(a) The DSTI shall place an advertisement at least once in the California State Contracts Register informing the public that the DSTI will commence within a specified time period a designation process for an Alliance.

(b) Every Person requesting an opportunity to become an Alliance shall be mailed a Solicitation.

(c) All Solicitations received by the due date specified in the Solicitation shall be reviewed by the DSTI to determine eligibility pursuant to section 5462.

(d) All eligible Solicitations shall be scored by DSTI staff and consultants, based upon the Section 5464 criteria.

(e) The Applicant scoring the most points within each Region shall be recommended to the DSTI, along with a description of the proposed Alliance.

(f) The DSTI shall approve the Applicant(s) recommended for designation if it finds the description of the organization is consistent with the role and responsibilities of an Alliance as specified in statute.

(g) If the DSTI disapproves the Applicant, the DSTI shall recommend the second highest scoring Applicant within the proposed Region. This process shall continue until either the DSTI approves an Applicant, or all eligible Applicants are disapproved, in which case the DSTI shall hold a new Solicitation process consistent with the procedures set forth in this section.

(h) Not later than forty-five calendar days from the deadline for submitting Solicitations, the DSTI shall place in the mail a notification to all Applicants informing them of whether they have been conditionally designated as an Alliance. The notification to conditionally designated Alliances shall require the applicant incorporate as an Alliance, or demonstrate that it has previously incorporated as an Alliance.

In order to meet the requirement that the Applicant incorporate as an Alliance, the corporation: must be a nonprofit corporation registered with the California Secretary of State; the purpose of the corporation, as stated in its articles of incorporation, must be consistent with Government Code section 15379.2; and the date of incorporation shall not proceed the Solicitation deadline.

(i) Subsequent to designation of an Alliance, the Office and Alliance shall agree to the terms of a contract specifying the services which the Alliance shall provide. The parties shall be authorized to expand or shrink the size of the Region by amending the contract.