California Code, Public Resources Code - PRC § 25620.7

(a) The commission may contract for, or through interagency agreement obtain, technical, scientific, or administrative services or expertise from one or more entities, to support the program.  Funding for this purpose shall be made from money in the Public Interest Research, Development, and Demonstration Fund.

(b) The commission may select the services or expertise described in subdivision (a), pursuant to Section 25620.5.  In the event that contracts or interagency agreements have been made to multiple entities and their subcontractors for similar purposes, the commission may select from among those entities the particular expertise needed for a specified type of work.  Selection of the particular expertise may be based solely on a review of qualifications, including the specific expertise required, availability of the expertise, or access to a resource of special relevance to the work, including, but not limited to, a database, model, technical facility, or a collaborative or institutional affiliation that will expedite the quality and performance of the work.