(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a state agency that enters into a prime contract with a federally funded DOE or NASA research and development center or NASA field center, or that enters into a prime contract with another entity that, in turn, issues a subcontract to a federally funded DOE or NASA research and development center or a NASA field center located in California may, if requested by the contracting party, make contract payments to the center for contracted services in advance.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a state agency that enters into a prime contract with a federally funded DOE or NASA research and development center or NASA field center, or that enters into a prime contract with another entity that, in turn, issues a subcontract to a federally funded DOE or NASA research and development center or NASA field center located in the state may not indemnify the center with respect to products liability, intellectual property, and general liability claims arising out of the activities to be carried out by the center pursuant to the contract.

(c) Notwithstanding any other law, a state agency shall not audit the records of any federally funded DOE or NASA research and development center or NASA field center, but the state agency may rely on the services of any cognizant federal audit agency, including the Defense Contract Audit Agency, the United States Government Accountability Office, the DOE Office of Inspector General, and the NASA Office of Inspector General, to satisfy auditing requirements.

(d) For purposes of this chapter:

(1) “Federally funded research and development center” means a federally funded research and development center as defined in Subpart 2.1 of Part 2 of Subchapter A of Chapter 1 of Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(2) “NASA field center” means a field center identified as such by NASA and authorized by Title III of the Space Act of 1958.

(Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 256, Sec. 1. Effective September 14, 2006.)