California Code, Education Code - EDC § 17070.50

The board shall not apportion funds to any school district, unless the applicant school district has certified to the board that the services of any architect, structural engineer, or other design professional for any work under the project have been obtained pursuant to a competitive process that is consistent with the requirements of Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 4525) of Division 5 of Title 1 of the Government Code and has obtained the written approval of the State Department of Education that the site selection, and the building plans and specifications, comply with the standards adopted by the department pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c), respectively, of Section 17251.