides opportunities for participation pursuant to subdivision (a), the FIU shall seek operational feedback from participating local, state, tribal, federal, and international fire agencies, and where appropriate, state agencies.
(a) Participation by a private entity in any FIU-authorized pilot, prototype, testing, demonstration, or research activity pursuant to this article shall not by itself constitute a conflict of interest, create an unfair competitive advantage, be considered a gift of public funds, or disqualify the private entity from any simultaneous or subsequent procurement, solicitation, or contracting opportunity with the state or a local agency.
(b) Information, data, or predecisional materials exchanged during activities conducted pursuant to this article shall be treated as nonprocurement sensitive and shall not be used as a basis to exclude or disadvantage any participant in future competitive procurement.
On or before January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the department shall submit to the Governor and the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, a report summarizing all of the following information:
(a) Technologies and projects evaluated, tested, or deployed under the FIU.
(b) Results and findings regarding cost-effectiveness and operational performance of the FIU.
(c) Partnerships and funding sources leveraged to support innovation activities pursuant to this article.
(a) The Except as provided in subdivision (b), the director shall implement this article only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes in the annual Budget Act or another statute.
(b) The Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the department may reorganize
existing positions and resources to fulfill the purposes of this article.
This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2033, and as of that date is repealed.