Section 10855 - Leadership and administration(a) The director shall lead the workgroup.(b) The Office of Planning and Research shall contract with planning facilitators to perform all of the following duties: (1) Provide facilitation and staff support to the workgroup.(2) Conduct research and gather relevant information for consideration by the workgroup in fulfilling its responsibilities pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 10853.(3) Produce the reports required pursuant to Sections 10856 and 10857.(4) Support the partner entities in advancing the purposes of this article, including, but not limited to, by assisting the partner entities to complete the activities specified in Section 10858.(c) For purposes of subdivision (b), the Office of Planning and Research may enter into exclusive or nonexclusive contracts with planning facilitators on a bid or negotiated basis. A contract entered into or amended pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be exempt from Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 14825) of Part 5.5 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Section 19130 of the Government Code, and Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, and shall be exempt from the review or approval of any division of the Department of General Services.(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a planning facilitator may subcontract as necessary in the performance of its duties, subject to approval of the director.(e) The Office of Planning and Research shall report to the Department of Finance and relevant subcommittees of the Legislature on awarded contracts described in this section within 30 days of awarding any contract. The report shall include information about funding amounts provided to contractors and subcontractors.(f)(1) A planning facilitator that contracts with the Office of Planning and Research pursuant to subdivision (b) shall, in consultation with the director, convene one or more advisory groups to obtain additional input from potential end users of the data system and other interested stakeholders and to inform the planning facilitator's work in fulfilling its responsibilities pursuant to subdivision (b).(2) At a minimum, the advisory groups convened pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be comprised of representatives of students, parents, labor, business and industry, equity and social justice organizations, researchers, privacy experts, early education experts, school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education, as selected by the director within 60 days of contracting with the planning facilitator.(3) In selecting the membership of the advisory groups, the director is encouraged to seek representation broadly reflective of the state's population.(4) The planning facilitator shall initially meet with the advisory groups within 30 days of the director selecting its membership, and then at least once every quarter, and, if approved by the director, within 15 days upon request of a majority of the advisory group.Amended by Stats 2021 ch 144 (AB 132),s 5, eff. 7/27/2021.Added by Stats 2019 ch 51 (SB 75),s 14, eff. 7/1/2019.