Recent Articles

New guide for creating "grid neutral" schools in California

David Gehrig
January 01, 2009 02:00

The California State & Consumer Services Agency recently released the first draft of a step-by-step guide to help California schools and community colleges cut energy costs through on-site electricity generation and become "grid neutral."  The guide is...

California court upholds 50-year ground lease between public health care district and private health care provider, allowing construction of a new SF Bay Area hospital to proceed

Shawn O'Leary
December 22, 2008 23:40

A recently published appellate case upholds a 50-year ground lease and related agreements between the Peninsula Health Care District (“District”) and the Mills-Peninsula Health Services (“MPHS”), which will allow the construction of a new hospital that complies with...

New design-build authority for cities, transit operators and Sonoma Valley Health Care District

David Gehrig
October 21, 2008 00:30

Governor Schwarzenegger recently signed three bills which will expand the ability of cities, transit operators and the Sonoma Valley Health Care District to award projects on a design-build basis.  Each of these agencies is generally constrained by public bidding requirements to...

Court clarifies public works contract claims procedures in relation to government tort claim procedures

Karin Manwaring
September 21, 2008 16:48

On August 25, 2008, a California appellate court held that compliance with the claims procedures set forth in a public works contract relieves a contractor from the requirement to file a government tort claim prior to filing a lawsuit, unless the contract expressly mandates that a government tort...

Court clarifies subcontractor substitution requirements

David Gehrig
September 14, 2008 22:55

A California appellate court recently clarified the requirements for substitution of a subcontractor on a public works project under Public Contract Code sections 4100-4114. (Titan Electric Corp. v. Los Angeles Unified School District (2008), 160 Cal.App.4th 188.)  Public Contract Code section...

New bill would expand design-build authority for cities and specified projects

David Gehrig
August 20, 2008 21:40

A new bill authored by Doris Wolk would expand the authority to award projects on a design-build basis to all cities, as well as to projects by any “qualified entity” for local or regional wastewater facilities, solid waste management facilities, or water recycling facilities. The...

The Future of Green Building - Tools and Technologies for Designing High Performance Buildings

David Gehrig
March 06, 2008 20:31

Hanson Bridgett will be hosting a sustainable business forum entitled "The Future of Green Building - Tools and Technologies for Designing High Performance Buildings" on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at our offices in San Francisco. Speakers will include Jon Pittman, Vice President of...

Governor Schwarzenegger Announces Ambitious Plan to Foster Public-Private Partnerships

Julie Sherman
December 13, 2007 00:34

Governor Schwarzenegger recently announced a plan to promote public-private partnerships in order to meet California’s long-term infrastructure needs. (See Los Angeles Times article.) Public-private partnerships are contractual agreements which are formed between public agencies and one...

New comprehensive guide for Integrated Project Delivery published

David Gehrig
November 15, 2007 21:52

Earlier this month, the American Institute of Architects California Council ("AIACC") and the American Institute of Architects ("AIA") jointly published a comprehensive new guide to Integrated Project Delivery methods.  The document is entitled "Integrated Project...

Restrictions on State of California's ability to contract with private engineering firms struck down by California Supreme Court

Greg Korbel
November 11, 2007 16:06

On November 5, 2007, the California Supreme Court held that the State of California could not enter into a memorandum of understanding with an engineering union which restricted the State from hiring and retaining private engineering firms where such restrictions were barred by a recent amendment...