The department may enter into any agreements and contracts with any qualified person, department, agency, corporation, or legal entity, as determined by the department, when necessary in order to facilitate the timely performance of the duties and responsibilities relating to the review and inspection of architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems of hospital buildings to be constructed or altered or buildings under construction or alteration.

If the department determines that the structural review of plans for a hospital building cannot be completed without undue delay, the department may enter into contractual agreements with private structural engineers or local

governments for the purpose of facilitating the timely performance of the duties and responsibilities relating to the review and inspection of plans and specifications of the structural systems of hospital construction projects.

The department, with the advice of the Building Safety Board, shall prepare regulations, containing qualification criteria, for implementing the contractual agreement provisions of this section.