(a) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement, interpret, or make specific, the provisions of this chapter by means of written directives or similar instructions through June 30, 2025.
(b) Contracts to procure services to implement this chapter shall be exempt from the requirements contained in the Public Contract Code and the State Administrative Manual and from approval by the Department of General Services.